The Story of SuffrageFocus: Britain and France

10.1

Directions:

• You will be going around in learning stations today to learn part of the history of suffrage.

• Each station has a number that coincides with a section of your packet so be sure to follow carefully.

• With your group you will have 5-7 minutes at each station to use the information provided at your station to fill in the guided notes sheet and answer the questions.

• You MUST read the notes aloud with your group during the last minute at each station. You will be given a 2-minute and 1-minute warning to help pace yourselves.

• Finally in the last 5-10 minutes of class we will read the story together.

Setting the Stage

• Early 1800s – only about 5% of British could vote– Limited to men who owned a substantial amount

of land– No women at all

1. The Reform Bill of 1832

• 1830 – the wealthy middle class (many of whom gained their wealth thru the industrial revolution) began to protest – Sought to extend suffrage: the right to vote

• British Parliament became worried about the revolutions spreading across Europe – ∴ quickly passed the Reform Bill of 1832 before

things got too out of hand• Extended voting rights to wealthy middle class by easing

the property requirements

2. The Chartist Movement

• Lower middle + working class men still could not vote • They started a mvmt’ The Chartist Mvm’t:

– B/c they presented their demands to Parliament thru a petition called The People’s Charter of 1838

• The People’s Charter of 1838:– Called for universal male suffrage– Annual Parliamentary elections – Secret ballot to protect those working on the wealthy man’s

farm– End to property requirements for serving in Parliament– Pay for members of Parliament

The Chartist Movement

• Parliament reject the Chartists’ demands• BUT Their protests convinced many others

of their valid complaints – Continued to fight for these rights and reforms

throughout the 19th century• By 1884 most adult males could vote• By early 1900s all Chartist reforms besides

annual elections were passed

3. The Victorian Age

• Queen Victoria oversaw most all of these changes– 1837 at age 18 she came to the throne, maintained

a 64-year reign as Queen• Victorian Age– G.B. reached its height of power and wealth– But, she had less power than previous monarchs as

Parliament assumed most political power• The elected House of Commons had much influence• Prime Minister and the cabinet ran the gov’t

4. Women Get the Vote

• Thru/out the 1800s many women’s groups emerged in G.B. + the U.S. to fight for their right to vote – Others rose up in opposition to women’s suffrage

• Militant Protests:– Initially, protests were peaceful but...– 1903 Emmeline Pankhurst formed the WSPU• Women’s Social and Political Union became militant

Women Get the Vote

• Emmeline Pankhurst’s daughters Christabel and Sylvia were active in the WSPU– They were arrested many times– Used hunger strikes in prison to gain international

attention (similar story in the U.S.)– Were force fed in prison, very painful

• In both the U.S. (1920) and G.B. (1918) women gained the right to vote after WWI

Source for Women’s Suffrage Question:

“British politicians, press and public were astonished by the demonstrations, window smashing, arson and hunger strikes of the suffragettes. In 1913, WSPU member Emily Davison was killed when she threw herself under the king's horse at the Derby as a protest at the government's continued failure to grant women the right to vote.”

http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/pankhurst_emmeline.shtml

5. France and Democracy

• Paris Commune (radical socialist gov’t) lasted for 3 months in France (March 1871 – May 1871) after the fall of Napoleon III

The Third Republic in France (1870 – 1940)• Replaced w/ the Constitutional Laws of 1875 that

formed the foundation for the Third Republic– two-house legislature – a Council of Ministers – President w/ powers resembling those of a constitutional

monarch– Lasted 60 years

6. The Dreyfus Affair

• Dreyfus Affair – An exception to 19th century forward thinking and reform – Illustration of the growing anti-Semitism of the era

• 1894: Captain Alfred Dreyfus (a Jewish officer in the French Army) was accused of selling military secrets to Germany– Sentenced to life in prison after the court found him

guilty based on FALSE evidence.• 1896: New evidence proved his innocence and

showed he was framed by other army officers

The Dreyfus Affair

Public opinion divided over the scandal:• The anti-Dreyfusards: Nationalists, anti-Semitic groups,

clergy + army leaders refused to let the case be reopened• Worried it would bring dishonor to the French Army

• The Dreyfusards: Dreyfus’ supporters argued for the importance of justice– Emile Zola: French writer published an open letter to the French

ppl title “J’accuse!” (I accuse!)• Zola denounced the Army for covering up the scandal • These views landed him a year in prison

• 1906 – Dreyfus named innocent• 1995 – French army publically declared his innocence

Alfred Dreyfus

7. The Dreyfus Affair and Zionism

• Significance of the Dreyfus Affair:– Illustrated the anti-Semitic strength in France/Western

Europe• In Eastern Europe: persecution of Jews very severe– Many fled to the U.S.

• Zionism: – Mvm’t founded by Theodor Herzl in the 1890s to

promote Jewish autonomy and an independent Jewish state (Israel) • Not achieved until 1948