Page 30 - Year 8 Spring 2026 Knowledge Organiser

History: The Suffragette movement: 2 of 2

Timeline Key People

1897 NUWSS formed. Millicent Fawcett is leader. Emily
Emmeline Pankhurst - Christabel Pankhurst - Wilding Millicent
1903 WSPU is formed by Emmeline Pankhurst and daughters.
WSPU WSPU Davison - Fawcett
1905 Militant Campaign begins – Christabel Pankhurst and Annie Kenney arrested. WSPU - NUWSS
Led the WSPU from Became a speaker for Joined WSPU in Leading suffragist
1908 Mass rally in London – 300,000 to 500,000 activists attend. Window smashing using October 1903. Took the WSPU in 1905. 1906. 3 years later, and led NUWSS
stones with written pleas on them. more militant action She trained as a left job as a teacher from 1897-1919.
1909 Hunger strike and force feeding starts – Marian Wallace Dunlop becomes the first such as windows lawyer but could not and became a Played a key role in
hunger striker. smashing, arson and practice as woman. suffragette full getting women the
1913 Militant bomb and arson campaigns and increasing arrests which results in the time.
passing of the “Cat and Mouse” Act, under which hunger strikers are temporarily hunger strikes. Arrested with her Frequently arrested vote. Dedicated to
released then rearrested to prevent them dying in police custody. Arrested numerous mother. Fled England for number of using
times, went on in 1912 for fear of crimes including constitutional
1913 Emily Wilding Davison attempts to pin a Suffragette scarf onto the King’s Horse at hunger
the Derby. She is struck by the horse and dies 4 days later. strike and was force being arrested again. setting fire to post means, and argued
1914 World War 1 starts – Suffragette leaders urge women to join the war effort. fed. Died in 1928. Unsuccessfully ran for box. By 1911, that militancy was
NUWSS continues to campaign for recognition for their work. Parliament in 1918. become increasingly counter-
1918 The Representation of the People Act is passed, allowing men over 21 and women militant. productive.
over 30 to vote.
Essential Keywords
Cat and Mouse Act Permitted suffragettes on hunger strike to be released but re-arrested once well again to complete
their sentences.
During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Imprisoned suffragettes on hunger strike were sometimes force fed. Being force fed involved a
women in many countries were denied the right Force feeding rubber tube being inserted into the throat or nose and liquidised food being poured in.
to vote and participate in the democratic
process solely because of their gender. Two Hunger strike Some imprisoned suffragettes went on hunger strike to further raise awareness for their cause.
prominent movements emerged to advocate for
women's suffrage: the suffragettes and the The National Union of Women's Suffrage Societies (NUWSS) was formed in 1897 and brought
suffragists. NUWSS together many smaller suffrage organisations. The NUWSS's method was non-confrontationaland
constitutional.
The suffragettes, led by organizations like the
Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU) in Representa- tion of In 1918, the Representation of the People Act granted the vote to women over 30 who were also
householders, the wives of householders, owners of property worth over £5 or university graduates.
the United Kingdom, were known for their the People Act The Act also granted the franchise to all men over the age of 21.
militant and confrontational tactics. They
engaged in protests, demonstrations, and acts Suffragette A campaigner for women's suffrage willing to undertake militant action or to break the law.
of civil disobedience to demand voting rights for
women. Suffragist A campaigner for women's suffrage who believes in constitutional methods of campaigning.