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Role of women in earlier society
Role of women in earlier society
Role of women in earlier society
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Lucretia Mott quickly became a women's rights leader throughout the 19th century by demanding equal opportunities for all women. Lucretia empowered all women by speaking loudly for both abolition and women's rights, creating the female anti slavery society and she by being the democratic leader of the woman's rights movement. She is known as a "radical reformer, gentle nonresistant, and a militant advocate of women's rights" because throughout the course of her life she influenced the current thought of America from a nation of "small shopkeepers and farmers into the Industrial Age" (Bacon 6). During the 19th century she was an empowerment to women. She lead the women's rights movement and never backed down to anyone, she fought for what was …show more content…
She quickly became well known for her exquisite speeches. Lucretia had excellent leadership skills. In 1833 she helped to create the American Anti-Slavery society. And later the Female Anti-Slavery Society. In the year 1840, Mott had traveled all the way to London to attend the World Anti - Slavery convention as a delegate. But when she arrived, the men who were controlling the convention refused to seat her just because she was a woman. The other women who had attended the convention were also refused seating. While Mott was there she had met Elizabeth Cady Stanton, who was attending the convention with her husband. The two women, and many other women there, were outraged at what had happened. They could not believe that because they were women, they were refused seating. When Lucretia returned home to Philadelphia, her mind was racing. This convention ordeal had sparked many ideas in her. Her next move would make her go down in history. This was the beginning of the women’s rights movement. Lucretia banned together with Elizabeth Cady Stanton and had called the very first Women’s Rights Convention in Seneca Falls, New York. Here …show more content…
During the meeting Lucretia and Elizabeth had come up with the idea of the Declaration of Sentiment. Both women had put their own ideas in it. The articulated the rights of women, listed types of discrimination women faced in the mid 1800’s and offered various types of solutions. The declaration begins: "When, in the course of human events," a "portion of the family of man" finds it necessary to assume a new position, it must explain its course of action. It continues: "We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men and women are created equal." The document lists men's "oppressions" against women, which include monopolizing almost all "profitable employments;" keeping woman subordinate in church and state; and working to destroy their confidence in their own powers. Resolutions to the discrimination against women included providing full information about laws controlling women's lives and ending the traditional standards for men and women. Other resolutions included more rights in general, more job and educational
They fight for the rights of women in regard of being viewed as equal to the male gender. Although they have many similarities, they differ in several ways as well. In “Letter to John Adams” Abigail Adams urges her husband to “remember the ladies” in a well written letter. However, in the “Declaration of Sentiments of the Seneca Falls Woman’s Rights Convention” the rights of women are addressed at a city held convention fighting for our rights as women. Similarities of these documents contain the ideas of addressing the amendments and people of the Congress when standing up for what they believe
Elizabeth Cady Stanton wanted to start making meetings and speeches to make people aware of how women were treated around them. She paired up with a woman named Susan B. Anthony to help her make speeches. So Elizabeth made her first speech at Seneca Falls in 1848. Elizabeth had her first women's rights convention. The most noteworthy of the earlier conventions were the ones held in Massachusetts, where
In 1840, Lucretia Mott, and Elizabeth Cady Stanton met at a World Anti Slavery Convention, where they were forbidden to enter based on their gender being female. This caused Lucretia Mott and Elizabeth Stanton to create the first ever Women’s
However, the writers of the Constitution had omitted women in that pivotal statement which left women to be denied these “unalienable” rights given to every countryman. Gaining the support of many, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, the leader of the Women’s Rights Movement declared at Seneca Falls that women had the same rights as men including the right to vote and be a part of government. The Women’s Rights movement gained support due to the years of abuse women endured. For years, men had “the power to chastise and imprison his wife…” and they were tired of suffering (Doc I). The new concept of the cult of domesticity supported women’s roles in society but created greater divisions between men and women.
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
In the beginning of the 1840s and into the 1850s, a rather modest women’s reform was in the process. This group was full of visionaries that began a movement that would soon lobby in change and this movement was the groundwork of equality for women and their right to vote within in the United States. Despite their efforts this movement required a length of seventy years to establish this necessarily equality and the right for all women to vote along the side of men. According to the CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS FOUNDATION “After male organizers excluded women from attending an anti-slavery conference, American abolitionists Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucretia Mott decided to call the “First Woman’s Rights Convention.” Held over several days in
Between the years 1776 and 1876, many people from different backgrounds and religions joined the fight for women's rights. Among them were some of today's most memorable female activists, such as Elizabeth Cady Stanton, who was also a mother of seven children. She was first influenced by a Quaker woman, named Lucretia Mott, who she met outside of a world antislavery convention in 1840. Eventually, Stanton joined Susan B. Anthony, who was a fearless "militant lecturer for women's rights," in "a more strident, drive for divorce liberation, sexual freedom, and reproductive control for women. Other crusaders for women's rights include Amelia Bloomer, Dr. Elizabeth Blackwell, and even the second first lady, Abigail Adams. Those who opposed the suffragists believed women to be inferior and "irresponsible" beings who were "physically and emotionally weak, but also artistic and refined." They also had "finely tuned morals" and were the "keepers of society's conscience." On the other hand, men were thought of as "strong but crude" and with a natural tyrannical and savage nature that needed to be "guided by the gentle hands of their loving ladies." Abigail confirms the male's natural desire for arbitrary power in Document B, for she stated, "[...] all Men would be tyrants if they could."
Only a third of these girls went on to marry farmers. They instead chose to marry artisans or workers in the city . The young women were moving to the city, and away from the farms. Women were choosing their own husbands, and marrying for affection, instead of letting their parents pick their spouse. During this period was the Second Great Awaking in America, and women moving toward religion during the uncertain times. The leaders of the evangelical clergy preached against drunkenness. They also preached that women were morally stronger than men were. This led women into the temperance movement, increasing their political activities. The Second Great Awaking also led people to realize that slavery was wrong, and “a sin against humanity”. By the 1830s, many American women were involved in trying to end slavery. Women being involved in the movement to end slavery divided the abolitionists. This division was the beginning of the women’s rights movement. In 1840, Lucretia Mott and Elizabeth Cady Stanton were told not to go to the World Anti-Slavery Convention in London. This refusal to let them attend, led them to discuss women’s rights. The launched the women’s right movement and changed the fabric of
Sixty- nine years after the Declaration of Independence, one group of women gathered together and formed the Seneca Falls Convention. Prior and subsequent to the convention, women were not allowed to vote because they were not considered equal to men. During the convention, Elizabeth Cady Stanton delivered the “Declaration of Sentiments.” It intentionally resembles the Declaration of Independence: “We hold these truths to be self-evident; that all men and women are created equal…” (Stanton, 466). She replaced the “men” with “men and women” to represent that women and men should be treated equally. Stanton and the other women in the convention tried to fight for voting rights. Dismally, when the Equal Rights Amendment was introduced to the Congress, the act failed to be passed. Even though women voiced their opinions out and urged for justice, they could not get 2/3 of the states to agree to pass the amendment. Women wanted to tackle on the voting inequalities, but was resulted with more inequalities because people failed to listen to them. One reason why women did not achieve their goals was because the image of the traditional roles of women was difficult to break through. During this time period, many people believed that women should remain as traditional housewives.
At Seneca Falls, New York, in 1848, Stanton helped draft a Declaration of Sentiments and Resolutions. In it, the advocates of women's rights accused "mankind" of "repeated injuries and usurpations" toward women. They said that men had "oppressed them on all sides." And they demanded equal access to education, the trades, professions, and an end to the double standards that existed for men and women. Only by doing away with laws that "restricted women's freedom or placed her in a position inferior to men" could women achieve equality (153).
Lucretia Mott and Elizabeth Cady Stanton, two leaders of the fight for women’s rights, called the Seneca Fall Convention to express the views of oppressed women. Elizabeth Cady Stanton expresses her views in the Seneca Falls Declaration when she remarks, “to declare our right to be free as a man is free”. Stanton believes that the Women’s Rights Movement must achieve the democratic ideal of liberty to be successful, so she women can only gain liberty when they have the same rights as men. The Constitution of the Brook Farm Association also portrays many of the goals of the Women’s Rights Movement, especially on education when the document writes, “the benefits of the highest physical, intellectual and moral education”. The Brook Farm Association strives for equal education opportunities for all people, which gives women an ability to pursue a job. The Women’s Right Movement sought to achieve very specific democratic values because they valued voting rights and
Stanton and Mott were infuriated with the rejection of women, so they decided to hold a women’s rights meeting. This meeting was considered a Women’s Rights convention and was held in Seneca Falls. This was the very first meeting and was held in New York. Stanton then composed “The Declaration of Sentiments.” The text proposed that women should receive the right education, and changes to the law to raise the status of a “lady.”
Women began standing up for more rights and realizing that they could be treated better. 1840 the World Anti-slavery Convention in London showed a great example of inferiority of women. Women were denied a seat at the convention because they were women. Women like Elizabeth C. Stanton and Lucretia C. Mott were enraged and inspired to launch the women’s rights movement. Elizabeth Stanton promoted women’s right to vote. “If particular care and attention is not paid to the ladies, we are determined to forment a rebellion and will not hold ourselves bound by any laws in which we have no voice or representation.
For example, women were not allowed to vote, women were paid less than men if they decided to work, married women had no property rights, women were not allowed to gain education because they could not go to college, etc. The Declaration of Sentiments states that man made woman out to be “morally, an irresponsible being” but a resolution was made at the convention that states man “does accord to woman moral superiority.” This was contradiction because it is a men responsibility to encourage women to speak their mind and teach others. Instead of saying women are morally irresponsible