Draft 5: The Movement of Women’s Suffrage
The campaign for women’s suffrage began in earnest in the decades before the Civil War. During the early 19th century, most states had extended the franchise to all white men, regardless of how much money or property they had. At the same time during the Progressive era, all sorts of reform groups were growing rapidly across the United States--temperance clubs, religious movements and moral-reform societies, anti-slavery organizations--and in many of these, women played a prominent role (Source: American History, Alan Brinkley). Meanwhile, many American women were beginning to resist against what historians have called the "Cult of True Womanhood": that is, the idea that the only "true" woman was a
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devoted, submissive wife and mother concerned exclusively with home and family. Put together, all of these contributed to a new way of thinking about what it meant to be a woman and a citizen in the United States. Even until 1840, most women were rejected from holding political power and anything that associates with professions. With those restrictions included their “God-given” right to vote. In the earlier years, from 1820 to 1830 some women attempted political reforms hoping for an end to their suffrage. The reason for these reforms was just for one thing, women only wished to be given more rights to follow their beliefs; if women were granted a chance in the political world, they would definitely contribute more effectively to the community. Although most women were silently abiding to the norms that were expected of them, some managed to spur revolts against those standards of domestic household jobs.
Evidence stated in Source A gives an insight of an 1872 woman’s point of view and explains why she considers her act of revolt appropriated. Susan Anthony explained, “I not only committed no crime, but simply exercised my citizen’s right…” She used the statement to deliver her thought as a U.S citizen about women’s inability to operate their rights which thus to apply to the rights that come with that label. In addition, Ms. Anthony continued, “The Declaration of Independence, the U.S Constitution, the organic laws, all alike proposed to protect the people in the exercise of their God-given rights. Not one of them pretends to bestow rights.” According to this statement, none of these famous documents deny women their right to vote and it is just for Ms. Anthony to pursue her right to vote. If America’s purpose is to give all citizens the protection to their life, liberty, and property, women should also have their rights protected. America would be a fraud if its government failed to support what has been lawfully listed and expressed in the Constitution. Despite how terrible the consequence for their revolt may be, Women still continuously tried to fight for what they believed …show more content…
in. In addition, to advocate for their efforts in fighting for women’s suffrage, some women dressed themselves in men’s apparel as a representation to show that they are just as mentally and physically as strong as men, therefore they should not be discriminated for their gender. The political carton from Source B displayed an American woman wearing attire that belongs to men in the 1873, like the information enlisted in Source A, supported the idea of women’s right to vote but also implies a message that portrayed the determination and risk-taking ability women possessed in regard to fighting for what they are trying to achieve, equality. Women are capable of many obstacles; they are willing to fight for a reform which proved that if they were given a position in the public, they are flexible enough to manage it. Hence, in the picture from Source B, the woman’s posture was created to look very bulky and her face showing signs of fierce as a purpose to illustrate qualities of men, stating that she is fearless. The depiction in Source B is signification because it inferred a central idea why males and females are not different. If a man were to be in a position of an American woman, how would he feel like? It is obvious that he ought to strike against that ridiculous oppression. Same goes for women, they have endured the suppression from gender inequality long enough, and the only way to break away from that is to fight for women’s suffrage. Throughout the constant changing American society, women have learned of their position and there are much more things they are capable of doing than domestic house-work. It is correct that women are inclined to their woman’s sphere: a norm that women were always to devote their time to domestic work and be American consumers.
Nevertheless, not all women are alike; some grew a desire to contribute to the political world. Two political cartoons from Source F depict a complete paradox of each other as a purpose to explain how much more civilized America would become if women were granted the right to vote aside from their woman’s sphere. The progressive era in the 19th century marks the beginning of an innovated American society, the more advanced technologies for domestic work become, the more women start seeking for activities to participate in other than their house hold duties--racial equality reforms, the Seneca Falls Convention (drafted first women’s Declaration of Sentiments) and the Temperance Movement were all successful movements with women’s contribution. Stated from the caption in Source F, “Woman devotes her time to gossip and clothes because she has nothing else to talk about. Give her broader interest and she will cease to be vain and frivolous.” The statement is the justification for the reason why in the earlier 15th and 16th century women were not beneficial to their communities, because they were only expected to be a loyal house wives and mothers, they were not given much education for skills to do any other tasks. However, several centuries later until the 1800’s and 1900’s when women were given more education to enhance
their knowledge of the world, they have become more interested in politics. As a result, women were becoming more equally intelligent and as wise as men, there should be no reason why they cannot participate in voting for what’s righteous for their community. The information from Sources A, B, and F all portrayed how American women displayed their efforts to escape from suffrage through several reforms. They revolted and attempted to bring the issue of gender inequality to court. All was done in regard for a change they have longed for-- the right to vote being the only right given to men at the time. Women longed for the ability to determine their own future rather than devote their lives as wives and mothers. They want to break free from the Women’s Sphere, the norms that are expected from them. Women were always being considered helpless for society from the men’s point of view; they were restrained from their full potentials to associate with the political world. Throughout history, women have tried several reform movements to be given this opportunity, therefore they should not be suppressed against but be given equality; women deserve the ability to vote. Although the only role that women were fit to be was devoted to domestic accountability, the changes of the Progressive era led more women to be involved in some noticeable movements that advocate for why women are as important as men. Women’s ability to vote is a powerful compliance to achieve the true meaning of equality for everyone, regardless of their gender.
Today, women and men have equal rights, however not long ago men believed women were lower than them. During the late eighteenth century, men expected women to stay at home and raise children. Women were given very few opportunities to expand their education past high school because colleges and universities would not accept females. This was a loss for women everywhere because it took away positions of power for them. It was even frowned upon if a woman showed interest in medicine or law because that was a man 's place not a woman’s, just like it was a man 's duty to vote and not a woman 's. The road to women 's right was long and hard, but many women helped push the right to vote, the one that was at the front of that group was Susan B. Anthony.
Through the 20th century, the communist movement advocated greatly for women's’ rights. Despite this, women still struggled for equality.
Throughout the 1800s, women across the world began establishing organizations to demand women’s suffrage in their countries. Today, there are still women in countries fighting for their right to vote. Some countries who’ve succeeded in the mid to late 1800s were Sweden and New Zealand. Once they expanded women’s suffrage, many other countries followed. Like Sweden, countries first granted limited suffrage to women and other countries approved to the full national level. Additionally, there were quite a few countries who had taken over a century to give women the right to vote, Qatar being a prime example. Although the fight for women’s suffrage varied in the United States, France, and Cuba in terms of length and process, each effort ultimately
In the 1840’s, most of American women were beginning to become agitated by the morals and values that were expected of womanhood. “Historians have named this the ’Cult of True Womanhood’: that is, the idea that the only ‘true’ woman was a pious, submissive wife and mother concerned exclusively with home and family” (History.com). Voting was only the right of men, but women were on the brink to let their voices be heard. Women pioneers such as Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucretia Mott wrote eleven resolutions in The Seneca Falls Declaration of Sentiments; this historical document demanded abolishment of any laws that authorized unequal treatment of women and to allow for passage of a suffrage amendment.
During America's early history, women were denied some of the rights to well-being by men. For example, married women couldn't own property and had no legal claim to any money that they might earn, and women hadn't the right to vote. They were expected to focus on housework and motherhood, and didn't have to join politics. On the contrary, they didn't have to be interested in them. Then, in order to ratify this amendment they were prompted to a long and hard fight; victory took decades of agitation and protest. Beginning in the 19th century, some generations of women's suffrage supporters lobbied to achieve what a lot of Americans needed: a radical change of the Constitution. The movement for women's rights began to organize after 1848 at the national level. In July of that year, reformers Elizabeth Cady Stanton(1815-1902) and Lucretia Mott (1793-1880), along with Susan B. Anthony (1820-1906) and other activists organized the first convention for women's rights at Seneca Falls, New York. More than 300 people, mostly women but also some men, attended it. Then, they raised public awar...
Women throughout the suffrage act were faced with many challenges that eventually led into the leading roles of women in the world today. Suffrage leaders adopted new arguments to gain new support. Rather than insisting on the justice of women’s suffrage, or emphasizing equal rights, they spoke of the special moral and material instincts women could bring to the table. Because of these women taking leaps and boundaries, they are now a large part of America’s government, and how our country operates.
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.
The fight for women’s rights began long before the Civil War, but the most prominent issue began after the fourteenth and fifteenth amendments joined the Constitution. The rights to all “citizens” of the United States identified all true “citizens” as men and therefore incited a revolution in civil rights for women (“The Fight for Women’s Suffrage”). The National Women’s Suffrage Convention of 1868
This movement which was inspired by the ideologies of courageous women and fueled by their enthusiasm and sacrifice is often unacknowledged by most historians in the chronicles of American History. Today the movement is often misunderstood as a passive, white upper class, naive cause. But a deeper study would reveal that the women’s suffrage movement was the one that brought together the best and brightest women in America, which not only changed the lives of half the citizens of United States but also changed the social attitudes of millions of Americans.
In the early 20th century, many Americans perceived woman as unskilled and deficient, due to this woman have never gotten the chance to prove how they can positively affect society. Document A, Supports Woman states; “They still love their homes and their children just the same as ever, and are better able to protect themselves and their children because of the ballot”. If woman were given the right to vote it would not only have helped the society by having more opinions, but it would have also helped women protect themselves and their children by voting for things like better education. Supports Woman explains how giving woman the right ...
The need for women’s rights began back in colonial America where women were referred to as “inferior beings”. This era, though it is not particularly noted for it’s feminist movements, did hold such people as Margaret Brent, who was a wealthy holder of land in Maryland and was a strong, but unsuccessful voice in securing a place for women in the legislature of the colony. It was also a period where Quakers, and many other individuals, such as famous American patriot, Thomas Paine supported the rights of women, but at the time it was not enough to make a significant difference and it wasn’t until the 19th century that women would get the real chance to make a difference.
What does “movement” mean? There are many definitions for the word. In this case, I am referring to a political meaning. Movement is a series of organized activities working toward an objective. There have been many groups in history to start up movements throughout the decades. One that stands out to me the most is the Women’s Suffrage Movement. Women’s movements are led by powerful, courageous women who push to better the lives’ of women or lives’ of others. Most familiar movements are those involved in politics, in efforts to change the roles and status of womanhood in society. Groups of women also attempt to improve lives of others with the help of religious and charitable activities. Either it was a political, religious, or charitable women’s movement, each woman of each group have made an impact on today’s view of women and achieved greater political involvement.
It was Theodore Roosevelt, who stated that, “Nobody cares how much you know until they know how much you care”, conveying the idea that with no voice comes no change. In the morning of August 26, 1920, the 19th amendment was ratified, which centralized mainly on the enfranchisement of women. Today, they have the legal right to vote, and the ability to speak openly for themselves, but most of all they are now free and equal citizens. However this victorious triumph in American history would not have been achieved without the strong voices of determined women, risking their lives to show the world how much they truly cared. Women suffragists in the 19th century had a strong passion to change their lifestyle, their jobs around the nineteenth century were limited to just children, family, and domestic duties. It consisted of a very low rate of education, and job opportunities. They could not share their opinion publicly and were expected to support their male family members and husbands during the time. Women knew that the way to enfranchisement was going to be tenacious, and full of obstacles along the way. Therefore a new organization was formed, The National American Women Association (NAWSA), representing millions of women and Elizabeth Cady Stanton as the first party president. This organization was founded in 1890, which strategized on the women getting education in order to strengthen their knowledge to prepare for the suffrage fight. NAWSA mainly focused on the right to vote one state at a time. In 1917, a member named Alice Paul, split apart from NAWSA because of the organization’s tactics and major goals. Due to this split, many other suffragists from NAWSA bitterly divided into a new organization named, National Women’s ...
During the beginning of the 20th century, the increase activity of the National Union Of Women attractive additional support of the suffrage movement. “However, it was possible to criticize the policy and tactics of the constitutional suffragist on several grounds. It was argued that the suffragists should have revolted in 1884, when the amendment to the reform bill of that year failed through the opposition of the liberal leadership, but the suffragists were too well mannered to do more protesting and concentrate all of their efforts on one private members bill.” The women suffrage’s organization could not force the political parties to adopt the cause of women’s suffrage and need a major party to pick up their campaign or there was no hope of a government bill. Women’s suffrages leaders saw that they need more of a drastic tactics to gain public awareness. Women started protesting by undergoing violence methods and tactics however, the National Union Of Women believed that any aggression or violence acts of protesting would only weaken the movement. These actions would persuade male’s voters that women are too emotional and thus could not be trusted with the responsible of voting. These gentle ways of protesting was unconvincing, as many political believed would give up or lose interests. The lack of actions cause many women to take strongest methods of protesting their rights and formed a more violent group called Suffragettes.
Women's SuffrageTopic: Women’s Suffrage Question: What were the struggles that women had, what did they have to go through?Thesis: The struggles to achieve equal rights for women is often thought, right to vote. The amendment was the culmination of more than 70 years of struggle by women suffragists. Beginning of the fight for women’s suffrage in the United States. The Women’s Suffrage was the right of women to vote.