Read the Defining Moment in Australian history: 1902 Commonwealth Franchise Act gives women the vote in federal elections. Use that information to answer these questions.

1. Which two states were the only ones to allow women to vote by 1901?

2. The Constitution does not give women the vote, but it does give the Commonwealth Parliament power to decide who can vote. How did supporters of Federation know that the Commonwealth would allow women to vote federally?

3. What were the main arguments for and against women having the vote federally?

4. While only two states allowed women to vote in state elections, all could now vote in federal elections. How would that situation put pressure on state parliaments to allow women to vote in states as well as federally?

5. Which women were generally still excluded from voting?

6. How did women gaining the vote in Australia compare with the rest of the world?

7. What does this event help you understand about the social development of Australia as a nation?

8. Why was this Defining Moment so significant in Australian history?

9. If you were advising the National Museum of Australia on an object that it could display to tell the story of this event, what would you suggest? (You can see what objects they actually have using the National Museum of Australia collections search)