Lesson Plan: Global Reform Movements

Comparison: Women's Suffrage Around the World

The experiences of women throughout history differ across regions and time periods. But in comparing these narratives we can understand how common social expectations and challenges were similar regardless of place and time.

In this activity, students will write claims comparing women’s suffrage movements to better understand why these historical locations and moments were ripe for change. They will also begin to think about how these movements helped to inform women’s roles in society today.

Note: the lesson below is written with student-facing directions, to make it easier for you to use.

Opener

Women’s suffrage (the right to vote) was achieved at different dates in different countries. Which country do you think was first? Where did women win the right to vote most recently? Order the list below based on the order in which you think women won the right to vote, with 1 being the first (the oldest) and 10 being the most recent.

Directions

In this activity, you will compare and contrast women’s road to suffrage in two of the following six regions: New Zealand and Australia, Europe, Asia, North America, Latin America, and Africa.

First, download the Comparing Women’s Suffrage Movements worksheet (DOCX, PDF). With your class, review the questions that you are being asked to respond to in the Comparison Tool, included in the worksheet. This will ensure you’re focusing on the right details as you read the article.

Then, individually read “A World Tour of Women’s Suffrage.” As you read, think about the most important similarities and differences in how women achieved suffrage across all these regions. Once everyone’s finished reading the article, your teacher will divide the class into pairs and assign each pair two regions from the article. You’ll focus on these two regions and complete Part 1: Identifying and Describing of the Comparison Tool.

Once you and your partner have completed Part 1 of the tool, you’ll work together on Part 2: Analyzing to write two thesis statements in response to these prompts:

What is the most significant similarity when comparing how women achieved suffrage across these regions?

What is the most significant difference when comparing how women achieved suffrage across these regions?

After you’re finished writing your thesis statements, join with another pair of students to form a group of four. Share and discuss your thesis statements in your new group and build upon or revise your thesis statements based on these discussions.

Closer

Working alone, use the Response row of the worksheet to answer this question (remember to support your answer with evidence):

To what extent are women’s rights in the region and period you studied similar to women’s rights today?

Header image: Indian suffragists on the Women's Coronation Procession of 1911, including Lolita Roy on the left. Public domain.