Nellie Mcclung Research Paper

Since the 19th Century, women in Canada have fought political, legal, and social battles to find their place in Canadian society. From starting out in small, local organizations, to legal battles in the Supreme Court, Canadian women have come a long way. Unfortunately, it took a long time for many people to adapt to the changing roles of women, which made women still feel unequal compared to men. It is really striking to think that at one point society questioned if women could even be considered persons, just a small sample of the many changes women had to face through the course of history. This paper will analyze these changes experienced by Canadian women in that time period and how it affected their everyday lives.

Even though the woman suffrage movement began around 1848 it really didn’t gain footing until the 20th century. In the 20th century organizations like the National American Woman Suffrage association and the National Woman’s party lobbied President Woodrow Wilson to pass a constitutional amendment for woman’s rights. These efforts proved to be successful when in 1920 the 19th amendment which guaranteed women the right to vote. This was one of the largest achievements of the progressive era because it was accomplished peacefully.

In the late 1800’s through the early 1900’s, women were not given the rights they have today and were being mistreated, but because of a few brave women who gave up their lives to fight for what they knew was right, this all changed. Many of these women were educated and brave, but were still denied their rights. Women have suffered through this long battle to get what they knew they deserved and took time out of their lives to fight for what they believed in, which was to have a voice. Women wanted to get the same respect that men were given. The women’s suffrage movement was not only in the United States, but it was all over the world. It took the women’s suffrage movement many years to work and come through, but women were finally able to vote and have the same rights as men. Through their work in the suffrage movement, Lucretia Mott, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and Susan B. Anthony and many more changed the role of women in society.

Women were also allowed to get educations and go into teaching and nursing positions. The Person’s Case was another highlight which demonstrates the advancements of women’s right in Canadian history. This case included five women who ultimately help transform the way women were seen. Emily Murphy played a significant role in establishing women’s rights which led to women being called “persons” in matters of rights and privileges. Furthermore, another female Canadian named Nellie McClung helped in getting the right to vote for women. Ultimately resulting in the May 24th, 1918 Act allowing all women 21 years of age or more in Canada the official right to vote even if they did not have the provincial license. The war brought many changes to Canada and around the world. Women were finally being recognized for their efforts and perseverance and acquiring new freedoms and improved rights for themselves. During the 1920’s, women became more involved in society and continued to participate in the work force. Women continued to make half the earning men were making at that time but by 1929 women made up about 20% of the workforce. The Women’s Labour League worked to defend women workers and the labour movement. They exposed shortfalls in the minimum wage laws and fought for equal pay, maternity care and a women right for birth control. Women were finally making their mark in government. By 1939,

Before the Suffragettes, women were not able to vote and the move for women to have the right to vote really started in 1897 when Millicent Fawcett founded the National Union of Women’s Suffrage. Fawcett strongly believed that women should have the right to vote but also believed in peaceful protests, patience and logical arguments. She felt that if any violence occurred then men would believe that women could not be trusted and therefore should not have the right to vote. She also made the argument that if women were made responsible for sitting on school boards and paying taxes that they should be part of the process to make the laws and should have the same rights as men. A main argument of hers was that even though some women who were wealthy mistresses of large manors and estates employed gardeners, workmen and labourers who were able to vote but women still could not, regardless of their wealth and social class. However, the progress of Fawcett was very slow and although she converted some of the members of the Labour Representation Committee (The Labour Party) but the majority of men felt that women would not understand how parliament functioned and therefore should not take part in the electoral

When married, all of a woman's money would automatically become their husbands. Women could not sign legal contracts. Women did not hold any social, political or economic power and they were prohibited from voting. Overall, compared to men, women had a lower quality of life due to all of the limitations they had. Women began to realize that they could do more than just domestic work, that they should be achieving just as much as men were. Women’s suffrage was the fight for women’s right to vote along with other basic rights. Many people were opposed to this such as male legislators and leaders of the Catholic Church. A group that fought for women’s rights in Canada was called the Famous Five. This activist group consisted of the five women; Nellie McClung, Emily Murphy, Henrietta Muir Edwards, Louise McKinney and Irene Parlby. Nellie McClung was a Canadian feminist, politician, author and social activist. She hosted a mock play with a reversal of roles, depicting a society in which women ruled and men were restricted in Manitoba which brought light to all the problems women were struggling with daily. The result of the play provoked conversation about the topic. As more people became informed on women’s suffrage, more people began to support it. Protests proved to be effective when women gained the right to vote in Manitoba, and became the first province to grant women the right to vote. However,

The Women 's Suffrage Movement impacted the United States by giving women the right to have a voice and to finally be able to vote. Achieving the right to vote was the culminating event of the Women 's Suffrage Movement. The Women 's Suffrage Movement was also known as Women 's Suffrage. The movement was the struggle for women to be able to vote and run for president. It was also closely linked to the women 's right movement. In the mid 19th century women in several different countries, mostly the United States and Britain began forming organizations to fight for suffrage.

The 1920s were a brutal time for Canada and most countries in the world. The Great War had just ended and soldiers were coming home to no work and minimal food. While the male soldiers were gone fighting the war, females took their place in factories, manufacturing war equipment and doing regular work that normally men would do. When the surviving soldiers came back, they were furious and wanted work to make money so most of the women were kicked out and replaced by the men. Women were obviously not happy about this and fought to make a change. One of the most notable feminists and successful female suffragists in Canadian history is Emily Murphy. She fought alongside four other feminists to create equal legal recognition as males and succeeded;

Canadian women were being urged to stay at home and support soldiers by manufacturing various goods, because of their fragile and emotional personas. Considering how many men had left Canada to fight in the war, women had to adapt and take on new roles. These new diverse roles crossed many social norms and encompassed a whole variety of industries.

In 1914 Mrs. Murphy and Mrs. McClung joined forces and in 1916 after long negotiations a suffrage bill was introduced to the legislature. Because of the war now ranging in Europe "there was an even greater sense of urgency for women's suffrage, and Murphy - McClung team doubled its efforts". The first session in February 24, 1916 Premier Sifton read the bill and along with it approximately forty thousand signatures. The next day he brought a bill of his own allowing "women a status of complete political equality with men in all provincial, municipal, and school matters."

Rosemary Brown was a politician in Canada who worked tirelessly for the advancement of equality here. This quote shows her views and beliefs in her work; that equality was something that people must fight to achieve, then keep the opportunities and advancements open for those in the future. The fact that this was achieved in Canada makes the Women’s Movement defining in its importance. The progression Canada saw in the 1900s was important as firstly, the movement would have continuing effects on equality and culture in Canada. During the 1920s, women emphasized their efforts on social welfare policies, equal rights legislation, and the advancement of women in politics. The work of feminists during this time resulted in expanded rights for women in later years, proving again that the movement was important. Finally, due to the fact that women begun to play a major role in society, Canada saw prosperity economically and socially, displaying the necessity of the movement. So, due to the prevalent patriarchal values of the time, the women’s movement was necessary for improvement of Canada’s social, economic, and political climate in the 1900s.

A defining moment in Canadian history is an event in the past that has made a difference or has changed Canada. Attitudes towards women in Canada changed dramatically in the post-war period. In the pre-war period, women had gained the rights to vote and serve in Parliament. Now, women finally made the most progress shown, as they were accepted into traditionally male jobs and laws were created for equal rights between the genders in society. This began the chapter of feminism and women’s rights in Canada. Attitudes towards women in the workforce and in society reflected in society and the economy which would later affect the direction of feminism in Canada. As the post war years progressed, more women found themselves as outlaws to society

Throughout the nineteenth century, the role of women began to change. Slowly the role of women went from strict domestic work, to having their own say in their own reform groups. After the American Revolution, women began to have a say in what went on during their everyday lives or the lives of their children and husbands. A woman having her own say was something new for men to have to deal with, but they were willing to listen. Women do not get the right to vote nationally until the 1920s, but the start of their suffrage and political movement begins in the nineteenth century with the changing times of the Industrial Revolution and life after the American Revolution.

Throughout history, Canada’s identity has changed in many ways and there have been many historical events that have greatly shaped and impacted Canada’s history and identity. The Women’s Movement and women’s contribution in the past and throughout history has had the greatest impact on shaping Canada into what it is today. Among many identifying qualities like being multicultural, bilingual, and world leaders, Canada is also country that has changed immensely in the way of becoming a country that has learned to accept women, move towards providing them with equal opportunities and treating them equally. Through economic, social and political movements and actions, the contribution from women and the women’s movement have increased, changed and improved women’s rights and equality greatly. Women worked to create independence and equality economically through their contributions to war on the homefront in WWI resulting in greater workplace equality, socially through the actions of the Flappers in the 1920’s giving women currently, the confidence and strength that they need to speak up, and politically, through the work of the Suffragists including the Famous 5 to allow women to have the same political rights as men.

31 year old Agnes Macphail, became the first women elected into the House of Commons (Milestones for Canadian Women in Politics). In 1921, during her campaign she said “I want for myself what I want for other women, absolute equality.” (Milestones for Canadian Women in Politics) She was a monumental figure for all Canadian women to realize that had the same say as men do and can be leaders if they desire to do so.