Suffragettes - UK and United States

For all those writers writing history pieces that involve women's suffrage, this is for you. For all those people scrolling facebook, pinterest, and twitter out of boredom, this is also for you. This is especially for those who love women's history.

 These brave women are the reason women can vote and be involved in law. Here's the basic overview of how long they fought for the basic right to have legal voice.

In the UK

It was started in 1897 by Milicent Fawcett. She was for peaceful protest because doing anything irresponsible may prove to the men that women couldn't be trusted. Later another group began, after that one failed.

Emmeline Pankhurst started Women's Social and Political Union in 1903 and was willing to do anything to get what she wanted, violence included. She interrupted many meetings with her suffragette group and they were jailed many times over for it. They also burned churches that didn't agree with them, broke windows, chained themselves to Buckingham Palace, shouted abuse at Parliament from the Thames river, and refused to pay taxes, as well as, firebombing homes, vandalizing golf courses, and attacking politicians.



Suffragettes happily went to prison and went on a hunger strike. They began force-feeding these women. Because of the passing of the Cat and Mouse Act, force-feeding was outlawed and once too weak, they were released. Some were picked up later for trivial reasons and the process started over again, all because this meant they couldn't participate in the movement because of health. The police used this technique often to keep the movement under control.

World War I took over everyone's agenda and the women put their attention into the war support. 1918 was the year that women over the age of 30 were given the right to vote. It was a starting point.

In the United States

The right to vote took decades here. The right to vote was given in 1920. The movement began before the civil war, in 1848. The temperance, religious, moral-reform, and anti-slavery movements were going on, as well. 

It started with the Seneca Falls convention, where abolitionists gathered to discuss women voting and agreed it was needed. During the 1850s it gathered, and lost, steam. The black men got the right to vote in 1870, but not women. Groups began campaigning for women's votes, both universally and state-by-state. These two groups merged in 1890. 

 In 1910 they gained some ground. Some western states gave women the vote. Southern and eastern, not so much. Just like in the UK, some made peaceful campaign plans and others picketed and hunger-striked. Also, World War I put those plans on hold. After that, the vote was won for all women on August 18th, 1920. 

Why This Matters

Women today have enjoyed the right to vote since 1920, or in the UK, around 1918. In the case of other countries, this is different, so please be aware of that when writing a setting that is none of the above. 

We are all blessed enough to vote on our representation. Women have come a long way since 1920 and have the privilege to do so much. Not only do we vote, but we also work and own property. History shows us how blessed we are to live the way we do.  Thank you, Suffragettes. 

Pictures:
bbc.co.uk
phoenix.org.uk
wikipedia
nps.gov

Sources:
https://www.history.com/topics/womens-history/the-fight-for-womens-suffrage
https://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/the-role-of-british-women-in-the-twentieth-century/suffragettes/