The contribution of women during WW1
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can explain that women's contributions during the First World War were a crucial turning point in the campaign for women's suffrage.
Key learning points
- War broke out in Europe in 1914, causing the suffrage campaign to be suspended.
- Women entered the workforce in unprecedented numbers during the war to replace men who had gone to fight.
- Women's contributions to the war effort strengthened the campaign for women's suffrage.
- The 1918 Representation of the People Act gave the vote to all men and married women aged over 30.
- In 1928, the Equal Franchise Act gave votes to everyone aged 21 or older, including women.
Keywords
Suffrage - the right to vote
Unprecedented - never known or done before
Franchise - the ability to vote
Common misconception
The belief that all women supported the war, and that women were immediately involved in war work from 1914.
Some women were pacifists and did not support the war effort. Women were only brought into the workforce from 1916 due to labour shortages.
Teacher tip
Ask pupils to recall prior learning on attitudes towards women and how these were still evident in attitudes to women's war work and in the granting of the vote only to women over 30.
Content guidance
Depiction or discussion of discriminatory behaviour
Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering
Supervision
Adult supervision recommended
Licence
except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Put the following events in chronological order.
Q2.Which keyword describes a prolonged refusal to eat, carried out in protest by a prisoner?
Q3.Complete the sentence: Emily threw herself in front of King George V's horse in 1913 at the Epsom Derby and died a few days later.
Q4.Why did the suffragettes call the 1913 law which allowed for the temporary release of suffragettes on hunger strike the Cat and Mouse Act?
Q5.Which of the following were reasons why the suffragettes began using increasingly violent tactics following 1912?
Q6.How many women were arrested and imprisoned during the suffragette campaign from 1906-1914?
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Match the keywords to the correct definitions.
the right to vote
the ability to vote
never known or done before
Q2.Which of the following happened when World War One broke out in 1914?
Q3.What did the WSPU organise in 1915 to push for an increased role for women in the war effort?
Q4.Which of the following did women not do during WW1?
Q5.Complete the sentence by adding the correct year: The Representation of the People Act gave the vote to all men and married women aged over 30.
Q6.Complete the sentence by adding the correct year: In , the Equal Franchise Act gave votes to everyone aged 21 or older, including women.
To help you plan your 9 history lesson on: The contribution of women during WW1, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 9 history lesson on: The contribution of women during WW1, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 3 history lessons from the Women's suffrage: why did it take so long for women to get the vote in Britain? unit, dive into the full secondary history curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.