A Historical Overview of Women's Suffrage Movement in US and Arizona

A Historical Overview of Women's Suffrage Movement in US and Arizona

1. An Overview Of Women's Suffrage Movement In The United States

The women’s suffrage movement achieved victory with the passage of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution in 1920. For the first time in more than 110 years, women were given the right to vote. However, nine states at this time already guaranteed the women’s vote. At this time, all nine states lay west of the Mississippi, (Rothschild, p.8). Indeed, “Although the ideology of suffrage and equal rights was born in the East, the implementation of equal rights came in the West,” (Rothschild, p.9). This is also a reflection of the progressive nature of Western men during this era. This attitude will be seen again in reference to the passage of women’s suffrage in Arizona in 1912.

The initial effects of women’s suffrage on the national level was limited. To a great extent it remains limited; women have always been underrepresented at the federal level. In the first election after the 19th Amendment, 25 states failed to elect a woman, (Rothschild, p. 11). Currently, 26 states do not have a women in their congressional delegation, (Gendergap, p.1). There are also six states that have never elected a woman to federal office, (Rothschild, p.2). They are Alaska, Iowa, Vermont, New Hampshire, Delaware, and Mississippi. While women represent 52 percent of the population, they represent only 21 percent in Congress. Thus it can be seen that women still have steps to take to achieve true political equality with men.

This investigation requires further study of the breakdown of the number of women involved in all levels of the pol...

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...ces Munds, Isabella Greenway and other on up to the state’s current leadership. While still disproportionately represented, women nationwide and especially in Arizona have made tremendous strides in the acquisition of political power. Further in this website, you can look at exactly how the current leadership rose through the ranks.

Works Cited

Baer, Judith, A. Women in American Law. Holmes and Meir: New York; 1991.

Gendergap in Governement. January 9, 1999. March 21, 1999.

Kelly, Rita Mae. Burgess, Jayne. Kaufman, Katie. "Arizona Woman and the Legislature." Women and The Arizona Political Process. Maryland: University Press of America, Inc., 1988.

Rothschild, Mary Aickin. "A History of Arizona Women’s Politics." Women and The Arizona Political Process. Maryland: University Press of America, Inc., 1988.