Millicent Fawcett and Emmeline Pankhurst: Heroes of Women's Suffrage

Background

• Time Period: Starting in 1897
• Issue: Only rich men could vote for MPs in the UK; no women had voting rights

Key Figures

Millicent Fawcett

• Nickname: Marvelous Millicent
• Group: Suffragists
• Approach: Peaceful campaigning to gain support from men in Parliament

Emmeline Pankhurst

• Nickname: Amazing Emmeline
• Group: Suffragettes (founded in 1903)
• Approach: Militant actions including chaining to railings, arson, and attacking policemen
• Reception: Tactics were controversial but impactful

Turning Point: World War I (1914)

• Women took over important jobs as men went to fight
• Women's contribution to the war effort made it difficult to ignore their demands for the vote

Outcome

• 1918: All adult men and some women gained the right to vote
• 1928: Full voting rights extended to all women

Conclusion

• Fawcett and Pankhurst were instrumental in achieving voting equality for women in the UK

[Music]