Read the excerpt from A History of the World in 100
Objects.
What does the suffragette-defaced penny reveal about
life in England during that time period?
Abc
This object has on it the image of a king, but this
particular example has been appropriated by women -
disfigured by a slogan as an act of female protest
against the laws of the state. It is a British penny with
King Edward VII in elegant profile, but his image has
been defaced in what was then a criminal act. Stamped
all over the king's head in crude capitals are the words
VOTES FOR WOMEN. This suffragette coin stands for
all those who fought for the right to vote.
O that the laws of the state only applied to women
O that women were often breaking laws to make a point
O that the penny was not considered a useful form of
currency
O that women wanted to change existing laws and gain
the right to vote
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