American Women Dbq

Why and how did the lives and status of northern middle class women change between 1776 and 1876?

As early as 1765 women have been trying to prove themselves and make a mark. The daughters of liberty played an important role by participating in boycotts of British goods following the passage of the Townshend acts. The vast majority of women were house wives taking care of the children and putting food on the table. Married women had a more restrictions than single women. Married women couldn’t own property, get divorced, and had little to no legal protection; whereas single women could sue, be sued, write wills, serve as guardians own property and act as executors of estates. The power between men and women changed after the American revolution.

Women were excluded from political activities but a few women like Abigail Adams, Mercy Otis Warren, Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Saton entered the political arena as public activist. These women changed lives by protesting, writing books and creating movements such as the Seneca Fall Convention and The Women’s National Loyal League.
Abigail’s letter was the first private step towards getting Woman’s rights.

In a letter to her husband, Abigail asked him to remember the ladies and not give men all then power, and that women have a voice as well “.to be generous and favorable to them than your ancestors …care and attention is not paid to the ladies we are determined to foment a rebellion.” (Doc B) The women finally decided to act and rebel against how their ancestors lived in the past. John Adams responds in a mocking way, scorning her for taking the matter so seriously “As your extraordinary code of laws I cannot but laugh.” And of anger Abigail wrote to Mercy Otis warren saying, “I think I will get you to join me in a petition to congress.” These letters foreshadowed the beginning of the major changes that were to happen soon supporting the development of women’s rights. The doctrine of Separate Spheres advocated by Catherine Beecher, which made middle class men and women more equal but women were still treated unfairly according to the Ladies Repository.” Where Leith the woman’s sphere? The sweet and quiet precincts of her home: Home!” Women began to play a greater role by participating in various reform movements that surfaced from the 1820’s to the 1840’s especially in abolition movements. Early social reform movements were a very important part of woman’s rights. The meetings held by the societies offered woman there first public platform and made more women realize that they should be fighting for

their rights too. Although Abigail Adams had been unable to convince John Adams to grant women more rights she was able to get some help from Elizabeth C. Stanton.
Elizabeth Cady Stanton used the most important document, The Declaration of Independence as a model for the Declaration of settlements, which she presented at the very first Women’s Right Convention in Seneca Falls.

In 1848 Lucretia Mott (A abolitionist, Philadelphia Quaker and women’s rights activist) and Elizabeth Santon together organized the Seneca Falls convention in New York. The model used for the declaration of independence began with the assertion that “All men and women are created equal.” The convention passed twelve resolution, the twelfth being the woman’s right to vote, over a minority opposition. Women’s right activist won a few noble victories. In 1860, Stanton’s lobbying helped secure passage of a New York law allowing married women to own property. In 1863 Stanton and Susan B Anthony organized the women’s national league which gathered four hundred thousand signatures on a petition calling for a constitutional amendment to abolish slavery; its founders used the organization to promote women suffrage as well. Despite High Expectations, the war brought women a little closer economic or political equality. Women in offices and factories continued to earn less money than men the war did not alter the definition of women’s sphere and Northern Politicians saw little value in women’s suffrage. Women did not secure the national right to vote until 1920.

In conclusion, the power between men and women changed after the American revolution. If these women didn’t voice

their voice where would we be today and would we have the rights as women that we have now. Today women are still treated unfairly compared to men. According to AAWU Men still make more money than men do today but as married women we can own land, have jobs and even run for president. Their lives changed for the better thanks to the women who didn’t take no for an answer and stood up for themselves.