Nellie McClung

Paper Summary:

This paper examines the background, history and activities of feminist and social activist, Nellie McClung of Canada. The paper traces the development of Nellie's political, literary and feminist careers. The paper discusses one of her major accomplishments, the attainment of women suffrage. The paper describes Nellie's growing understanding of human nature, views on temperance and feminism, concern for others and her natural inability to suppress the expression of these sentiments, explaining how all this evolved into her political activism.

From the Paper:

"Nellie was born in Chatsworth, Ontario, Canada on October 20, 1873 to John Mooney and Letitia McCurdy Mooney (Dugas 2000). She was named Helen Letitia and her siblings were Will, George, Elizabeth, Hannah and Jack. Nellie was the family favorite. In 1880, the family emigrated to the Canadian West to homestead south of Brandon, Manitoba where Nellie attended school from ages 10 to 16. At 16 in 1889, she finished Normal School or teacher training (Dugas). At birth, Nellie, her mother or any of her sisters was not recognized as "persons" by Canadian law (Bridgeman 1999). They and other women of the time did not share certain rights with men. Women were economically dependent on their father or husband. A woman's inherited property passed on to her husband and when he died, she was left penniless and raised her children in poverty. Women were not allowed in certain careers, such as politics, law and medicine. Most importantly, they were not allowed to vote and to determine the future of society."

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