Source cards: Britain in the 19th and early 20th centuries

Card A — The law: In the 19th century, women in Britain could not vote in parliamentary elections. Married women had limited legal control over their own property. The Married Women’s Property Acts of 1870 and 1882 gave married women greater rights to keep and control property they earned or inherited. Card B — Campaigning: From the mid-19th century, women and their supporters organised meetings, wrote pamphlets and petitions, and held peaceful marches. The National Union of Women’s Suffrage Societies, led by Millicent Fawcett, campaigned using constitutional methods such as lobbying MPs and public meetings. Card C — Direct action: The Women’s Social and Political Union, founded by Emmeline Pankhurst and her daughters in 1903, used the slogan “Deeds, not words”. Some members disrupted political meetings, chained themselves to railings, or damaged property. Imprisoned campaigners sometimes went on hunger strike. These actions attracted attention, but were controversial and could lead to arrest. Card D — Change: In 1918, the Representation of the People Act gave the vote in parliamentary elections to women aged 30 and over who met certain property qualifications, and to all men aged 21 and over. In 1928, the voting age for women was lowered to 21, on the same terms as men. The campaign for votes for women is known as the suffrage movement.