The Suffragette Movement

Immerse yourself in the fascinating world of the British women’s suffrage movement! Through this role-play activity, your students will experience first-hand how two important organisations – the constitutional NUWSS (“Suffragists”) and the militant WSPU (“Suffragettes”) – fought for women’s right to vote. They all pursued the same goal, but their methods were fundamentally different. Your class will take on the roles of speakers and audience members in a fictional convention to debate a crucial question: Which strategy truly leads to success – peaceful persuasion or militant pressure?

Roles: Five speaking roles (one chairperson, two NUWSS representatives, and two WSPU representatives), plus an active role for everyone else as members of the audience and the press. This ensures that every student is involved!

Materials: A comprehensive booklet containing an organiser’s guide and four detailed role cards for the speakers. Everything you need is included.

Content: The materials explore the crucial phase of the British women’s suffrage movement between 1907 and 1913. They provide an in-depth examination of the different strategies and ideologies that shaped the struggle for women’s right to vote.