Until 1920, american women

did not have the constitutionalright to vote. Iron Jawed Angels,

a new movie by HBO Films, chronicles akey chapter in the struggle for women’ssuffrage in the U.S. The film focuses ontwo visionary activists, Alice Paul andLucy Burns, who broke from the main-stream suffrage movement and created aradical new organization of their own.They staged the first-ever pickets at theWhite House, defied a wartime Presi-dent, and played a crucial role in secur-ing support for the 19th Amendment.

The film draws its title from the nick-name a Congressman gave to the “iron-jawed” women who launched a hungerstrike after they were imprisoned forpicketing the White House. Slated topremiere on February 15—the birthdayof suffrage pioneer Susan B. Anthony—Iron Jawed Angels will introduce stu-dents to a riveting chapter in U.S. history.Not only does this film celebrate thecontributions of two heroic women, butit also highlights the process by which aconstitutional amendment is ratified.

NOTE: Iron Jawed Angels is rated TV-14. Teachers are encouraged to previewthe film before assigning it for viewing.A limited quantity of school-version tapeswill be available after February 15. Ifyou’d like a school version of the film,please send your name, school nameand address information via e-mail toijaschooltapes@hbo.com.

Before Viewing1. Ask students: Imagine that women

were banned from voting today. Whatwould the impact be on life in the U.S.?

2. Why do you think millions of womenand men opposed allowing womento vote? (See page 3 of this guide for areproducible worksheet on this topic.)

After Viewing The running time of Iron Jawed Angels is120 minutes. This film can spark livelyand thought-provoking discussion on awide array of topics. Suggested discus-sion starters include:

GOALS AND TACTICSWhat is suffrage? What was the goal ofAlice Paul, Lucy Burns, Carrie Chap-man Catt and other suffragists? Wheredid the struggle for women’s suffragestand as of 1912, when the film opens?(See the “Votes for Women” map onpage 8 of the inTIME magazine.) BenWeissman asks Alice Paul, “What willwomen do with their vote? Reform pol-itics?” What does she answer? Whatcan one do with one’s vote?

SOURCES OF INSPIRATIONWhere did Alice Paul and Lucy Burnsget their inspiration? What tactics didBritish suffragists such as EmmelinePankhurst employ? How does CarrieCatt refer to the British activists?

STRATEGIC DIFFERENCESExplain the strategic differences overhow to win the vote for women. Whenand why did Paul and Burns break fromNAWSA and form the CongressionalUnion? What was their goal? When didthe Congressional Union become theNational Woman’s Party? How was thedeath of Inez Milholland a turning pointin the crusade for universal suffrage?

WHOSE STRUGGLE?What role did African-American womenplay in the struggle for universal suf-frage? What statement does Ida Wells-Barnett make to Alice Paul? How doesPaul respond? What was your reaction tothis exchange? What stand did Wells-Barnett take at the 1913 suffrage parade?

MILITANT TACTICSWhat was the reaction of the press, theWhite House, Carrie Chapman Cattand NAWSA to the NWP’s decision topicket the White House? How did thedeclaration of war in 1917 affect suffra-gists on the picket line? Describe thearrests and imprisonment in Occoquan.How did the women come to be called“Iron Jawed Angels”?

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HBO consents on a quitclaim basis to your making one videotape of Iron Jawed Angels for five years from airdate for educational purposes within the curriculum only. HBO reserves all rights of every kind. Both the Teacher’s Guide and anyvideotape made of the film are intended for the sole use of educators, administrators and their students and may not be re-broadcast, recablecast or repackaged, nor may they be sublicensed, distributed, given or sold in whole or in part to any other person or institution. Your use of the Teacher’s Guide and this film constitutes your agreement to comply with these terms.

◗ Why Is Suffrage History Relevant To Young People?

◗ Opposition to Women’s Suffrage: Documents for Analysis

◗ Starting Points forResearch and Writing

◗ Resources for Further Exploration

IN THIS GUIDEIN THIS GUIDE

Teacher’s Guide to Accompany HBO Films’ Iron Jawed Angels ◆ Developed by TIME Learning Ventures

Premieres Sunday, February 15, 2004, at 9:30PM/8:30C

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What makes the work of Alice Pauland her colleagues historicallysignificant?

These women pioneered tacticsof nonviolence that were used laterby the civil rights movement. It’sprofound: Martin Luther King andGandhi both said they had adopteda number of nonviolent protest tech-niques from the suffrage movement.Gandhi had witnessed the Britishsuffragists when he was in Britain;King picked up from the suffragemovement through Gandhi’s writings.I doubt that King would ever haveread about these women in any sortof history course that he took in theUnited States, because the suffra-gists were pretty much written out ofAmerican history. But the parallelsbetween the movements are verydramatic.

PROFESSOR EDITH MAYO, CURATOR EMERITUS IN POLITICAL AND WOMEN’S HISTORY

AT THE SMITHSONIAN’S NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AMERICAN HISTORY, SERVED AS AN

ADVISOR TO IRON JAWED ANGELS. MAYO SHARED HER THOUGHTS ON THE IMPORTANCE

OF SUFFRAGE HISTORY AND THE FILM’S APPEAL TO YOUNG PEOPLE.

What can young people take awayfrom Iron Jawed Angels?

This film makes immediate andcompelling a crucial segment of Amer-ican history that is virtually unknown.It makes Alice Paul and Lucy Burnslook like vital, dynamic, exuberantwomen who were politically committedand intellectually really sharp. It alsomakes them look modern, so that it’snot old, tired, dead history. I think thefilm shows the women’s organizationaltalents, their strategies and theircommitment to the cause extremelywell. And the film makes this historyrelevant for modern women and youngpeople today, in a way that I don’tthink reading any book can possiblydo. Having said that, I don’t think Alice would ever have worn those gorgeous clothes. But never mind—that’s dramatic license.

Can you talk about the relationshipbetween Alice Paul and Carrie Catt?

These two women just hated eachother. Catt really felt that Paul’s mili-tancy would backfire and harm theentire movement. I think Martin LutherKing and Malcolm X had a betterchannel of communication than Cattand Paul did. But in every successfulpolitical/social reform movement inthe U.S., there has always been aradical, militant group that pushesthe envelope and then sends the Pres-ident and Congress running into thearms of the moderates, who begin tolook extremely sane and reasonable.That’s the nature of social reformmovements in the U.S. And I thinkthe film captures that quite effectively.

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NONVIOLENT PROTESTHow did the jailed suffragists protest?With what results? Describe Alice Paul’sinterview with the prison psychiatristand his report to the White House. Canyou imagine going on a hunger strike?What might motivate such a decision?Do you think the suffragists were actuallywilling to die for their cause?

POLITICAL PRISONERSWhat does it mean to be a political pris-oner as opposed to a prisoner jailed for acriminal offense? In your view, do thesuffragists qualify as political prisoners?

THE PRESIDENT’S ROLEReview Woodrow Wilson’s stance onsuffrage. How and why did his positionon votes for women evolve? What hap-

pened in the 1916 elections? Describethe interactions between Wilson and thesuffragists. What finally changed Wil-son’s mind? What did he do? Accordingto Wilson, in what ways was suffrage forwomen a war measure?

AMENDING THE CONSTITUTIONWhat is the significance of the fiction-alized story of Emily Leighton and herSenator husband? Who cast the crucialvote for the 19th Amendment? Whatwas the Amendment called? Reviewthe 19th Amendment to the U.S. Con-stitution. How is a constitutionalamendment ratified?

ELEMENTS OF STYLEWhat contemporary elements did director Katja von Garnier incorporate inthe film? In your view, how do these sty-listic decisions affect the film’s impact?

QUOTES FOR ANALYSISDiscuss the following quotations. Explaineach statement and place it in context.Ruza Wenclawska: “A vote is a fire escape.” Woodrow Wilson: “We shall fight forthe things which we have always carriednearest to our hearts, for democracy,for the right of those who submit to authority to have a voice in their owngovernments.”Alice Paul: “Look into your own heart,I swear to you, mine’s no different.…Youwant a voice in the government underwhich you live? So do I.”

THE BIG PICTUREWould you characterize Alice Paul andLucy Burns as heroes? As patriots?What contributions did each make tothe suffrage movement? To Americandemocracy?

This film focuses ona crucial segment of

American history thatis virtually unknown.

—PROFESSOR EDITH MAYO

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“It’s not old, tired, dead history”“It’s not old, tired, dead history”

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I t’s hard to imagine that until 1920, there was intensedebate about whether women should be allowed to

vote in the United States. But Alice Paul and her col-leagues faced fierce opposition—from women as well asmen. The handbill, cartoon and photograph on this pagehelp explain some of the objections that opponents ofsuffrage, known as anti-suffragists, raised, as well as someof the strategies they employed. Study these primary-source documents. Then answer the questions below.

For Discussion or Writing

1. What conceptions of women, men,family and government are presentedin these documents? How is a “normalwoman” defined?

2. What were some of the primary arguments against suffrage for women?Of these, which seem most reasonableto you? Which seem most far-fetched?

3. Describe the scene portrayed in thecartoon. Whose fears about women’schanging roles are expressed?

4. How do you imagine Alice Paulwould respond to the cartoonist, theauthor of the flyer and the men in thephotograph?

PAST TO PRESENTWhat barriers to full equality betweenwomen and men still exist in Americansociety? What do you think accounts forthese obstacles? For example, why doyou think the United States has neverhad a female President?

©2003 Time Inc. This page may be photocopied for use with students.

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Ten Reasons WhyThe Great Majority of WomenDo Not Want the Ballot. BECAUSE they have not lost faith in their fathers, husbands, sons and brothers,

who afford full protection to the community, there being no call for womento relieve them of the task.

BECAUSE women realize that when they become voters they will in consequence have to serve as jurors, and be compelled to hear all the repugnant detailsincident to murder trials and trials for other crimes disclosing unspeakablewickedness. Jury service is abhorrent to every normal woman.

BECAUSE in political activities there is constant strife, turmoil, contention and bitterness, producing conditions from which every normal woman naturally shrinks.

BECAUSE the primary object of government is to protect persons and property. This duty is imposed by nature upon man, the women being by natureabsolved from assuming a task to them impossible.

BECAUSE when women noisily contest and scramble for public office—woman pittedagainst woman—they write an indictment of womankind against which allright-minded women strenuously protest.

BECAUSE women can accomplish more through counselling than they ever can attain through commanding.

BECAUSE woman suffrage will not enhance peace and harmony in the home, but, on the contrary, in the heat of a campaign, it is sure to bring about dissensionand discord.

BECAUSE Nebraska women are already enjoying a greater measure of protection and privilege under the laws than do women of any state where women vote.

BECAUSE the woman worker wants rest and quietude—not political excitement.

BECAUSE every reason supporting the claim of women to vote supports also the right of women to be consulted as to whether they shall or shall not be giventhe ballot.

Issued by the Nebraska Association Opposed to Women Suffrage, Omaha, Nebraska.