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prejudice and discrimination in the 1800s usa
discrimination in the 1900s
discrimination in american history x
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In American history, many men and women have been confronted with hardships such as inequality and discrimination. The early American colonist had to fight for their rights: this applied to white men. African American men would have to wait another 90 years befor their rights. Women would have to wait even longer.. Three documents that express a similar desire to obtain freedom, equality, and independence are “The Declaration Of Independence,” by Thomas Jefferson, “The Declaration Of Sentiments,” by Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucretia Mott, and finally, “A Disappointed Woman,” by Lucy Stone. The rhetorical strategies of ethos, pathos, logos, diction, analogy, and imagery, help contribute to the authors arguments regarding the themes of freedom, equality, and independence. “The Declaration of Independence,” is an outstanding model of how rhetorical strategies can be used to express the needs of equality. “The Declaration of Independence” by Thomas Jefferson uses several rhetorical strategies to emphasize how crucial it was for the colonies to have freedom and independence. One rhetorical strategy that Jefferson utilized to make his point of the need for independence is pathos. Pathos stimulates an emotional response to the audience. Jefferson uses pathos to express his and his fellow people’s emotions to the reader, King George III. An example of pathos is where Jefferson writes, “He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their Public Records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures.” The meaning of this quote is that the King of Great Britain, George III, did everything in his power to emotionally and physically stress the c... ... middle of paper ... ...Throughout American history, many men and women have faced difficulties such as inequality, and discrimination. However, with perseverance and determination, both early colonists, and women, have overcome these things. Women, now have every right that men do. As for the colonist; we have our own government, not a British one. “The Declaration of Independence,” by Thomas Jefferson uses pathos and diction to express why the colonies need to be free and independent from British rule. “The Declaration of Sentiments,” by Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucretia Mott uses logos and analogies to reveal how unequally women are treated. Finally, “A Disappointed Woman,” by Lucy Stone uses ethos and imagery to describe how women were treated and to demand equality for them. “We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men and women are created equal” (Stanton and Mott).
When Thomas Jefferson wrote the second paragraph of the Declaration of Independence, it became one of his greatest legacies. In the first line he wrote, "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal" (U.S. Constitution, paragraph 2). Jefferson wrote these words to give inspiration to future generations in the hopes that they would be able to change what he either would or could not. The word “men” in the Declaration in the early 1700 and 1800’s meant exactly that, but even then it only was true for some men, not all. Women, children, and other segments of the population such as slaves and Native Americans were clearly not included. Jefferson himself was a slave owner and held the belief that women were inferior to men. Though women played no role in the political environment, they were crucial to the development and economic success of the times. The strength, courage and work ethic of pioneer women like Martha Ballard in “A Midwife’s Tale” (Thatcher, 1990) created the very fabric of the community and wove it together so the community could thrive.
The Declaration of Independence stands as a representation of justice, equality, and natural human rights. With it being written to liberate the American citizens from British control; allowing the citizens to live freely as they wish - as equal humans. However, there are numerous discrepancies and controversies to this document. Especially in the field of gender-equality and women 's rights. Mary Wollstonecraft, writer of A Vindication of the Rights of Women, is a forerunner of this movement. Comparing her work to the Declaration of Independence, it can be seen that Wollstonecraft 's work can be served as a critique against the masculinity put forth in the Declaration of Independence. With the declaration making numerous remarks with recognition
Back in the early 1800’s, America was having a hard time accepting others. The Americans did not like having immigrants living in the same area, and they really hated when immigrants took their jobs. Many Americans discriminated against African Americans even if they were only ⅛ African American. Americans were not ready to share their country and some would refuse to give people the rights they deserved. This can be seen in the Plessy vs Ferguson and Yick Wo vs Hopkins. In Plessy vs Ferguson, Plessy was asked to go to the back of the train because he was ⅛ African American.
This discrimination towards this sex was reinforced by the idea that women was made for man. Not only was this idea prevalent within society but it furthermore is resonated through the laws and documents the government put in place. Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony fought to establish equality between both sexes within the nation. This is illustrated within the Declaration of Sentiments and Resolutions at Seneca Falls when these women stated, “The history of mankind is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations on the part of man toward woman, having in direct object he establishment of an absolute tyranny over her.” This quote expresses the past of women rights and how from the beginning of time women have been seen as inferior to man. This furthermore resonated to express the idea that women were not only inferior but also a material object in a man’s life. Stanton and Anthony put a large emphasis into this ideal, making it their driving force into establishing women’s rights in America.
All women should hold rights equal to men because a society governed by men and women as a unit would promote stability and peace. In “The Destructive Male” written by Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Stanton argues through diction and the employment of ethos, pathos, and logos that giving rights to women, and allowing women to hold positions in politics and government, would be beneficial to the whole of society.
The Declaration of Independence of 1776 promised “unalienable rights.” However, these rights were targeted towards men. In the eighteenth century, the men who were provided with “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness” were white males. Although liberty was fundamental to the establishment of the declaration, minorities were disregarded. Women were citizens but did not have a voice in politics. In both Vindication of the Rights of Woman and “Declaration of Sentiments,” females argue for their rights to be freed from a man’s oppression. Inequality of white males was conveyed in Cannibals All! In addition, emancipation and the voice of African Americans was argued in the “Corner Stone” Speech and “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?”
Jefferson successfully uses facts incorporated with clever strategies such as figurative language, anaphora, and vilifying verbs to convey the colonies’ frustration with Britain and their need for freedom. Without the use of the strategies, the Declaration of Independence would be a tasteless piece of writing that lacks the impact to gain Britain’s understanding.
Segregation has played a substantial role throughout American history. Many court cases and different trials in different time periods have proven that a person’s skin color can dictate many things, such as where they go to school and where they sit on public transportation. The struggle to achieve equality was made even more difficult by the legislation of the Plessy vs. Ferguson case.
The founding fathers in 1776 created the Declaration of Independence to break away from British rule and gain what they called “unalienable rights”, those being life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. In this document, Thomas Jefferson explains the reasons for the independence of the 13 colonies from England. The founding fathers paved the way for freedom in the United States, but this freedom wasn’t granted equally among all citizens. Woman where still treated inferior and had very few rights as citizens compared to white men of the time. Nearly 75 years later, Elizabeth Cady Stanton wrote the Declaration of Sentiments to explain the reasons women should have the same rights and freedoms that men have. Her use of the Declaration of Independence
The Gilded Age created the whole rush of people who came to America to pursue better lives than those that they had back home. The Gilded Age was the perfect opportunity to breakout and take a chance in a new nation that is just starting out fresh. Make a name for themselves and create a new life with their families. The stories told about the new lands, road paved in gold, many new opportunities for work and earning enough money to either live there in the city or bring the family they left back home. At the time, there was really no security that would make sure that people had the correct documents for the transition over to America it was pretty easy for immigrants that were very poor to come over, but living and surviving is a complete different story. Living in a city that you had no idea about, all the great things that you heard about it is completely untrue. This is what many people had to face when they finally gather enough money if they could legally find a way over to America. Then not only be discriminated and made fun of but even live in the worse possible conditions that they were forced into. At the time there was really no way to find a home if you were immigrating, even today there are many challenges to face. You still today have problems with racism and many types of abuse, whether it be physical mental or even verbal abuse coming to these innocent people that just want to try and make a
Jefferson and Masquerier’s declaration both start with a philosophical statement; this statement is the first sentence within both rhetoric documents. Each philosophical statement delivers the point and the calls for a new social reform by declaring what to do when oppressed. Jefferson’s document starts, “When in the course of human events” (3), laying down the foundation of humanity as the topic and laying down the groundwork for his argument. In addition, by stating, “human events” the reader is persuaded...
Women had a tough time in the mid 1800’s; in Britain in Particular. They had hardly any rights, could only work certain jobs, and could not vote. Women should have had more right, or just as equal rights as men had. Men were sexist against women; they did not think women could achieve the standards men were held to. It mostly occurred in the lower class, but the lower class and upper class were victims al well. These women were not the wealthiest, but they also were not the poorest, they fell somewhere in between, or average.
The 18th and 19th centuries were eras of revolution and reform. The American Revolutionary War and its outcome finalized America’s freedom from Great Britain, and the new nation of America began to take form. This was a time of new rights, freedoms and life under American society and rule. Yet, not all people within America’s borders got to reap the full benefits of the Revolutionary War. Many minorities did not gain much from or after the war, because of discrimination, racism, fear, or standards set by the white men of America. One of these minorities was infact women. No matter what age, race or status of women during these centuries, they still did not have or gain their full freedoms. After the American Revolutionary War, women did not
The pre-feminism concept of gender differences is captured by Harvey C. Mansfield: “Formerly society recognized the differences between the sexes, and with laws and customs accentuated those differences (435).” And indeed, accentuate them it did, as women were left without many opportunities enjoyed by their male counterparts. The absence of such opportunities, included voting rights, education, and property rights, is documented in Elizabeth Cady Stanton’s Declaration of Sentiments (411). Stanton does not speak to innate gender differences per se, but roundly testifies of the political injustice experienced by American women in the 1800’s. She shines the “equal station to which they [women] are entitled” through the prism of the Declaration of Independence, matching the inequality of women to men with the colonies to the English Crown, to reveal a sad portrait of female personhood (411-412, Italics mine).
It is nothing new to talk about the discrimination that is still shown today toward women. To much surprise, discrimination has been around for a long time. In the period of Victorian Britain the gender roles in society often discriminated against women. This discrimination was based off of the ideas that women were the underlying sex when it came to physicality and intellect. Women were looked at as homemakers, taking care of the children, cooking meals, and attending to household needs. Education and all teaching aspects for children to learn were women’s responsibility. Serving the children and the spouse of the family was looked at as the woman 's job. Essentially, women were the primary caregivers in the household. The ideology