Author Question: How was World War I a spark (or catalyst) for the women's movement? Describe what, specifically, the ... (Read 74 times)

imowrer · **on:** Jul 10, 2018

How was World War I a spark (or catalyst) for the women's movement? Describe what, specifically, the women's movement did during this time period (19171919) that ultimately resulted in the passage of the Nineteenth Amendment.

What will be an ideal response?

Question 2

What are the advantages and disadvantages of the first-past-the-post system of determining electoral winners? Does this make American politics more or less democratic?

What will be an ideal response?

gcook · **Reply #1 on:** Jul 10, 2018

Answer to Question 1

An ideal response will:
1, Explain that the women's movement took the reason for entering World War Imaking the world safe for democracyand used it to fight the inequality women faced in the United States. Explain how Wilson proclaimed, We shall fight for the right of those who submit to authority to have a voice in their own government, which was a hypocritical statement in the eyes of women who had no voice in the United States.
2, Describe how this view of government being hypocritical and how the words of Wilson led women to begin picketing in mass numbers at the White House. As more and more women were arrested, and jails began to become overcrowded, public outrage began to rise. Ultimately, public pressures forced authorities to free the women. Women's groups began working state-to-state, pressuring senators to support woman's suffrage. Their efforts resulted in the defeats of two incumbent senators. These things combined gained public and political support for the women's movement and also made politicians realize that the women's movement had political clout behind it. Less than a year after the senators' losses, the Nineteenth Amendment passed in Congress.

Answer to Question 2

An ideal response will:
1, Indicate that the first-past-the-post system allows the person with the most votes to win. This system does not require a run-off election if no candidate receives a majority.
2, Indicate that a disadvantage of the first-past-the-post system is that it allows the winner to come to office lacking support from a majority of the voters.
3, Relate these to the importance of elections and democracy.