Women's Suffrage In The Nineteenth Century
In the nineteenth century women were not allowed to vote, and it was assumed that they did not need to vote because their husbands would take responsibility for them in essential political matters, and it was presumed their vote would be unnecessary as they would only vote for the same political party anyway. Even the Reform Act of 1832, which was supposed to increase the electorate to include a larger percentage of the citizens of the United Kingdom, failed to include women, something which antagonised some feminists at the time. It was the Chartist Movement, which began as a result of this act, which inspired women to campaign for their right to vote. For instance, they were able to see how the working class men worked for universal suffrage,
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Instead, it was largely because of the industrial revolution which meant that both working class and middle class women were often in employment. For instance, although working class women usually worked in low paid jobs such as domestic service, by 1861, 5,500 women we employed in the mining industry. In comparison to this, usually middle class women tended to do characteristically feminine jobs associated with the arts, as shown by the fact that there were 1,618 women who were employed as musicians. This thereby meant that, for the first time, they had the opportunity to meet in large organised groups to discuss political and social issues. Important topics of discussion, for them were often about the increasing demand for women’s rights, and therefore the industrial revolution served as a catalyst to developing these. In combination with this, some women in the higher social spheres began to reject the sex roles which were dedicated to them. For example, in the 1850s, there was a problem of ‘surplus women’, so many women were left unmarried, and competition for men was fierce between the upper class women. There was an ideal that women were the ‘Angel in the House’, as it was assumed that the woman’s role wold simply to provide comfort for her husband and children as they were naturally good and gentle. This meant
Instead, it was largely because of the industrial revolution which meant that both working class and middle class women were often in employment. For instance, although working class women usually worked in low paid jobs such as domestic service, by 1861, 5,500 women we employed in the mining industry. In comparison to this, usually middle class women tended to do characteristically feminine jobs associated with the arts, as shown by the fact that there were 1,618 women who were employed as musicians. This thereby meant that, for the first time, they had the opportunity to meet in large organised groups to discuss political and social issues. Important topics of discussion, for them were often about the increasing demand for women’s rights, and therefore the industrial revolution served as a catalyst to developing these. In combination with this, some women in the higher social spheres began to reject the sex roles which were dedicated to them. For example, in the 1850s, there was a problem of ‘surplus women’, so many women were left unmarried, and competition for men was fierce between the upper class women. There was an ideal that women were the ‘Angel in the House’, as it was assumed that the woman’s role wold simply to provide comfort for her husband and children as they were naturally good and gentle. This meant