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Katherine Sheppard

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"A great woman has gone whose name will remain an inspiration to the daughters of New Zealand, while our history endures". This quote was read at the funeral for Katherine Sheppard. The political advancement of women in New Zealand was brought about by a handful of courageous women, particularly Kate Sheppard. Kate Sheppard was born on March 10, 1847 in Liverpool, England. Her full name was Katherine Wilson Sheppard, but she preferred the name Kate. After her father's death in 1862 when Kate was only 15, Kate's mother, took her and her two older brothers over to New Zealand, in 1868 and settled in Christchurch. Then in 1871, Sheppard got married to a merchant named Walter Allen Sheppard. Together they had one son, named Douglas who was born in 1880. She was an active member in her church and was very religious. Later in her life she became a big leader in the fight for Women's rights. Three heroic traits that a hero should possess are being a leader, strong, and devoted. Leadership skill because lacking this skill will keep people from knowing what is expected for them to accomplish. Strong will power would allow the hero to get things done. And lastly the hero needs to be devoted to their cause, while having the mindset of not giving up until something is accomplished. Katherine Sheppard portrays great leadership, a strong will for what's right, and a devoted mindset; all of which signifies that she deserves the title of a hero.

Telling people to accomplish something without a purpose is one thing, but being able to lead a vast amount of people with a purpose to succeed their goal is a whole other story. Katherine Sheppard has proven that with great leadership skills, she was able to band together many organizations and peo...

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...and. Kate should always remembered not only for her work to bring change to New Zealand women by gaining the right to vote, but for her pride of being a woman, at a time where being a woman was seen as a weakness, which is inspiring to me.

Work Cited

"Kate Sheppard, 1847-1934." Kate Sheppard 1847-1931. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Dec. 2012.

"Lightner, Barb. "Kate Sheppard." Kate Sheppard (2009): 1. Biography Reference Center. Web. 5 Dec. 2012.

"Sheppard, Katherine Wilson." - Biography. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Dec. 2012.

Sheppard, Kate." Britannica Biographies (2012): 1. Biography Reference Center. Web. 5 Dec. 2012.

Sheppard, Kate (1847-1934)." Dictionary of Women Worldwide: 25,000 Women Through the Ages. Ed. Anne Commire and Deborah Klezmer. Vol. 2. Detroit: Yorkin Publications, 2007. 1713. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 5 Dec. 2012
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