Campaigns for the vote

How did campaign for votes for women become a much wider movement for women’s equality in 19th century?

• Radical women were concerned about a whole range of issues - unequal divorce laws, health, education, pay.

What did the need for women’s suffrage lead to?

Women’s suffrage societies being formed in towns and cities.

What matters did the cases of Women’s suffrage societies lead to?

• Laws should reflect wishes of all people. It is a democratic principle that those who live under law should have a say in how laws are made.

• Parliament makes laws affecting women’s work, homes, children and education; women have interest and experience in these areas.

What were the Suffragists organisation?

NUWSS.

When did the NUWSS begin?

1897 as a national organisation, with many local suffrage societies formed much earlier.

Who was the leader of the Suffragists?

Millicent Fawcett.

What was support for the suffragists like?

Nationwide, mainly middle-class but with considerable working class support, especially in north-west England.

What were the aims of the suffragists?

Giving the vote to women on the same terms as men.

What strategy did the suffragists use?

To influence public opinion through any legal means: pamphlets, posters, marches, rallies.

What tactics did the suffragists use?

To support any MP, of any party, who promised to support their aims.

What were the suffragettes first known as?

WSPU Womens social and political union.

When did the suffragettes begin?

1903

Who was the leader of the suffragettes?

Emmeline Pankhurst.

What was suffragette support like?

Nationwide, but increasingly based in London.

What was the aim of the suffragettes?

To win vote for women on the same basis as men (same as NUWSS)

What was the strategy of the suffragettes?

To put pressure on the government - which from 1906 meant the liberals - to pass a law giving the vote to women (same as NUWSS)

What were the tactics of the suffragettes?

To harass Liberal MPs and ministers; to break the law if necessary for publicity for their cause.

What did Christabel Pankhurst do in 1905?

• Christabel Pankhurst and Annie Kenney were the first suffragettes to be arrested.

• They went to a meeting in Manchester addressed by Liberal government minister and kept calling out "‘Will the Liberal government give votes for women’.

• Christabel fined 5 shillings but refused to pay the fine so sent to prison for a week.

What happened after the great publicity of Christabel’s imprisonment?

• Pankhursts took the view that any publicity was good publicity and from 1907 escalated their law-breaking, courting arrest. e.g. chaining themselves to railings of Buckingham Palace.

What was the impact of this suffragette campaign 1905-09?

• Highly successful in winning publicity: ‘votes for women’ filled papers.

• Suffragette colours of white, purple and green could be seen everywhere, on badges, banners.

• Many supporters of votes for women disapproved of their militant approach and joined the NUWSS.

• However, many turned up to their WSPU meetings to mock them.