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| WHY
WOMEN WANTED THE VOTE | |
In 19th century Scotland women were expected to be wives
and mothers and to remain at home. The status of women was, however, changing.
Improvements were being made to their legal status, and by 1900 many more women
were receiving an education and entering the professions of medicine, the law
and teaching. They were also allowed to vote in local council elections. Despite
these changes, women were still unable to vote for MPs.
Women felt that
if they gained the right to vote they would also be able to gain further benefits
and advances to improve living and working conditions for women.
There
are two sources in this section.
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| Source 1A | | |
| Source 1A is a suffragist
election leaflet published by the national suffragist organisation, the NUWSS,
in 1905.
Click to enlarge the image, then answer the following questions.
Questions
- Find three reasons why working women wanted
the vote.
- Why was this leaflet produced?
- Why
are certain words highlighted and in large text?
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| Source 1B | | |
| Source 1B is a
cartoon from 1902. It shows John Bull who represents the British state, asking
women to help work for the happiness and education of the nation.
Click
to enlarge the image, then answer the following questions.
Questions
- How does the cartoon show that women had very few rights?
- Which
of the problems facing women does the cartoonist suggest is the most important?
How does he emphasise this?
- What would the vote enable women to
do, according to the cartoon?
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