Source G is a set of statistics from a school textbook, published in the 1980’s showing the number of women in employment in four different industries in Britain between July 1914 and July 1918. We instantly know that the source can be trusted as it is from a school textbook, a secondary source of which the author would have researched. From the source we can see that by July 1918, 424, 000 more women were working in metal industries, 64, 000 more women were working in chemical industries, 223, 000 more women were working in government offices and 39, 000 more women were working in food, drink and tobacco industries. This suggests source F to be successful as posters similar to these were having an effect on the minds of women and there employment in Britain was significantly rising.
In conclusion, both sources are useful as evidence to an extent. And as I said earlier they are even more utile when seen as supporting each other. Source F could be the answer for reason why so many women were entering the industrial workforce as conveyed in the bunch of statistic in source G.
5) Study sources H, I and J and use your own knowledge.
‘It was the work that women did during the war that earned them the vote’.
Use the sources and your own knowledge to explain whether you agree with this interpretation.
This is an opinion believed by many historians. There are many other reasons for why women gained the vote. Some of these are represented via sources H-J.
Source H is an extract from a history book entitled ‘Women’s Suffrage in Britain, 1867 – 1928’, which was written in 1980. Considering the fact that this source is from a history book, we know that it is a secondary source and that it has been based on research and therefore can be trusted. At the very beginning of the source, the author of the book openly states his or her opinion of the interpretation being nothing but basic and indistinguishable: ‘A very simplified view would see the vote as a reward for loyal wartime service’. Alternatively, the author believes that women’s traditional values to their social role were what earned them the vote. He or she even continues by saying that those women who did in fact begin to work in farms, hospitals and factories were ‘greatly resented’. Instead, ‘Men felt happiest if women became nurses, providers of refreshments for the troops and brought up the fighting men of the future’. From this, it is clear that the historian feels that men’s attitudes towards women still weren’t changing.
Source I presents a completely differentiating view than the view presented in source H. Source I is also from a history book, which presents it as being useful and reliable as the information has been researched. The book is entitled ‘Women at War, 1914 – 1918’ and it was written in 1980. The author of this book considers the interpretation in hand to be ‘a very rough generalisation’, which is corresponding to Source H, but as he or she continues, we see that they find it to be ‘one which contains some truth’. However, like I, he or she believes that more than one incident was responsible for attaining votes for women. For example, it is stated that attitudes were beginning to change due to the women’s war effort, which is once again different to Source H.
Source J is part of a speech given by Herbert Asquith in the House of Commons in 1917. Even though this source is primary evidence, it is still important to us as Asquith was an experienced politician who had been Prime Minister from 1908 to 1916, during which time he had been opposed to women’s suffrage. However, in this 1917 speech he brings forth a very different view on the subject. He now believes that ‘some measure of women’s suffrage should be given’. He possesses this view because ‘for three years now the Suffragettes have not restarted that horrible campaign of violence’ and women in general ‘have contributed to every single service during this war except that of fighting’. Evidently, Asquith’s view is similar to that of the interpretation in the question. However, more importantly, Asquith changed his opinion and gained respect for the Suffragette campaign and thus women’s suffrage despite him himself being personally victimized by the Suffragettes.
Supporting the interpretation, another reason for why women gained the vote could be the Suffragettes’ determination to stop their violent campaign and instead help in the war effort. Emmeline and Christabel Pankhurst, two of the leading Suffragettes, saw the war as an opportunity to prove their capability. For example, they appeared at recruitment rallies to encourage men to join the army.
However, opposing the interpretation in hand is the statistic that 50% of women in the suffrage movement were in fact against the war and so didn’t contribute to the war effort. Even Sylvia Pankhurst broke away from her mother’s organisation, the WSPU, due to her beliefs in pacifism.
In conclusion, there were a number of reasons for why women gained the vote, not only their contribution to the war effort but ultimately it was bound to come as women had been challenging their collective roles since the late 1800’s.
Heeten Pindoria 11P
