HISTORY: SUFFRAGETTES AND SUFFRAGISTS

• Women's suffrage


  The right of women to vote in parliamentary elections
• In the 19th century, although there had been some advances in women's rights, women was still not equal to men and did not have the right to vote in parliamentary elections
• In the late 19th century and early 20th century, many British women and some men joined the campaign for women's suffrage
• They used a range of different methods in their attempts to gain the vote
• Suffragists


  Groups of women and some men who campaigned peacefully for women's right to vote in parliamentary elections
• Suffragists' campaign


  1. Petitioned parliament

  2. Held public meetings

  3. Went on peaceful marches

  4. Wrote letters and collected signatures

  5. Made posters
• By the number of MP's in parliament supporting women's suffrage increased, but women was still not given the right to vote
• Peaceful campaigning had limited success and many suffragists became frustrated
• Suffragettes


  The Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU), formed by Emmeline Pankhurst and her daughters, who were far more militant than the suffragists
• Suffragettes' campaign


  1. Held mass meetings

  2. Interrupted debates in parliament

  3. Chained themselves to railings

  4. Smashed windows and set post boxes on fire

  5. Burned down churches and planted bombs
• In 1913, Emily Davison died when she threw herself in front of the horse that King George V owned at the famous Epsom Derby
• The suffragettes gained attention for the women's suffrage movement, but they caused many people to be angry and may have caused supporters in parliament to decrease
• By the start of World War One in 1914, Emmeline Pankhurst stopped the suffragettes' campaigns and urged women to support the war
• Emily Davison joined the NUWSS but left to form the Women’s Social and Political Union (WSPU).
• Millicent Fawcett founded the National Union of Women's Suffrage Societies (NUWSS) which had over 50 branches across Britain by 1897.
• The suffrage movement was split into two groups, the suffragists who believed peaceful protests were more effective than violence. The suffragettes tried to effect change using more violent methods.
• In the late 19th century and early 20th century many British women and some men joined the campaign for women's suffrage
• They used a range of different peaceful methods in their attempts to gain enfranchisement
• Suffragists


  Groups of women and some men who campaigned peacefully for women's enfranchisement
• Suffragists' methods


  1. Holding public meetings

  2. Going on peaceful marches

  3. Writing letters

  4. Collecting signatures on petitions to parliament

  5. Making posters that declared their demands for the vote
• Peaceful campaigning had limited success and many suffragists became frustrated
• Suffragettes

  The Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU) formed by Emmeline Pankhurst and her daughters, who were far more militant than the suffragists. They became known as the Suffragettes.
• Suffragettes' methods


  1. Holding mass meetings

  2. Sending groups of women to 10 Downing St

  3. Interrupting debates in parliament leading to their arrest and imprisonment

  4. Chaining themselves to railings

  5. Smashing windows

  6. Setting post boxes on fire

  7. Burning down churches

  8. Planting bombs in public places
• In 1913 Emily Davison died when she threw herself in front of the horse that King George V owned at the famous Epsom Derby
• The suffragettes gained attention for the women's suffrage movement but caused many people to be angry and may have caused support in parliament to decrease
• By the start of World War One in 1914 Emmeline Pankhurst stopped the suffragettes campaigns and urged women to support the war
• Women gained the vote a few years after the end of WW1, and many argue that the law was changed more as a consequence of their actions throughout the duration of WW1 than as a result of the suffragette movement
• The WSPU used violent methods such as smashing windows, setting fire to buildings and attacking police officers.
• Christabel Pankhurst became the leader of the WSPU in 1912 as her mother went on hunger strike in prison.
• Emmeline Pankhurst formed the WSPU in 1903 with her daughters Christabel and Sylvia.
• During the First World War, the government encouraged women to take jobs as men went off to fight.
• Christabel Pankhurst wrote The Suffragette newspaper which encouraged violent protest.
• The WSPU were seen by some as extremists who went too far with their protests.
• Many members of the WSPU were arrested and sentenced to prison where they went on hunger strike which led to force feeding.
• Some suffragettes believed that violence would gain them sympathy from the government and lead to change.
• The WSPU were known as 'the Suffragettes'. They believed that violence would get them what they wanted quicker.
• The WSPU had around 50,000 members by 1914.
• In 1905 the WSPU began using militant tactics which included breaking windows, chaining themselves to railings and throwing stones at policemen.
• The WSPU organised demonstrations outside Parliament which often turned into riots with police having to use force against protesters.