In 1918 after nearly sixty years of campaigning, some middle class women were granted the vote. It appeared that women had finally overcome societies prejudice and were now considered responsible and sensible enough to be trusted with the franchise. A study of this topic reveals that there was no single reason for women being given the vote. It is possible to identify both long and short term reasons and therefore multiple factors must be considered. The peaceful campaigning of the suffragists’ was a key factor in women receiving the vote.
1 – Who were Suffragettes? Suffrage means having the right to vote in political elections. Today women have freedom and rights to vote which can be taken for granted. The mid 19th century woman had no rights and no independent means and was always seen as second class. A woman’s role was looking after the home, and being a mother to her children.
Anthony – founding member of American Equal Rights Association 1866. 1872 voted illegally in presidential elections in protest. Against abortion – bad for women’s health. Lucy Stone – studied for a degree, gave lectures against slavery and supporting women’s suffrage. 1869 founded American Woman Suffrage Association American Woman Suffrage Association – 1869 by Lucy Stone, focused on male suffrage, moderate views on women’s suffrage National Women’s Suffrage Association – 1869 by Stanton and Anthony, wanted constitutional amendment giving women the vote National American Woman Suffrage Association – 1890, merging of AWSA and NWSA 1905 had only 17,000 members, 1915 = 100,000 (only half the women involved in temperance and prohibition) Carrie Chapman Catt became president 1900 – moderate campaign lobbying politicians, distributing leaflets, marches and public meetings Congressional Union for Women’s Suffrage 1913 (National Women’s Party as of 1917) – breakaway group led by Alice Paul inspired by militant British suffragettes.
“Women proved by their work during WWI that they deserved the vote.” How accurate is this view that women only received the vote because of their war efforts? Introduction: Notice the difference in debate and line of argument. By doing something like this, it immediately gives the impression of a top band ‘A’ essay. The line of argument is decisive and removes all ‘sitting on the fence’! This provides your essay with a clear, structured argument.
As we might say today, women’s ‘public image’ changed and improved,” says Constance Rover, a historian. Part of the reason why the war was key to women gaining the vote in 1918, was because of changing opinions towards women. “Surely a land fit for heroes to live in might include a place for a few heroines as well?” says Constance Rover. Women had proved themselves useful which was leading to greater equality with men. It would have been simply unreasonable to deny women the right to vote, especially now that women had more of a presence in society.
Before World War I, women had few rights. But their experience in the Great War changed that forever. Their views towards life changed or improved, and by the middle of the 19th century, women were demanding equality with men. They wanted the right to vote in elections and an equal chance to work and get educated. They also wanted the right to have their own possessions, to divorce their husbands, and to keep their children after divorce.
Activism by women was not the most important factor in advancing civil rights in certain issues and it would disagree with the judgment. Prohibition is an example of as it became effective in 1920s, which made the manufacture and sale of alcohol illegal. Prohibition was a controversial issue in the USA since continuation from 1826 towards the 20th century, there were women activism for prohibition such as Women’s Christian temperance movement who were an activist group who wanted to create “pure and sober world”, and they perceived alcoholism as a social problem. The group was formed in 1873, they had 344,892 members in 1921,158,477 members in 1901 and 22.800 in 1881. They were growing and potentially influential organization, they were the factor of why prohibition was implemented.
Although women have the right to vote today, this is quite different compared with women’s condition back in the late 1800’s. Women were treated unfairly; they just belonged to their husbands who were able to control all of their rights and use a moderate coercion if they were disloyal or disobedient. Being a woman who is willing to break the rules to bring back a freedom life for all women, Susan B. Anthony tried to vote for a presidential election and was arrested due to being female in 1872. During her trial, Anthony published a speech “On Women’s right to vote”. In her speech, the main reason Anthony was successful in persuading her audience was that she clearly established an exigent circumstance early and effectively adapted her writing to the kairos of the moment.
Fighting for a cause The women’s suffrage movement, symbol of nineteenth and early twentieth century feminism, is the one most visible manifestation of women’s emancipation. From the birth of the nation to a Constitutional Amendment passed in 1920, suffrage for women had been batted aside, ignored, criticized, and denied. Those who attacked women’s suffrage were attacking much more than the idea that women as well as men should enter the polling booth. Across America women living in the 1900’s were angry and tired of feeling betrayed and treated as an unequal second class citizen. However these brave remarkable women decided to take action that helped forever changed American history, the right to vote.
When we go back to 19th century that was the time when it was witnessed that the male suffrage was prevailing in a number of countries and women suffrage was not there and somehow it ignited a spark among women to fight for themselves and for their rights so that they could be treated as humans and not as animals. In the year 1893, women were able to achieve equal voting rights at national level in New Zealand. The same pattern was followed in Australia in 1902. However, in America, England and Canada women could achieve same voting rights only after the First World War ended. Then came into being the famous movement called The Suffrage Movement during which the women fought for their equal voting rights which all men were enjoying at that time because they were of the view that they were a part of the society too and they deserve all the rights to elect their representatives.