The Cat and Mouse Act

1. The Cat and Mouse Act

2. Lesson Aim: you will be able to explain what the Cat and Mouse Act was and some of its effects. Success Criteria: • Participate in paired and class discussion. • Evaluate a primary source. • Complete written task.

3. Hunger Strikes • In order to further their cause in the eyes of the public, and make politicians see how serious they were about gaining the vote, many women who were arrested for their criminal behaviour went on hunger strike in prison. • It forced the government to consider the women political prisoners, not just ‘irritating women’ • The problem for the government was – they couldn’t let the women starve so what could they do?

4. The authorities decided to force-feed some of them. Some suffragettes barricaded themselves in their cells to avoid this. This was a horrendous experience and got the suffragettes a lot of public sympathy. http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningzone/clips/treatment-of-suffragettes-in-prison/959.html

5. Mary Leigh, a Suffragette on hunger strike described what it was like to be force-fed: "On Saturday afternoon the wardress forced me onto the bed and two doctors came in. While I was held down a nasal tube was inserted. It is two yards long, with a funnel at the end; there is a glass junction in the middle to see if the liquid is passing. The end is put up the right and left nostril on alternative days. The sensation is most painful - the drums of the ears seem to be bursting and there is a horrible pain in the throat and the breast. The tube is pushed down 20 inches. I am on the bed pinned down by wardresses, one doctor holds the funnel end, and the other doctor forces the other end up the nostrils. The one holding the funnel end pours the liquid down - about a pint of milk... egg and milk is sometimes used."

8. The Cat and Mouse Act • The government hit back with the ‘Cat and Mouse Act’, 1910 Action: • This involved letting women who became very ill from force-feeding go home to recover, only to re-arrest them when they were better. Impact: • This drew great criticism from the public for being cruel and unnecessary.

9. What effects do you think the Cat and Mouse Act may have had? • Think – Consider the question above individually for thirty seconds. • Pair – Share your thoughts on the question with your shoulder partner. • Share – Now discuss your paired thoughts with the class.

10. Effects of the Cat and Mouse Act • This drew great criticism from the public for being cruel and unnecessary, seen at violating basic human rights • Discredited Liberal Government. • Increased Suffragette militancy.

11. Task 1In what ways and for what reasons is this source an effective piece of propaganda?

12. Model Answer • It portrays the Liberal Government as an aggressive, evil, menacing cat – use of eyes and bared teeth. • It portrays the Liberal Government as dominant and over-bearing – by size of cat compared to landscape. • It portrays the Suffragette as a helpless heroine trapped by the evil government.

13. Model Answer • It compares the plight of the suffragettes with mice – caught and played with by the cat before being killed. • It suggests the government is cruelly playing with Suffragettes by releasing them and re-capturing them as it pleases. • It suggests people should show their support by voting against Liberal candidates in elections.

14. Lesson Aim: you will be able to explain what the Cat and Mouse Act was and some of its effects. • 1 - I fully met today’s aim. • 2 - I semi met today’s aim • 3 - I have not fully met today’s aim and require more information.