Question

Read the excerpt from A History of the World in 100 Objects.

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.

What does the suffragette-defaced penny reveal about life in England during that time period?

that the laws of the state only applied to women
that women were often breaking laws to make a point
that the penny was not considered a useful form of currency
that women wanted to change existing laws and gain the right to vote

Answer 1

The suffragette-defaced penny reveals that women wanted to change existing laws and gain the right to vote. The act of defacing the coin with the slogan "VOTES FOR WOMEN" signifies a protest against the legal and social limitations placed on women at the time, particularly their exclusion from voting rights. This act of appropriation and defiance illustrates the broader struggle for women’s rights and highlights the efforts of suffragettes to challenge and transform the societal norms and laws concerning women in England during that period.