1918 – some British women get the right to vote
We chose 1918 as a significant date because it was the year that British women over the age of 30 got the right to vote.
Before 1918 only 58% of the male population were allowed to vote. In 1918 the Representation of the People Act was passed. This let women over 30 years of age vote. However, some women were not allowed to because they did not meet the property qualification to vote because being able to vote also required them to have a certain amount of money. 60% of the women population were also under age and did not have enough money to be able to vote.
The Suffragists were formed in 1897; they were led by Millicent Fawcett. This group tried to get votes for women in a passive way. Another group that were fighting for the rights for women were the Suffragettes. They were formed in 1903; they were led by Emily Pankhurst. The Suffragettes fought for the right in an active way, often using violence.
This particular date is important to history because before 1918 women did not have a say in who would be making the decisions for their country, and their lives.