The Differences Between the Methods of the Suffragists and the Suffragettes

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The Differences Between the Methods of the Suffragists and the Suffragettes

For women to campaign for being able to vote they were two main

organisations involved in trying to make this successful for women.

Their names were first the NUWSS were the suffragists group. The NUWSS

were formed in 1897. Mrs Millicent Garret Fawcett was its president.

Suffragists meant that they preferred to take action by moral force.

The name of the other group was the WSPU they were known as the

suffragettes. They were members of the Women's Social and Political

Union (WSPU). Founded in Manchester in 1903 by the Pankhurst family,

the approach was very different from the NUWSS. The suffragettes liked

to take action with physical force as well as moral force.

Both groups WSPU and NUWSS tried to get succeed in able to vote in

different ways. These groups had some legal and illegal methods to get

their own way. The legal methods were meetings, demonstrations and

pilgrimages in which both parties took part. Some illegal activities

that they tried to do were Tax evasion and census methods, propaganda

techniques and persuading the parliament. In both these legal and

illegal activities both parties took part. The NUWSS organised its

first London procession for 9th February 1907. It was to show

politicians and the general public the demand for women's suffrage.

Due to bad weather the demonstration became known as the "Mud March".

Over 3000 women marched from Hyde Park to Exeter Hall, in the Strand,

accompanied by bands playing music. The banners they carried

represented over 40 different women's organisations. The founder of

the Labour party, Keir Hardie, and well-known writers like H.G. Wells

made speeches in support of votes for women. At the time there was a

sense of shock at the sight if women marching in this kind of public

demonstration.

Most of the illegal activities were participated by the WSPU. They

committed such illegal activities such as Arson attacks. The main

reason for doing arson attacks was a response to the window smashing

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