Rhetorical Analysis Of 'Declaration Of Sentiments' By Elizabeth Cady Stanton

On July 13, 1848, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, was invited to a tea with four other women. During this tea, they of course began to discuss the position of women and the lack of their individual stability within the American society. Even though, America had just fought in the American Revolution, women still had no place in society. Stanton proclaimed her annoyance with the situation, and her friends agreed. Although this was not their conversation about this, this particular conversation was enough for them to begin a movement which would later change the lives of women forever.
After having the discussion on the barrier between women, their undefined and denied rights, Lucretia Mott and Elizabeth Cady Stanton, set out to make a change. They sent out a call for women’s conference to be held at Seneca Falls, which was published in the Seneca County Courier on July 14, 1848. This meeting was to be held on July 19th and 20th at 10

o’clock A.M at the Wesleyan Chapel. The first day only women were allowed to attend and the second, the public was invited.
July 19th, 200 women appeared at the Wesleyan Chapel.

Stanton read the “Declaration of Sentiments”, a treaty which she had drafted in the previous days. It was closely modeled to the Declaration of Independence, and it included the proclamation, “We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men and women are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights”. She then outlined the injustices women in America have dealt with since the beginning of time and called for a petition to be organized for their rights. On the second day, about 40 men attended. The Declaration of Sentiments was proclaimed once again and was adopted and signed by the assembly. 12 resolutions were also passed on this day, they all called for specific rights for women. Many drew back their support after, hearing the request for women’s voting rights. The convention was followed two weeks later in Rochester, N.Y. The convention continued to be held annually until the 19th amendment was adopted, which granted women the right to

vote.
On August 18, 1920, the 19th amendment to the U.S. Constitution granted American women the right to vote. Although women had gained the right to vote, it was a long battle. On May 21, 1919, U.S. Representative James R. Mann, proposed the House resolution to approve the Susan Anthony Amendment granting women the right to vote.
As we can see, after a brief meeting with friends, Susan B. Anthony began a movement that would later greatly impact the lives of women. The women's suffrage movement created higher expectations for women, their economic, social, and political status increased and we also gained the right to vote through the 19th amendment.

Higher Expectations
Staggering changes for women that have come about those seven generations in family life, in religion, in government, in employment,and in education. However these changes did not happen spontaneously. Before the women's suffrage movement, women had no means to gain an education since no college or university would admit a female student. By the early twentieth century, women were able to attend college and to train for professions, although not in the same numbers as men. They began to enter male dominated professions like law, medicine, clergy and corporate. This new found freedom, allowed women to gain experience of working outside the home, and for others, going to college gave women a greater sense of freedom and higher expectations.

During the women's suffrage movement, Stanton and Anthony witnessed a dramatic increase in the number of women obtaining a high school and college education.