An online resource with supporting worksheets that brings the women’s suffrage campaign to life for students aged 11-14. The resource explores the 1866 petition which called for women’s right to vote and was signed by women across the United Kingdom. Students follow the journey of the suffrage campaign through video and quizzes, while source based activities help pupils develop source analysis skills.
The supporting regional worksheets provide a local history focus for students to learn more about suffrage campaigning and key women in their area. The resource is designed for students to use independently using a tablet or computer.
Our resource is currently being further developed and in the interim it can be accessed via the archived web version:
https://webarchive.parliament.uk/20200122143018/https://www.teach1866petition.com/
Please note that the video and audio clips cannot be accessed on the archived version but have been uploaded below on this page, the audio files listed as transcripts.
Watch the story of the 1866 petition
Read two speeches arguing either side of the debate.
“Neither birth, nor fortune, nor merit, nor exertion, nor intellect, nor even that great disposer of human affairs, accident, can ever enable any woman to have her voice counted in those national affairs which a touch her and hers as nearly as any other person in the nation. Do not women pay taxes? Does not every woman contribute exactly as much to the revenue as a man who has the same electoral qualification?”
John Stuart Mill MP, 1867, ‘for’ the women’s vote.
“There are certain things which women can do better than men, and others which they cannot do so well. In all that requires rough, rude, practical force, stability of character, and intellect, man is superior: whereas in all those relations of life that demanded mildness, softness of character, and amiability, women far excel. The contests of political life, and the rude and rough work which men have so often to go through, are not, I think, suited to the nature of woman, and, unless I am greatly mistaken, the majority of women themselves are of that opinion.”
Samuel Laing MP, 1867, ‘against’ the women’s vote.
Curriculum links
England
- Citizenship – Democracy, government and the rights and responsibilities of citizens
- SMSC – British Values
- History – Challenges for Britain, Europe and the wider world (1901- present)
- History – Power and the People
- History – Empire, reform and war: Britain 1890-1918
- History – The development of the UK 1919-1990
Northern Ireland
- Citizenship Studies – Democracy at work in the UK
- Government and Politics – Democracy in Action
- History – Challenges for Britain, Europe and the wider world (1901- present)
- History – Power and the People
- History – Empire, reform and war: Britain 1890-1918
- History – The development of the UK 1919-1990
Scotland
- Modern Studies – Democracy in Scotland and the United Kingdom
- Social Studies – Factors contributing to major social, political or economic change
- Social Studies – People, past events and societies
Wales
- Citizenship Studies KS4 – Democracy and Government
- Citizenship Studies KS4 – Democracy at work in the UK
- History – Challenges for Britain, Europe and the wider world (1901- present)
- History – Power and the People
- History – Empire, reform and war: Britain 1890-1918
- History – The development of the UK 1919-1990