Twentieth century · 1918-1971

Votes for women

In 1900 women could vote in national elections almost nowhere. Within a few years of the First World War they could in much of Europe and North America, but some countries took until 1971 and later. Students map the struggle and compare the methods of campaigners.

Teach it live New Open on the map
Length
45 minutes
Ages
11–14
On the map
3 steps, AD 1914 to AD 1960
Live lesson
7 rounds, 3 on the map
Worksheet
Two A4 pages, with Classroom
You need
A projector; phones for live

Live lesson · new in Classroom

Teach it live. The class answers on their phones.

Put the board on the projector. Students join with a six-digit code, no account needed, and tap the map: where was the frontier, where did the grain come from. Their pins drop in together when you reveal, and the closest student takes the round.

€19 per month: every lesson live, every worksheet, cancel anytime. Rome at its height runs live for free.

A live lesson on the projector: the class's pins on the map around Alexandria, the closest students listed beside it A student's phone: the question and a map to tap
7 rounds
3 places to find on the map, quiz questions, a class vote and a one-line answer.
About 15 minutes
Run it as the map step, or to open the discussion. You move on with the space bar.
A report
Every answer, per student and per round, to read back or print after the lesson.
1

Introduction

5 min

Read aloud

In 1900 women could vote in national elections almost nowhere. Within a few years of the First World War they could in much of Europe and North America, but some countries took until 1971 and later. Students map the struggle and compare the methods of campaigners.

By the end of the lesson, students can

  • Explain why women campaigned for the right to vote.
  • Order at least five countries by the year women won the vote.
  • Compare different methods of campaigning, from petitions to direct action.
2

Explore the map

12 min

Project the map, or let students follow on their own devices. Each step opens the map at the right year and place.

a

AD 1914

The first country

Open the map in 1914 and zoom out to find New Zealand. In 1893 it became the first self-governing country where women could vote in national elections. Then find Finland, the first in Europe in 1906.

Open this view on the map
b

AD 1920

After the Great War

Move to 1920 and look at Europe. Women won the vote in Britain, Germany, the Netherlands and several new states between 1918 and 1920. Why do you think the war made a difference?

Open this view on the map
c

AD 1960

The latecomer

Zoom in on Switzerland. Ask the atlas: "When could Swiss women vote in national elections?" Why do you think it took so long?

Open this view on the map
3

Class discussion

14 min

Pick two or three. They run from what happened to why it mattered.

  1. Why did some people in 1900 argue that women should not vote? How did campaigners answer them?
  2. Suffragists used petitions and meetings; suffragettes in Britain also broke windows and went on hunger strike. Which methods work best, and why?
  3. Many countries gave women the vote just after the First World War. What had the war changed?
  4. In Australia, Aboriginal women and men only got the vote in all federal elections in 1962. Why should we ask "which women?" when we tell this story?
  5. Swiss women could vote in national elections only from 1971. What surprises you about that?
4

Game round

9 min

Play one round of Rule History as Elizabeth I, a woman who ruled England long before ordinary women could vote. Then discuss: why could a queen rule a country while most women had no say at all in how it was governed?

Open Rule History
5

Worksheet

5 min

This worksheet comes with Classroom

€19 per month unlocks every worksheet, every live lesson and the class workspace. The free lesson prints without a subscription.