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History of women's suffrage essay
Women’s suffrage in the 19th and 20th century
History of women's suffrage essay
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Women's Suffrage in American History During the late 19th century, women were in a society where man was dominant. Women did not have natural born rights, such as the right to vote, to speak in public, access to equal education, and so forth, did not stop them to fight for their rights. Women's lives soon changed when Lucy Stone, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and Susan B. Anthony played a prominent role to help bring about change. Lucy Stone, an abolitionist, is one of the most important workers for women's suffrage and women's rights. When the Bible was quoted to her, defending the positions of men and women, she declared that when she grew up, she'd learn Greek and Hebrew so she could correct the mistranslation that she was sure was behind these verses (Lewis) Doing so she showed the translations were unfair to women. Because her father couldn’t support her education, she saved her own money to go to college and was the first woman in Massachusetts to graduate, proving to women they have the ability to have equal education as men. Right after being first woman to graduate, she was the first to give her public speech in Congregational Church, not having yet her rights, and is now recognized as an honorable speaker. Lucy Stone portrays female dominance by going against the law to earn women's rights. Lucy was hired at AERA, but her speech in 1850 converted Susan B. Anthony to the suffrage cause, later split with Anthony over strategy and tactics, splitting the suffrage movement into two major branches. She continued to be an editor for the Woman's Journal. Lucy Stone's radical move to keep her own name continued to inspire, she is still remembered, today, as the first woman to keep her own name after marriage. On November 2, 1920, m... ... middle of paper ... ...on the 26th of August 1920. This movement which was inspired by the ideologies of courageous women and fueled by their enthusiasm and sacrifice is often unacknowledged by most historians in the chronicles of American History. Today the movement is often misunderstood as a passive, white upper class, naive cause. But a deeper study would reveal that the women’s suffrage movement was the one that brought together the best and brightest women in America, which not only changed the lives of half the citizens of United States but also changed the social attitudes of millions of Americans. The movement teaches us of the importance of the need for progressive thinkers and visionaries in our society. While the equality of women in every sense may not be achieved yet, the glorious victory of the woman suffrage movement acts as an inspiration to every woman in America today.
I have read Kathryn Kish Sklar book, brief History with documents of "Women's Rights Emerges within the Antislavery Movement, 1830-1870" with great interest and I have learned a lot. I share her fascination with the contours of nineteenth century women's rights movements, and their search for meaningful lessons we can draw from the past about American political culture today. I find their categories of so compelling, that when reading them, I frequently lost focus about women's rights movements history and became absorbed in their accounts of civic life.
During America's early history, women were denied some of the rights to well-being by men. For example, married women couldn't own property and had no legal claim to any money that they might earn, and women hadn't the right to vote. They were expected to focus on housework and motherhood, and didn't have to join politics. On the contrary, they didn't have to be interested in them. Then, in order to ratify this amendment they were prompted to a long and hard fight; victory took decades of agitation and protest. Beginning in the 19th century, some generations of women's suffrage supporters lobbied to achieve what a lot of Americans needed: a radical change of the Constitution. The movement for women's rights began to organize after 1848 at the national level. In July of that year, reformers Elizabeth Cady Stanton(1815-1902) and Lucretia Mott (1793-1880), along with Susan B. Anthony (1820-1906) and other activists organized the first convention for women's rights at Seneca Falls, New York. More than 300 people, mostly women but also some men, attended it. Then, they raised public awar...
Lucy Stone is known today for many things, among them being the first woman to graduate from college in Massachusetts, one of the first women not to change their name after marriage, the first woman to appeal before a body of lawmakers and forming The Woman’s Journal and The NWSA. Women all over the United States owe much to the work of Lucy Stone. In the history of Woman’s Rights, few can activists can compare with the determination and success of Lucy Stone. While many remember Susan B. Anthony for being the most active fighter for Woman’s Rights, perhaps Lucy is even more important. With out her it would have taken much longer to achieve Woman's Votes.
Throughout the centuries women have demonstrated their passion to be heard, accepted by society, and have freedom of rights. An intellectual example took place in May of 1869, when Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton formed the National Woman Suffrage Association.The centered goal of the organization was achieved voting rights for women. It represented millions of women and w...
The fight for women’s rights began long before the Civil War, but the most prominent issue began after the fourteenth and fifteenth amendments joined the Constitution. The rights to all “citizens” of the United States identified all true “citizens” as men and therefore incited a revolution in civil rights for women (“The Fight for Women’s Suffrage”). The National Women’s Suffrage Convention of 1868
Achieving equality between men and women was a long and arduous task. In the 19th century, an organized women’s rights movement began in the United States. Perhaps its most famous leader was Susan B. Anthony, a champion of women’s rights until her death in 1906. Susan B. Anthony’s work established and inspired the institution of many women’s rights, and she remains one of the most influential women in history.
The campaign for women’s suffrage began in the earnest in the decades before the civil war. During 1820 through 1830 most states had extended the franchise to all white men, regardless of how much money or property they had. During this time period there were many reform groups for example, temperance club, religious movements and moral reform societies, anti slavery organizations and in many of this women played a prominent role.Women started to fight against the idea of “Cult of true Womanhood,” this idea was that only true woman was a pious submissive wife and mother concerned exclusively with home and family. All this controversies leaded to a new way of thinking about what it meant to be a woman and a citizen in United states. The nineteenth
With 7 billion people in this world and counting, there are bound to be countless of opinions and issues arising. But, during the 1900s, many people’s concern was the idea of women’s suffrage. Some were all for it, others were very hostile towards it. During this time, women were expected to nurture and care for their children. They were to cook, clean, and were expected to complete all of their civic responsibilities that was expected of them by society. Men were to work outside the home, were expected to obtain arduous jobs or get themselves involved in politics, to decide what is right or wrong for their country. A majority of people on both sides, men and women, were either for it or against it. This led to many advertisements, articles,
Whereas the women’s suffrage movements focused mainly on overturning legal obstacles to equality, the feminist movements successfully addressed a broad range of other feminist issues. The first dealt primarily with voting rights and the latter dealt with inequalities such as equal pay and reproductive rights. Both movements made vast gains to the social and legal status of women. One reached its goals while the other continues to fight for women’s rights.
Women's suffrage was the most dubious womens' rights issue of the late nineteenth and mid twentieth hundreds of years and partitioned early women's activists on ideological lines. “The country's first women's rights
Susan B. Anthony is the most well known name in women's rights from the 1800s. Most people who are not familiar with the history of this time are aware of Susan's reputation and nearly everyone of my generation has seen and held a Susan B. Anthony silver dollar. For these reasons I was greatly surprised to learn that Elizabeth Cady Stanton was the original women's rights movement spokeswoman and Susan B. Anthony her protégé.
Women's activism has brought and is continuously causing changes in the country that are more liberating and emancipating of the women's rights and place in the society. With the help of brave, bold, and principled women, the status and roles of women in the nation have become more meaningful. Indeed, the 20th century was a turning point in the lives of many women. This was the time when women battled against the oppressions brought by patriarchy through crusading for the promotion of their civil rights, sexual freedom, and pursuing careers which were once forbidden to them.
“Introduction.” Rights for Women: The Suffrage Movement and Its Leaders. National Women’s History Museum, 2007. Web. 12 Feb. 2014.
Although they were fighting for a worthy cause, many did not agree with these women’s radical views. These conservative thinkers caused a great road-block on the way to enfranchisement. Most of them were men, who were set in their thoughts about women’s roles, who couldn’t understand why a woman would deserve to vote, let alone want to vote. But there were also many women who were not concerned with their fundamental right to vote. Because some women were indifferent in regards to suffrage, they set back those who were working towards the greater good of the nation. However, the suffragettes were able to overcome these obstacles by altering their tactics, while still maintaining their objective.
Women began to speak out against the laws that were deliberately set against them. Throughout this time period, women were denied the right to vote in all federal and most state held elections. Women struggled to achieve equality; equality as citizens, equality in the work place, and equality at home. During this time, Americans worked to fight corruption in government, reduce the power of big business, and improve society as a whole.