Analysis Of The Declaration Of Sentiments At Seneca Falls Convention

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The primary source I am analyzing is the Declaration of Sentiments adopted at Seneca Falls Convention in 1848. This source was from the Seneca Falls Convention which was the first woman's rights convention of the 19th century. Women at this time were coming to the realization that they deserved the same legal rights as men, such as the right to vote or own property. Since this was from the first convention, I assume that the sentiments were recent frustrations and were refined or added to as the movement progressed. During the time period of the source, women were starting to gather formally to try to make significant changes or develop plans of action to earn rights. I can assume this source was written by multiple women to express how they …show more content…

It begins with reiterating phrases from the U.S. constitution because men did not include women to live by the words of the constitution. The presumed female author(s) include many details about how the men used the laws to take control of women can be learned from this source. “The law giving him power to deprive her of her liberty and to administer chastisement” (Roesh-Wagner, pg 76)The document emphasized how the laws did not go in favor of women and what that did to them as people. “ He has never permitted her…”, “He has compelled her to submit to laws”, “He has taken from her all right in property”, “He has made her, morally, an irresponsible being,..” (Roesh-Wagner, pg 76). Men owned the land, they had jobs, they were educated, and even decided the proper cause of divorce. The declaration generalizes all men(He) to be the same evil character that has restricted women for decades. The source does not acknowledge the men who did support the movement and that those men were allies. Frederick Douglass spoke in support of women during this time stating: “We hold women to be justly entitled to all we claim for men” and“All that distinguishes man as an intelligent and accountable being; is equally true for women” (The North Star, “The Rights of Women” July