Over the years, women all over the world have spoken out about the rights they should have as men’s equals. Since the start of the women’s rights movement in America, amazing progress has been made, and is still being made as time goes on. We would not be where we are today, however, without some of the great help of women such as Abigail Adams and Elizabeth Cady Stanton. Both of these women wrote documents on the issue of equality, Adams writing Letter to John Adams, and Stanton writing Declaration of Sentiments. While it is clear that the two of them shared a very similar viewpoint, the way that they expressed their ideas in their writings differ in a few ways. The main idea of both of these compositions was that women must be seen as equal beings in order to gain equal rights. Letter to John Adams, a letter written to Abigail Adams’ husband, John Adams, a year before the Declaration of Independence was signed, was meant to address women’s rights through Adams asking her husband to include women in the new laws as the nation gained its …show more content…
While one was meant to be seen by a single person, privately, another was meant for the public. Adams’ letter, as previously stated, was only meant to be read by her husband, who would possibly be able to include women’s liberties as part of the nation’s new freedom, asking for him to please “remember the ladies.” Stanton’s declaration, however, was intended for a larger number of people and would be read at the Seneca Falls convention. The more people that were to read Stanton’s declaration, the more people that would be able to see exactly why women should have all the rights of men. This would eventually have led to women actually acquiring these rights such as the right to vote, as the Declaration of Sentiments began a significant portion of the women’s rights
On March 31, 1776, Abigail Adams; wrote a detailed and somewhat extensive letter to her husband, John Adams, asking him to include women in any new laws that were in the process of being created. In this period, the majority of men still weren't able to vote (due to many restrictions), let alone women. Although not yet written, The Declaration of Independence, written on July 4, 1776, announced the official separation (with reasons/ complaints) and the creation of the United States of America, as well as establishing something called the Unalienable Rights. These Unalienable rights consisted of Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness. Although one of the most important lines in the declaration was "All men are created equal", even though
The Comparison of Two Declarations Thomas Jefferson and Elizabeth Cady Stanton fought for what they believed; which was being free and equal from unjust rule or unjust laws. In the “Declaration of Independence” By Thomas Jefferson; Jefferson writes about his concerns about current Government ruled by the King of Great Britain in the United States and proceeds to list conflicts that many people face in the United States due to the King’s unjust treatment towards its citizens. In the end of the essay he persuades that the United States should separate from the rule of Great Britain. In another essay written like the “Declaration of Independence” comes the “Declaration of Sentiments and Resolutions” by Elizabeth Cady Stanton, in Stanton’s essay she writes about issues that women face towards unjust laws. These laws were to prohibit and limit a women’s rights due to the fact they are married to their spouse; an example of these laws was “denied... the facilities for obtaining a through education” (149) to clarify this quotation women weren’t allowed to receive an education due to being married.
Synthesis: Remember the ladies Summary: In her letter to John Adams, Abigail Adams writes about the things that have been happening during the time that he is away. She says in her letter that she has long waited the Declaration of Independence. She asks that the ladies be remembered and be favored in the new Code of Laws.
The two documents “Letter to John Adams” and “Declaration of Sentiments of the Seneca Falls Women’s Rights Convention” are both historical documents that helped start the women’s rights movements. “Lettter to John Adams” is a letter written to founding father John Adams by his wife Abigail. “Declaration of Sentiments” was written by Elizabeth Cady Stanton for the first Women’s Rights Convention. The two documents were very similar, but they have a few key differences.
The passage that most effectively develops the contribution of Elizabeth Cady Stanton to the women’s rights movement would be “A Powerful Partnership”. The aforementioned detailed the strengths of working with one accord to achieve a common goal. It brought to light why Susan B. Anthony is so well known in comparison Elizabeth Stanton. Most importantly, the article credits Stanton as introducing the first attempt at a women’s suffrage amendment in Congress. Though “The Birthplace of Womens Rights” focused keenly on Stanton and her early efforts, “A Powerful Partnership” describes Stanton’s collaborations with Susan B. Anthony that would make many consider them “the founding Mothers of women’s rights”.
4. Both Abigail Adams and Stanton are making it understood that change for women is long overdue. Both selections have a specific highlight on the “tyrannical” way men have ran their society and with no “impunity”. Stanton goes into great length with this among with many of instances marking the patriarchy, with Abigail Adams sticking mainly to addressing the men who have already recognized this discrimination and making an importune call for the change in women’s rights.
Women and men should emphasize their opinions not be unequal due to if one is a feminine or masculine. It is an irrelevance. Stanton’s diction and logos throughout the “Declaration of Sentiments” overall serves as an argument to convey the inequity in the society based on one’s
The Declaration of Independence once stated “we hold these truths to be self evident that all men are created equal” and was not true to its promise as human equality was only promised to white men. After having experienced the status as an inferior women in society, Elizabeth Cady Stanton dedicated her life to ensure that women’s roles in society would be equal to those of men’s through fighting for women’s suffrage. As a young child, Stanton was exposed to the legal boundaries that prevented women from their rights and experienced the idea that women were lesser within her own family. Her father, Daniel Cady, was a lawyer that dealt with cases involving women living with their abusive fathers and husbands, who could not be protected by
Despite the negativity from the colonial period, Abigail Adams found hope and perseverance in expressing equal rights for women. She turned her words into action and never allowed her words to die. She was an eloquent writer and was very adept at conveying her thoughts and opinions, as well as using her words to influence others. Later, after Abigail Adams passed away, Abigail’s daughter in-law said, “It has always been to me a source of wonder how you write to so many in one family, and yet never appear at a loss for a subject” (as qtd in Osborne 103). Mrs. Adams was always politically involved and fighting for equal rights for slaves and women.
In a time of fighting for freedom, not all felt free. The new declaration claims “All men are created equal”, leaving the women still with no rights and completely relying on men. Abigail Adams, the wife of John Adams, used her position to bring forward her own strong feminist views and felt women should be included in the declaration. Abigail’s fight for women's rights made an extensive impact on history because she pioneered a path for future women to come. While Abigail Adams fought for women's rights, John Adams thought women should just be house workers and supporters.
She created this document completely parallel to that of Jefferson's and showed the irony in Jefferson’s words to try and make a change for the rights of women. As people around the country began learning of this new effort, women gained more supporters. Jefferson put together the Declaration of Independence to gain freedom because “all men are created equal” (551). But unfortunately, women at the time were property of men, were treated like slaves, and had no liberty. To demonstrate her end, Stanton took the complete preamble from the Declaration of Independence and showed that the focal point of her declaration would solely be on rights of women in opposition to gaining independence from Britain’s despotism.
One thing Stanton emphasized in her declaration, was “that woman is man’s equal- was intended to be so by the Creator, and the highest good of the race demands that she should be recognized as such,” (Stanton 275). She believed women and men were equal under the eye of God and they should be treated so. Although women are
Stanton states, “When the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one portion of the family of man” (Stanton 1). Stanton used this line to start her declaration as Thomas Jefferson used it in the first line of the Declaration of Independence. Using such a well trusted piece of writing that helped shaped the United States increases her credibility which helps her case in her argument. Another point in Stanton’s view, “We hold these truths to be self-evident: in that all men and women are created equal” (Stanton 1). This line starts the second paragraph of the Declaration of Independence, but Stanton added in “women” instead of just “men”.
Numerous women expressed their disapproval towards how they were denied their rights based on their gender, thus causing women to take a stand for their suffrage and rights. In a letter to her husband, Abigail Adams told him to “be more generous and favourable to [women] than [his]
Author Elizabeth Cady Stanton logically and ethically argued for the equal treatment of women in her “Declaration of Sentiments and Resolutions”. She laid out examples of their inequality such as, “He has compelled her to submit to laws, in the formation of which she had no voice” (Stanton, 2007, p.59). This exemplifies the treatment of women and the lack of equality shown to the women of her society. Making laws for a whole group of individuals without considering their individuality ruins not only that concept but also the function of equality. One group of people should not be making rules for another without the input of the said group.