Describe the ways in which the methods of the Suffragists and the Suffragettes were different.

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2) Describe the ways in which the methods of the Suffragists and the Suffragettes were different.

Both the suffragists and the suffragettes originated from the same organisation – the National Union of Women’s Suffrage Societies (NUWSS), which used peaceful methods to campaign for women’s suffrage. However, many members became frustrated with the slow progress in achieving their goal, and so these members branched off to form the Women’s Social and Political Union (WSPU). WSPU members wanted to use more forceful, even violent, methods to win the vote. Members of the WSPU became known as suffragettes, and members of the NUWSS were called suffragists.

The WSPU started off as a peaceful organisation, but began to use more aggressive methods in 1905. The turning point occurred at the Liberal Party convention when Annie Kenney stood up and asked Churchill; “If you are elected, will you do your best to make Women’s Suffrage a government measure?” She received no answer, whereupon Christabel Pankhurst and Annie started shouting, “The question, the question, answer the question”, until they were thrown out of the meeting and arrested. Instead of paying a fine, they both chose to go to jail, to draw attention to their cause. This then became a common tactic of the suffragettes.

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Over the years, their violence got worse, and was sometimes so destructive that they lost members. They started off with demonstrations and processions, which led to harassing politicians. Herbert Asquith, a non-supporter of women’s suffrage, had his house picketed several times and was interrupted and jeered at when he made speeches. In 1906, eleven suffragettes were arrested for “causing a disturbance” outside the House of Commons. They used propaganda to show that they were ill treated in jail, to win the sympathy of the public.

The violence got worse. The suffragettes chained themselves to railings, and vandalised property by ...

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