Women At War

The Fight For the Right To Vote

• During the past few periods we have been examining the campaigns of the Suffragists and Suffragists.

• Think carefully about the following question……….

Do you think the Suffragettes were justified in using violence to achieve their goals?

Aims:

• Examine the role played by women during the Great War.

Women At War

• On the 4th of August 1914, Britain declared war on Germany.

• During the first year of the war over 2 million men volunteered to serve in the army.

• By 1916 the government had to introduce conscription because of the high casualty figures.

• As men went off to war, women were increasingly needed to fill their jobs.

Women At War

• Many working class women worked outside the home before 1914 mainly in factories or domestic service.

• However during the war more women were needed to do a wider range of jobs in order to keep the country running smoothly.

• Women from all classes took up new opportunities in the workplace.

• The Suffragettes suspended their campaign and demanded that women should have ‘the right to serve’.

Women in the Workplace

You will be shown three short clips about women during the First World War.

Jobs carried out by women:

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Women in the Workplace

Women found work as:• Secretaries• Shop assistants• Bus conductresses• Taxi drivers• Policewomen• Undertakers• Railway porters• Munitions workers

Women and the Armed Forces

Women were also allowed to join the armed forces and took over the clerical and support work previously done by men.

• Women’s Royal Naval Service (WRNS)

• Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps (WAAC)

• Women’s Royal Air Force (WRAF)

Did the War Change the Position of Women?

• Many soldiers fighting in the war did not have the vote.

• In 1918 the government met to discuss this issue.

• The war had changed attitudes towards women

• The Prime Minister, Lloyd George and other MPs were more sympathetic to the idea of votes for women.

• In 1918 women over 30 were given the vote. This mainly benefitted middle and upper class women.

• After the war, many women were expected to give up their jobs and go back to the home or the jobs they previously did.

• Ten years later in 1928 women over 21 were given the vote.

Tasks:

• Complete questions 1,2, and then 5-7 from page 35 of your workguide.

• Use pages 83 and 85 of your textbook to help you.

Final Assessment

As we reach the end of this topic we need to consider all the different factors which helped women to achieve the vote.

Women and the Vote

Suffragists Suffragettes

Example of Other

Countries

Impact of the War

Suffragist/Suffragette CampaignBoth groups used different tactics and gained publicity for their cause. They won over some of the public and politicians.

Outbreak of WarSuffragettes ended their campaign and helped recruit soldiers for the army. This won them respect.

Contribution to the War EffortWomen carried out a wide range of mens’ job e.g. munitions, farming etc. Without them, Britain could not have won the war.

Other CountriesWomen in New Zealand already had the vote by 1900. At the end of the war in 1918, women in Germany were also given the vote.

Political Reform At The End of the WarJust before the end of the war, the government had already decided to give all men the vote – at the last minute they decided to include women as well.

What do you think was the most important factor?