Women's Suffrage Dbq

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When looking at the events of the First World War at home and on the frontlines, one can see the increasing power of the Women’s Suffrage Movement. There were many petitions and attempts at policy change from 1832 that were catching the attention of the public, however the First World War allowed for women to show their capability, which ultimately led to women gaining the right to vote. Some historians would say that the war had a negative effect on unions, however these impacts were negligible when compared to the positive ones. Therefore, it can be said that the Women’s Suffrage Movement was already well on its way before World War I, however the war did push the Movement forward. The Women’s Suffrage Movement was already well on its way …show more content…

Fast forward to 1866, Elizabeth Garrett and Emily Davies started the Ladies Petition, eventually compiling 1499 signatures. This petition stated that “all householders, without distinction of sex, who posses such property or rental qualification as your Honourable House may determine” be given the right to vote and marked the beginning of formal, organized campaigning for women gaining the right to vote. This petition was given to a Member of Parliament, John Stuart Mill, who promised to sway the House of Commons and pass the petition. John Stuart Mill was a philosopher and politician who believed that individual freedom and decision making were key, and that an individual should act in any way they choose as long as they do not harm others. These views fit in with the Suffrage Movement and show that there were people before the war that were changing, thinking, and advocating this to the public. The following year, Mill initiated the first debate to change the word ‘man’ to ‘person’ in the Second Reform Bill. While this was …show more content…

Taking a step back from the sway of government, we must also look at the education of women. To prove that women were as capable as men, they needed to have the same level of education. Seeing as women were told their place in society was in the kitchen or at home cleaning, their education was often ignored. Therefore during 1850, schools dedicated to the education of women started to appear. The North London Collegiate School and the Cheltenham College were started with the hopes of educating the women of Great Britain. These schools were filled with women who were already teachers and had the enthusiasm of learning instilled in their hearts. “The terrible sufferings of the women of my own class for want of a good elementary training have more than ever intensified my earnest desire to lighten, ever so little, the misery of women brought up ‘to be married and taken care of’”. The dedication of women across Great Britain to gain an education and show that they were as capable as men goes to show how important this movement truly was. Already before World War I,

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