The Right to Vote and/or to Hold Public Office Granted to Women for AP World History

Feb 22

3 min read

The right to vote and/or to hold public office granted to women is an illustrative example of the Calls for Reform and Responses after 1900 topic in Unit 9 of AP World History. You could reference this example on your AP World History test.

Nannie Helen Burroughs holding a Woman's National Baptist Convention banner — Nannie Helen Burroughs Holding a Woman's National Baptist Convention Banner/public domain

The right to vote and hold public office is a fundamental aspect of democratic societies, yet historically, this right has not always been extended to all citizens. One significant milestone in the struggle for equality and democracy is the granting of these rights to women. While the timeline and methods vary across different countries, the granting of suffrage and the ability to hold public office to women has been a transformative process worldwide.

In the United States, the fight for women’s suffrage culminated in the passage of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution in 1920, which granted women the right to vote. This achievement was the result of decades of activism, including marches, protests, and civil disobedience led by figures such as Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton. Today, women hold prominent positions in government at all levels, including in Congress and state legislatures.

Similarly, in the United Kingdom, women won the right to vote after a long and arduous struggle. The Representation of the People Act of 1918 granted the vote to women over 30 who met certain property qualifications. It wasn’t until 1928 that all women over 21 were granted equal voting rights with men. Since then, women have made significant strides in British politics, with women serving as Prime Minister and holding key ministerial positions.

In New Zealand, women were granted the right to vote in 1893, making it the first self-governing country in the world to do so. This landmark achievement was the result of years of campaigning by suffragists such as Kate Sheppard. New Zealand’s example paved the way for other countries to follow suit in granting women’s suffrage.

In other parts of the world, the journey towards gender equality in voting rights has been more recent. For example, in Saudi Arabia, women were granted the right to vote and stand for election in municipal elections in 2015, marking a significant milestone in a country where women’s rights have long been restricted.

In South Africa, the end of apartheid in 1994 brought about universal suffrage, granting all citizens, regardless of race or gender, the right to vote and hold public office. This marked a critical moment in the country’s history and paved the way for greater inclusion and representation in government.

While progress has been made in many countries, challenges remain in ensuring full gender equality in political participation. Women continue to be underrepresented in elected office in many parts of the world, highlighting the ongoing need for advocacy and activism to achieve true equality and democracy. Nonetheless, the granting of the right to vote and hold public office to women has been a transformative and empowering development, enriching democracies and advancing the cause of gender equality worldwide.