suffragettes?

Question

what was their reaction to the great reform act?
what did the great reform act leasd onto?

ENGLISH HISTORY
(not american, french, ect)

Answer 1

The fight for women's rights started well before the Suffragette movement. The great reform act expanded men's rights so that those holding property worth over a certain amount could vote (by no means total male suffrage!), but naturally didn't touch the women - who at the time had absolutely no rights at all (they were the property of either their fathers/brothers, or their husbands). There were small groups set up to agitate on various issues, and a few individual brave women made great contributions (eg Caroline Norton, Emily Davies). The Woman Suffrage movement didn't really start to gain pace until the last quarter of the 19th century, with leaders like Millicent Fawcett. Prior to this, women's rights movements had been concentrating more on trying to get women actually recognised as human beings - especially married women, and to give them some rights over eg their children and any money they earned, and also for higher education. The original suffrage movement saw that without women getting the political power through the vote, they were fighting an unwinnable battle. The militant movement was founded in 1903 as normal diplomatic methods were having no effect whatsoever. The term 'Suffragette' was coined, I think in around 1906, by a newspaper. For a good basic introduction to the subject try - Sex & Suffrage in Britain 1860-1914 by Susan Kingsley Kent. Hope this has helped a bit - it's an absolutely fascinating and greatly neglected part of our history.

Answer 2

The Great Reform Act was 1832 wasn't it? It gave universal franchise to men. I seem to remember that the impetus for the founding of the suffragettes was the passing of The Married Women's Property Act (sorry can't remember the date) which came well after the GRA. Also Forsters Education Act of 1872 meant that girls as well as boys had to go to school. All these things led to a climate in which many women felt that it was wrong that they could not vote. Many/most men felt that this was a step too far and said so both in and out of parliament; their antagonism led to the suffragette movement becoming progressively more radical.

Answer 3

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suffragettes

more than enough info here. happy reading