Women’s Suffrage Test
(Scroll down for the answers)
1. What single social issue of the 19thC was the driving force behind the women’s
suffrage movement?
2. What legal change was made in 1860 with regard to a married woman’s property?
3. Give ONE way in which men and women were unequal before the law for much of
the 19thC in terms of divorce?
4. Although for much of the 19th century in most respects women were not equal with
men in the eyes of the law, give one instance where they were.
5. Describe the typical traditional ‘career path’ for a girl in 19thC New Zealand.
6. What law, passed in 1869, focused women’s protest against the sexual doublestandard?
7. Explain briefly the role of egalitarian ideals in helping women to get the vote.
8. What event sparked the formation of the WCTU in NZ?
9. What generally was the background of the women who became involved in the
WCTU in the first year? Give TWO key areas.
10. About how many members did the WCTU have by the end of 1885?
11. Give TWO skills, necessary for the enfranchisement campaign, that women
learned through their involvement with the WCTU?
12. What other group, formed in 1886 and made up of mainly middle-class males, was
also actively prohibitionist?
13. Give TWO examples of women gaining some rights to become involved in politics,
prior to enfranchisement in 1893.
14. What role did Maori women play in the suffrage campaign?
15. Give the names of TWO politicians who were active in their support for women’s
enfranchisement, and ONE who was staunchly opposed. (Other than Ballance and
Seddon, who were publicly in favour but privately opposed.)
16. Why were Ballance and Seddon, Liberal Premiers, privately opposed to women’s
enfranchisement?
17. What does the polling information from the 1893 election tell us about the effect
on national politics of women’s enfranchisement?
18. Give ONE example of advances for women made by the National Council of Women
(formed in 1896).
19. Which 19th century politician and social commentator wrote that “New Zealand
women woke up one morning to find that they had the vote”?
20. How did the historian Patricia Grimshaw explain women’s enfranchisement?
21. What are the TWO main laws affecting women that were passed in the 19th
century that the historian Patricia Grimshaw identifies as causing changes that
altered the traditional role of women?
22. Which historian claims that one of the reasons that women were granted the vote
was because they were seen by some as “God’s police” who would clean up politics
and society?
23. Which historian claims that one of the reasons that women were granted the vote
was because of their “domestic” focus that would not threaten the status quo in
politics?
24. What, according to Sandra Coney, was the most important factor contributing to
women gaining the vote? (See Northcott and Ofner.)
25. Olssen and Levesque identify what aspect of the changing nature of New Zealand
society that led the Liberal government to look favourably upon women’s suffrage?
26. How does Judith Elphick Malone describe the legal status of women for much of
the 19th century? (Ofner p.59)
27. What role does Sandra Coney believe egalitarianism played in the enfranchisement
of women? (Ofner p.60)
Women’s Suffrage Test
1. What single social issue of the 19thC was the driving force behind the women’s
suffrage movement? Alcohol/prohibition.
2. What legal change was made in 1860 with regard to a married woman’s property?
If she was deserted by her husband he could no longer return some time
later and claim any income/property that she had acquired in his absence.
3. Give ONE way in which men and women were unequal before the law for much of
the 19thC in terms of divorce? For women, a single instance of adultery was
enough for divorce; men’s adultery had to be ‘aggravated’ by being on many
occasions. Sexual perversion was another grounds for divorce, but domestic
violence was not.
4. Although for much of the 19th century in most respects women were not equal with
men in the eyes of the law, give one instance where they were. Paying taxes and
the criminal code!
5. Describe the typical traditional ‘career path’ for a girl in 19thC New Zealand.
Girlhood, domestic service, marriage (housewife/mother).
6. What law, passed in 1869, focused women’s protest against the sexual doublestandard? Contagious Diseases Act.
7. Explain briefly the role of egalitarian ideals in helping women to get the vote. It
provided a background in which it was accepted that people were far more
equal than in Britain, by rejecting the old rigid social structures. Many women
had ‘proved themselves’ by providing a valuable contribution to the family
economy, especially in the early pioneering days.
8. What event sparked the formation of the WCTU in NZ? The visit by the
WCTU’s American ‘evangelist’ Mary Clement Leavitt.
9. What generally was the background of the women who became involved in the
WCTU in the first year? Give TWO key areas. Urban, middle-class, Christian,
educated.
10. About how many members did the WCTU have by the end of 1885? 600.
11. Give TWO skills, necessary for the enfranchisement campaign, that women
learned through their involvement with the WCTU? Political lobbying, public
speaking, organizing, administration, setting up petitions etc.
12. What other group, formed in 1886 and made up of mainly of middle-class males,
was also actively prohibitionist? The NZ Alliance.
13. Give TWO examples of women gaining some rights to become involved in politics,
prior to enfranchisement in 1893. In 1877 women became eligible to vote or
stand for election to school boards. In 1882 women could vote for liquor
licensing committees; in 1885 women ratepayers were given the right to vote
in local body elections; also in 1885, all women could vote for Charitable Aid
boards.
14. What role did Maori women play in the suffrage campaign? Maori women were
involved in two suffrage movements at the same time. Maori women supported
the WCTU in seeking the right to vote for Members of the NZ House of
Representatives, and they also sought the right to vote and to stand as
members of the Maori Parliament - Te Kotahitanga.
15. Give the names of TWO politicians who were active in their support for women’s
enfranchisement, and ONE who was staunchly opposed. Alfred Saunders, Robert
Stout, John Hall, William Fox, Julius Vogel; opposed = Henry Fish.
16. Why were Ballance and Seddon, Liberal Premiers, privately opposed to women’s
enfranchisement? They feared that women would vote en masse for
prohibition, which would offend NZ workers and the influential brewing
magnates, as well as reducing income from the tax on booze. Also, women
were believed to be conservative voters who would not support the ‘radical’
Liberals.
17. What does the polling information from the 1893 election tell us about the effect
on national politics of women’s enfranchisement? No discernible pattern emerged
that could be attributed to women voting en masse in any particular way.
18. Give ONE example of advances for women made by the National Council of Women
(formed in 1896). The NCW made some gains in getting the age of consent for
sex raised from 12 to 16 years and improving the divorce law so that women
could divorce violent husbands. Another law in 1900 forced husbands to pay
some maintenance to separated wives and children.
19. Which 19th century politician and social commentator wrote that “New Zealand
women woke up one morning to find that they had the vote”? WILLIAM PEMBER
REEVES.
20. How did the historian Patricia Grimshaw explain women’s enfranchisement? That
the franchise movement used the WCTU as the organisational springboard for
their movement. Enfranchisement was a break away from traditional female
roles.
21. What are the TWO main laws affecting women that were passed in the 19th
century that the historian Patricia Grimshaw identifies as causing changes that
altered the traditional role of women? The 1877 Education Act that made
primary education compulsory and the 1884 Married Women's Property Act
which protected women’s property in marriage.
22. Which historian claims that one of the reasons that women were granted the vote
was because they were seen by some as “God’s police” who would clean up politics
and society? PHILLIDA BUNKLE.
23. Which historian claims that one of the reasons that women were granted the vote
was because of their “domestic” focus that would not threaten the status quo in
politics? RAEWYN DALZIEL.
24. What, according to Sandra Coney, was the most important factor contributing to
women gaining the vote? The skills and perseverance of the suffragists,
especially Kate Sheppard and others in the WCTU.
25. Olssen and Levesque identify what aspect of the changing nature of New Zealand
society that led the Liberal government to look favourably upon women’s suffrage?
The view that it was no longer acceptable for NZ to portray an image of a
frontier society besieged with drunk, transient men and larrikinism, therefore
a more settled society was needed that women voters would help ensure.
26. How does Judith Elphick Malone describe the legal status of women for much of
the 19th century? (Ofner p.59) ‘Third-class citizens’ (behind men, and also
behind lunatics/criminals/’aliens’)
27. What role does Sandra Coney believe egalitarianism played in the enfranchisement
of women? It meant that both men and women were more receptive to the
idea of enfranchisement, based on a common acceptance that men were all
equal. It was a relatively easy step to extend these values to women.