Since the United States declared its independence back in 1776 rich white men were seen as supreme throughout the nation. However, without the help of women, colored folk, and the Native Americans, this country would be nowhere near as successful as it is today. Despite that, a majority of rights were not guaranteed to these “minorities” and were left predominantly in the hands of the wealthier white males within the country. The Second Great Awakening was this religious revival that was based on the whole idea of moving towards a sort of perfect status. Religion, being such a large part of the culture within the states gave women as well as people of color a role in progressing the nation and served as a bit of leverage towards equality (Perfecting …show more content…
Like the Grimke sisters, Stanton first started out as an abolitionist turned women's rights activist. According to an article, Stanton was “outraged that women were denied standing at the World’s Anti-Slavery Convention” (VCU Library). From this, she set her sights on a new goal, fighting for women's equal rights. She as well as her fellow activist, Lucretia Mott, organized the Seneca Falls Convention, commonly viewed as the start of the women's rights movement. Before the meeting, Stanton had created a document known as the Declaration of Sentiments. This document was modeled directly on the Declaration of Independence and stated that women, like men, were owed their natural rights as equals in society. A line from the Declaration that encapsulates the entirety of Stanton’s beliefs is “woman is man’s equal, was intended to be so by the Creator” (Stanton). This is in regard to the equality of women when it comes to voting and politics, in the workforce, and in society as a whole. Stanton believed that men and women were one and the same and that women could do everything a man could do if it were not for the limitations set by the government. This document was then taken to the Seneca Falls Convention where she spread her ideas to activists propelling the movement