Women’s Suffrage Australia, DRAFT Elizabeth Albans Women’s suffrage was one of the first milestones to achieve gender equality. In 1902, the newly established Australian Parliament, passed the Commonwealth Franchise Act 1902, which enabled women to vote in the federal election and stand for the federal election. The suffragettes fought for equality, the right to make decisions and argued against the view that women were intellectually inferior to men. However, not everyone agreed with the changes the suffragettes wanted to bring. They argued that women were equal but different, already had indirect power and could not fulfil the duties of a citizen. Suffragettes …show more content…
It was an enormous social change for women to take part in public decision making, and gave them a voice to abolish unjust laws. The suffragettes in Australia argued that they were intelligent enough to vote, that it was unfair for them to be taxed without representation, and that they were equal to men therefore should have equal rights. In contrary, the suffragettes’ opponents alleged that women already had indirect power through manipulating their husbands and father’s voting choices at the ballot box, that women were equal but different and that women could not fulfil the duties of citizenship therefore should not vote. The suffragettes encouraged people to sign their petition, as well as held meeting and debates in order to gain supporters. Women in Australia used civil methods of protest, and didn’t adapt the more radical methods used by suffragettes in other countries. The outcome of the suffragettes’ protest was nearly ten years of legislation changes enabling women’s voting rights and the beginning of women in parliament. One of the most outstanding pieces of legislation passed was the Commonwealth Franchise Act in 1902 allowing all women (excluding Aboriginal women in Queensland and Western Australia) in Australia to vote. Women’s suffrage in Australia changed the social view people had on women and encouraged other countries to franchise
Women suffrage is women gaining the right to vote. Susan B. Anthony was a very important person in this movement. The first major meeting of women to discuss their rights was in Seneca Falls, NY. A document similar to the declaration of independence was written by women. It listed the grievances, or issues, that women had with society, it was named the Declaration of Sentiments.
The birth of the first association fighting for women's rights in Canada symbolized the beginning of women's fight for their right to vote. A forum for women to pursue their intellectual interests. A clear goal was set to gain the right to vote. Set the stage for a series of feminist movements that
Although it would appear that this was only a tiny step, it was a massive triumph for feminists at the time. It laid the groundwork for later movements for women's suffrage by demonstrating that women could engage in the political process. The broader extension of voting rights in the following decades was made possible thanks partly to the second reform measure. The Franchise Act gave most males the right to vote in 1884, while the Representation of the People Act gave women over 30 who satisfied specific property requirements the right to vote in 1918. Ultimately, the Equal Franchise Act of 1928 granted women the same voting rights as males.
1849 to 1910 was an important time for America. Reforms were happening all across the board, affecting workers, African Americans, and children. It was also very crucial for women’s rights – voting rights in particular. This period saw the beginning of the women’s suffrage movement; however, it also marked the start of anti-suffrage. During this time, society was divided with one of the simplest and most complicated questions of the era: what is the proper role of women?
During the suffrage movement after 1890, women activists from various backgrounds, started to tackling with various social problems dealing with industrialization and other important topics during that time era. Women wanted to focus on topics that appealed to them as women, and mothers. The campaign to get women’s suffrage took over twenty years to get women the right to vote just like the men around them. In these two decades, women had over 480 campaigns in legislatures, over 200 campaigns in state party conventions and almost 20 campaigns in congress before the women got the same right as men. Women's work in the abolitionist movement played a particularly important role in the creation of an organized women's rights movement.
Women’s Issues Have you ever wondered what life would be like today if there was no suffragette movement? Well the 1900s was the decade of the suffragette movement! After fighting for rights since the 1889 women were finally granted the right to vote in 1902, making Australia the first country ever to let women vote, later in 1903 the Women's Social and Political Union (Suffragettes) was formed. In 1903 Alfred Deakin became prime minister, Women voted for the first time and four women stood for the senate.
In spite of this, the suffragist movement was created, this was a organization of women who fought for the full right for all women to vote. This movement gained strength and in 1918 women gained the permanent right to vote, and later in 1920 the Dominions Elections Act was passed, which that allowed women to run for the House of Commons. Thus, WWI encouraged women into the workforce which in turn helped them gain the right to
Why did it take so long for America to allow women’s suffrage during the Progressive Era? Progressives in America did analyze and attempt to solve the unjust and unfair problems that emerged with the increasing number of immigrants, unregulated businesses, urban cities, and economic disparity. There was exploitation of people by the rich and powerful. Even though women contributed behind the scenes during wars and started to represent in work forces, there was still opposition towards their right to vote. At that time, men of the country probably had the notion that women were still not educated enough to be involved in politics.
The first wave of feminism took place in the late 19th century, they were mainly concerned with gaining the right to vote and stand for parliament. The colonies had started to allow the men’s suffrage halfway through the nineteenth century, though women were not originally included. When Australia reached Federation (1901) it was agreed that women would be allowed the vote. In 1902 women were given the vote in federal elections except if they were of Indigenous Australian, Asian, African or Pacific Islanders descent. The second wave of feminism took place in the 1960s and 1970s, it mainly focused on gaining equality with men in other areas, such as work, law and general social standing.
Document 4 shows a petition made by the London Workingmen’s Association in an attempt to, “enact that every person producing proof of his being 21 years of age shall be entitled to have his name registered as a voter.” In 1838, the time that this petition was created, it was mainly nobles and upper class citizens who had the right to vote, so it makes sense that the working men of Europe wish for male suffrage because then they have the ability to elect people whom they believe will better improve their lives. Document 5 introduces a woman activist, Flora Tristan, who wants universal working rights for all citizens in the, “universal union of working men and women.” Document 8 introduces another woman activist, Pauline Roland, who claims that, “as soon as a woman comes of age, she has the right to arrange her life as she wishes.” Women have historically been undermined in the working society through such laws as the Factory Law or the Mines Act, which left women without work or having less hours.
Women’s suffrage in Canada has always been a tough and very important historical event. They have experienced many cruel things from their political rights, the workforce, their education, and in their everyday activities. To begin, before the wars, women had to face unfair battles before WWI. Firstly, Canadian women’s rights to vote were extremely limited, restricted education options, restricted workforce options, and also had to fight social expectations. Women in Canada were not allowed to vote at all.
And their traditional roles included staying home, rearing children and looking after their families. Women were not granted the right to vote until August 18th 1920 (The 19th Amendment, n.d.). The 19th Amendment to the U.S Constitution granted American women the right to vote—a right known as woman suffrage. This was only less than a hundred years ago, while men have been given that right since the beginning
“These two amendments allowed men to vote, but still permitted states to deny the vote to women” (Kirk, G. & Okazawa-Rey, M. 2013). Once they submitted their votes, they immediately had a warrant out for them because women were not able to vote during this time. After they were caught, they were taken to trial, which lasted for a long year (McDavitt 1944). However, the question for women suffrage bubbled up to the service, which proved to legislation that they needed equal rights for women (McDavitt 1944). According to the textbook, Elizabeth Stanton and Susan B. Anthony formed the Woman Suffrage Association and started working towards getting the women the right to vote (Kirk, G. & Okazawa-Rey, M. 2013).
Thank you, Millicent Fawcett, for giving me the opportunity to speak on behalf of the National Union of Women 's Suffrage Societies which Millicent leads with grace and dignity. Some of you may know me and some of you may not, but I am Clementine Forest one of 3000 women suffragists who has marched here today, the largest march ever occurred, for the cause of women 's suffrage. I am here to represent and express the importance of women receiving the right to vote. Unfortunately, the London weather wasn 't on our side with the presence of heavy rain throughout our march from Hyde Park to Exter Hall, but this reinforces that nothing will stop women from protesting their right to vote. As you know we have been gathered together as one, today on February 9th, 1907, the day in which Parliament is open once again for the coming year.
Suffrages chose to take a more militant style approach to capture the attention of the government in a way that could not be ignored. They became a public nuisance in terms of publically demonstrating their frustration through actions rather than words. In “Freedom or Death,” Pankhurst speaks on behalf of the suffrage women, “we were called militant, and were quite willing to accept the name. We were determined to press this question of the enfranchisement of women to the point where we were no longer ignored by the politicians” (Pankhurst, 2). Though militant had a negative association, the suffragists prided their actions fighting for an honourable peace.