123 years ago today How did women challenge
- Slides: 8
123 years ago today…
How did women challenge society’s ideas about women’s right to vote? Learning: Skill: Describe one action taken to help gain the vote for women in New Zealand Interpreting a primary source document
The NZ Women’s Suffrage suffrage = right to vote What do you already know? Who was involved? When did women get the vote? Why did women want the vote? How did women get the vote?
What do you see? When do you think this cartoon was published? What do you find interesting about it ? Extend yourself! What’s the message of this cartoon? ‘Cartoon against women's suffrage', URL: http: //www. nzhistory. net. nz/media/photo/anti-womenssuffrage-cartoon, (Ministry for Culture and Heritage), updated 23 -Dec-2013
Challenges to political equality • In early colonial New Zealand, women were excluded from any involvement in politics • Most people – men and women – accepted the idea that women were naturally suited for domestic affairs, such as house-keeping and raising children. Only men were fitted for public life and politics • In the 1880 s, some women began to challenge this narrow view of the world
Ten reasons why the women of New Zealand should vote (1888) Task 1: Understanding the primary source Which point is saying that women care more about the next generation and therefore care about more than just the present time? What is one reason given to not allow women the vote? Which point addresses the belief that women’s intelligence is the same as children? Find another word for: • Wealth • A politician who acts unethically • Integrity & honour
http: //nzwomensuffrage. weebly. com/ Task 2: Interpreting the primary source What does this show us about challenges women faced? What was society’s perception of women, according to this document? What do you think the response to this leaflet was? What is your opinion of point #9? Would women “feel a deeper interest in the preservation of peace, law, and order? ”
Conclusion • The movement gathered momentum from the mid-1880 s • Led by Kate Sheppard, huge petitions were organised for Parliament: ü ü 1891 more than 9000 signatures were gathered 1892 almost 20, 000 1893 nearly 32, 000 were obtained – almost a quarter of the adult European female population of New Zealand Success! NZ is the first nation in the world to grant women suffrage 1893
