Civil Disobedience and the National Woman's Party

The National Woman’s Party (NWP), inspired by the more militant British suffragist movement, broke away from the mainstream American suffrage movement represented by organizations such as the National American Woman Suffrage Association. The NWP picketed the White House in an effort to gain national support for federal action in securing women the right to vote. Committed to their use of civil disobedience, NWP members were arrested and waged hunger strikes in their efforts to gain support for their cause.

Weblink address (URL):

Home Page- source

Standards & Objectives

Learning objectives:

Students will:

analyze photographs and a newspaper article
read and interpret informational text
compare popular culture adaptions of events to primary source material
provide both oral and written responses to a series of critical thinking questions

Essential and guiding questions:

How was civil disobedience used by the National Woman’s Party in its campaign to secure women the right to vote? How effective was this strategy for gaining suffrage for women?

Lesson Variations

Blooms taxonomy level:

Applying

Extension suggestions:

Assign students an individual highlighted in the Gallery of Suffrage Prisoners. Students will need to research their individual to create a biography of the person and their involvement with the women’s suffrage movement.
Lizzie Crozier French and Sue Shelton White were both Tennesseans involved in the National Woman’s Party. Have students research these two women and create a short presentation about how their efforts impacted the suffrage movement in the state.
Have students research the British suffrage movement and compare it to what happened in the United States.

Helpful Hints

MATERIALS:

Overhead projector connected to computer
Worksheet – Day one 5th grade
Worksheet – Day one high school
Worksheet – Day two 5th grade
Worksheet – Day two high school