Match List-I with List-II in context of women's suffrage and select correct answer by using the codes given below the lists:
List-I (Country) - List-II (Year)
(i) United States of America - (a) 1920
(ii) England - (b) 1928
(iii) Switzerland - (c) 1971
(iv) France - (d) 1945

Question

Match List-I with List-II in context of women's suffrage and select correct answer by using the codes given below the lists: 
List-I (Country) - List-II (Year)
(i) United States of America -  (a) 1920 
(ii) England - (b) 1928
(iii) Switzerland - (c) 1971
(iv) France - (d) 1945

Accepted Answer

The correct option is 1:

[Detailed explanation of why it is correct — include conceptual, or contextual depth.]

The correct option is 1: i-(a), ii-(b), iii-(c), iv-(d). This pairing accurately reflects the years when full women's suffrage (the right to vote in national elections, often without property restrictions) was granted in the respective countries, marking critical milestones in the history of democracy and gender equality. The movement for women's suffrage was a long and arduous process, and the dates listed reflect the final legislative victories. In the **United States of America (i)**, the struggle culminated with the ratification of the 19th Amendment in **1920 (a)**, granting women the right to vote nationwide. **England (ii)**, more accurately referring to the United Kingdom, achieved full and equal suffrage for all women over 21 in **1928 (b)**, building upon the initial limited suffrage granted in 1918. **Switzerland (iii)** is historically famous for being one of the last Western democracies to enshrine women’s national voting rights, finally achieving it via a federal referendum in **1971 (c)**. Finally, **France (iv)** granted women the right to vote relatively late, following the liberation from German occupation, by ordinance on April 21, **1944**, which took effect in the elections of **1945 (d)**. Therefore, the direct matches provided in Option 1 are factually correct.

The incorrect option is 2: i-(d), ii-(c), iii-(b), iv-(a):

This option is incorrect because it confuses the dates for every country listed. For example, it suggests the USA granted suffrage in 1945 (d), which is actually the date for France (iv). It incorrectly assigns 1971 (c) to England (ii), 1928 (b) to Switzerland (iii), and 1920 (a) to France (iv). These mismatched years show a lack of understanding of the specific timelines of the suffrage movements in these nations. The difference between the early victories in the US/UK and the much later victory in Switzerland is a key historical fact. Attributing 1971 to England and 1928 to Switzerland fundamentally misrepresents the democratic history of both nations.

The incorrect option is 3: i-(a), ii-(c), iii-(b), iv-(d):

This option correctly identifies the US date as 1920 (a) and the French date as 1945 (d), which are accurate matches. However, it incorrectly swaps the dates for England and Switzerland. It links England (ii) to 1971 (c) and Switzerland (iii) to 1928 (b). As explained earlier, England achieved full suffrage in 1928, while Switzerland was one of the last nations in Europe to grant women the vote in 1971. This transposition of dates between the two countries makes the entire match incorrect, highlighting the importance of knowing the individual historical timelines accurately.

The incorrect option is 4: i-(d), ii-(b), iii-(a), iv-(c):

This option incorrectly matches the USA (i) with 1945 (d) and England (ii) correctly with 1928 (b). It then incorrectly links Switzerland (iii) with 1920 (a) and France (iv) with 1971 (c). The year 1971 is associated with Switzerland, not France, and 1920 is the US date, not the Swiss date. The most glaring errors are assigning the late Swiss date (1971) to France and the early US date (1920) to Switzerland, demonstrating a clear error in chronological understanding across the list. Only one match (England) is correct in this combination.