Women's Movement In The 19th Century

America was built on the ideals of freedom, and as the colonies broke away from England that hope for democratic freedom seemed so much more obtainable. Yet, in the early 19th century women were seen as second-class citizen. Women were expected to keep their interests to their home and their family. Women did not have the opportunities to pursue education, or consider obtaining a professional career. Women did not have the right to own property, keep wages, or even sign a contract. In addition, all women were denied the right to vote. It is because of this we can see that America truly was built on the idea that all “Men” were created equal.

Gaining the vote for American women was the single largest Movement of democratic rights in our nation’s history. Along with the Civil Rights Movement, the woman suffrage movement should be considered one of the most important American political movements of the 20th century. The woman suffrage movement was an extraordinary political movement, with its own press, organizers, lobbyists, and financiers.

It is said that the movement to enfranchise women lasted for more than 70 years, when in reality, women are still fighting for equal rights. The Suffrage movement involved

three generations and millions of women. Each generation of activists witnessed the division of me and women. Suffragettes spent more than 50 years educating the public and creating campaigns in the states and nationally to establish the legitimacy of “votes for women.” Suffrage activists undertook almost 20 years of direct lobbying as well as dramatic, non-violent, militant action to press their claim to the vote.
The Doctrine of Separate spheres is the idea that men and women belong to different classes, both politically and socially.

Separate spheres are not limited to the 19th century. Keeping men and women on different levels is an ideal that many people believe in today. Though, it was far more apparent in the 1800’s. If you were born a white male in America, you were automatically given a plethora of opportunities that you could not receive being a woman. In the early 19th century women were denied most basic human as defined by the American government. Being born a certain gender decided if you could own land, have a job, or even vote. Because of separate spheres a woman was bound to whatever her husband was, and by no means could have any independence of her

own.
The debate of influence vs. rights has been going on for generations. It is the argument of whether women rights are deserved by birth, or by societies standards. As America arose as its own country, women’s social standards were shaped by the men creating the nation. Men of that time period believed that the limited rights of a women were bestowed at birth and could not be changed.
I believe the fight for equality was successful, to an extent. Though the fight for women’s rights did eventually lead to the right to vote for women, they are still lacking the advantages men receive. Gender discrimination in America is still relevant today. Women in today’s society face problems anywhere from the wage gap, to sexual harassment. Women of the 19th century did make many strides towards equality, there is still a long way to go.
Women of the 1800’s sparked the powder keg that was the suffrage movement. They fought to oppress the ideals set forth by the men who founded the American society. Women will continue to fight for those basic human rights, as Susan B. Anthony said “We ask justice, we ask equality, we ask that all civil and political rights that belong to citizens of the United States, be guaranteed to us and our daughters forever.”