The Suffragettes were very violent, planting bombs, and even burning down houses and churches. They believed that the only way to receive the vote was to be more militant and get more attention. The Suffragettes went through phases of militant action, ranging from peaceful, to militant, to violent and then to restrained. They claimed they only became violent when the Government had ignored their peaceful tactics. The leaders were also very different in that one was pacifist and peaceful (Millicent Garrett Fawcett [NUWSS]) and the violent and militant (Emmeline Pankhurst [WSPU]).
- Women over 30 gained the vote in 1918 mainly because of women’s
to the war effort. Do you agree? Explain your answer.
This question focuses on whether I agree that the main reason for women gaining the vote in 1918 was due to their contributions to the war effort. Women’s’ contributions to the war effort did help women over 30 gain the vote to some extent, but there were other important reasons.
They took over most of the jobs, which had been vacated by the men who went off to the trenches and kept the economy moving efficiently. They worked long hours in jobs such as munitions, transport, agriculture, industry and domestic service. By the end of the war in 1918 there were 5 ½ million women employed in jobs such as these. In so doing they changed the public opinion, especially amongst men, many of whom felt that women had earned the right to vote.
This was true also of politicians, most notably Asquith, who had opposed giving the vote to women before the war broke out in 1914, but now spoke in favour, admitting that the war could not have been won without the efforts of women.
The fact that women had abandoned their violent tactics only further fuelled the public opinion and showed people that they were reasonable, mature and responsible. Also, the prospect of militancy was possible and, frankly, the government was tired of conflict after 4 years of war. The Government felt that it was something best avoided.
In 1912, the Franchise and Registration Bill removed most of the remaining qualifications on the right to vote. The government therefore decided it would be easier to give the vote to all men over the age of 21. This was done in the Representation of the People Act of 1918.
As the government had to draw up a new list of voters anyway because the old system based living at the same address for at least a year could not be applied when men were away at war. Also, as all men had fought, so all men deserved the vote. So as a change had to be made, it could easily be extended to women too.
Especially as there was no suggestion, as the suffragettes had ended their campaign in 1914 that the granting of the vote was being done under pressure.
I therefore feel that although it was mainly the women’s contribution to the war effort that got them the vote, it was also due to the more relaxed attitude of the Suffragettes and Suffragists that proved to the government that they were responsible enough to get the vote.
Assignment Two: Objectives 2 and 3
- What can you learn from Source A about the reasons given by the suffragettes for demanding votes for women?
The most obvious thing you can see from the source is the unbalanced voting regulations. It shows the bad and irresponsible things that men can do and still vote, yet women can have hugely important and responsible roles and still not be allowed to have their say in Parliament or the running of their country.
You can also see how the Suffragettes wanted to make their point. In this case, they have a persuasive, unquestionable, indisputable point, which they put across reasonably, in (unlike other demonstrations) a non-violent manner.
Women would feel from this that despite their invaluable work in society, they were undervalued and dismissed as not important enough to have the right to a say in what happens in their Government. The evidence is incontestable, and therefore becomes much more convincing. It would point out to many women’s groups who may have been against the movement that they have a very valuable point.
- Does source B support the evidence of source C about the suffragette campaign? Explain your answer by reference to both sources.
Source B does support the evidence of Source C because both of their messages are ones that suffragettes are ‘shrilling’ and ‘shrieking’. It is also promoting the fact that they may have done more harm than good.
Although this is true because they are both against suffragettes, they come from very different sources. Source B is written by a woman to show the truth about suffragettes. She is telling a more selective audience (i.e. those who will buy her book so can read, are interested in her views and can afford to buy books), so she is putting forward a reasoned argument as to why the cause was less productive.
Source C was drawn by a cartoonist to promote public awareness and perhaps detract women from joining the suffragette movement, and instead joining the suffragist movement – if any at all. More people would also see the cartoon – so it might have more of an impact on the general public.
Source B is written by a woman who is against votes for women. We can tell this because she has said that it is a woman’s place to give birth to voters rather than vote themselves. In source C he is not obviously against votes for women, rather the methods that some suffragettes are employing.
3. Why, despite the suffragette activity, had women not gained the vote by the outbreak of the First World War?
Women had not gained the vote mainly because the most important people were against them. If you don’t have the backing of the people that can make a difference, then you can’t change anything. Many people, including many women were put off by the violent and ‘un-ladylike’ methods that the Suffragettes used. There were 17 million women in Britain in the early 1900’s and only a small percentage belonged to the suffrage movement. It was women, not men, who started up the first anti-suffrage group. Source B supports this because the writer is obviously doesn’t believe that women should get the vote. Many women at the time probably felt like this, which shows that part of the reason they didn’t have the vote was due to unwillingness from other women.
The Government also didn’t want to give in to their violent outbursts. The Government felt that they were ‘unwilling to yield to violence what they were unwilling to concede in argument’. The issue was not politically important because few people regarded women’s suffrage as a major issue. The Government also had enough to deal with, including implementing Home Rule in Ireland, quite apart from the worsening situation in Europe. There was still fear of a Conservative vote from women which concerned many, and so to combat the fear the second hearing for the Women’s Enfranchisement Bill was talked out of Parliament and they refused to make more time for it. Source E shows one politicians view of a similar belief. He says that if women get the vote then they are leaving the control of the government to women.
4. Study sources F and G. How useful are these two sources as evidence for the
contribution of women to the war effort in the years 1914-1918?
The poster in Source F is a very useful visual source of evidence for women’s role in the war (1914-1918) effort. The heading stresses that the soldiers’ life depends on HER! The picture shows a confident, happy, capable woman that would make women think they could easily have just as great a life if they helped out in the same way. They may also have the confidence that they can do their job just as well as men can. The poster was made to encourage the women who’s husbands, brothers, son’s, fathers and friends that the best way they could help was to assist the government in making munitions so they can win the war and come home safely. This would make even the most avid supporter of the violent suffragettes and anti-parliamentarian feel the ‘tug of the heart strings’ and want to help their loved ones. This is a very effective poster as it is hard for people to abandon their loved ones. They would believe that it really did depend on her, which would make more women want to volunteer.
The table shows the contribution of women clearly and is strong evidence to the fact that women helped hugely. It cannot easily be questioned, as they are facts that have been taken directly from a reliable source. This is easily shown as the number trebled in 4 years. In some cases the number went up x125.
The sources are clear evidence that women’s work was hugely important to the war effort, and also that it existed. The fact that there are records kept which show exactly how many women worked in specific industries shows that they had been valued enough to be remembered. The poster is there to advertise the fact to women that they can make a huge difference to what happens to their country.
5. ‘It was the work that women did during the war that earned them the vote.’ Use Sources H, I and J, and your own knowledge, to explain whether you agree with this interpretation.
This question focuses on whether it was the work that women did during the war that earned them the vote, or if there were other reasons.
Although it was not only the work that women did during the war that earned them the vote, it did contribute hugely. At the time, it was firmly believed that the work they had done during the war was entirely responsible foe their enfranchisement. For example, in Source J, spoken in 1917 by Herbert Asquith, he says that now women have stopped their ‘horrible campaign of violence’ and ‘contributed to every service during this war except that of fighting’ they should be given ‘some measure of women’s suffrage’. He is saying that they have finally earned the vote. Although, he does say ‘SOME measure’ so how far he may have wished them to proceed is uncertain.
However, this was spoken in 1917, a year after he had ceased being Prime Minister. All through this he had firmly opposed giving women the vote-but what we don’t know is if he was forced to say this so he would continue to get support from his fellow MP’s.
Public belief that it was the work they did during the war that earned them the vote began to slowly diminish. This can be seen in Source I that is from a history book entitled ‘Women At War, 1914-1918 ’ which was written in 1977, so it was written some time after the era it is talking about with hindsight. The source says that the work women did greatly contributed, but wasn’t the only factor. It claimed that a ‘tremendous mood favourable to change had been created’. This tells us that although it was an important factor, it merely served to act as a catalyst to what would have happened eventually and it also claims that it is a generalisation to say that it was ‘the war brought votes for women’. It would therefore be false to say that this source shows us that the statement is true; it just assisted. There were also many other social and political changes including a change in Prime Minister and most importantly the 1912 Registration Bill which removed most property regulations (related to voting) to include almost all men, but still no women.
Finally, in Source H we are shown that to believe that it was the war alone is a simplified view. This is from a history book called ‘Women’s Suffrage in Britain, 1867-1928,’ which was written in 1980. This source tells us that the vote was a ‘reward to women for their war-time service’. This shows us that although this author believes that the war was mainly behind the vote for women, it is a simplified (not necessarily wrong) view to think so. The source also comments on the fact that only women over 30 got the vote to begin with. This is because they were considered to be more sensible and mature enough to decide whom to vote for by themselves, instead of follow their husbands or fathers. Another reason may be that women over 30 were more likely to have sons that may have gone off to the war to fight, therefore they deserved a reward.
Women had helped greatly in all areas of the war effort, not just in the ones we all think of. They kept the country running smoothly. The economy did not crash, and there was enough food for people to live on. As well as that, they made ammunition and still managed to run the house. Despite all their help, when the men came back they all had to give up their jobs. Maybe giving women the vote was almost like a payoff for them all losing their jobs.
I think that although it is the view of the government that the work that women did during the war was the only thing that made them get the vote, there were other reasons. I think that although it was mainly the part that women played during the war, there were some other reasons.