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The cause of women suffrage in history
History of women's suffrage essay
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“I have encountered riotous mobs and have been hung in effigy, but my motto is: Men's rights are nothing more. Women's rights are nothing less.” Susan B. Anthony Susan B. Anthony is considered by some as the founding mother of the women’s suffrage movement in the United States. Her goal: men and women treated equally under the eyes of the law and society. The 19th Amendment in 1920 would be the culmination event for this movement, but the winds of change began blowing in 1848.
Many women fought for this bill including Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Lucretia Mot, and Susan B. Anthony who began the first women 's rights movement in Seneca Falls, New York. There were various setbacks but after the Civil War ended they began to fight for their rights with new momentum. President Woodrow Wilson changed his mind after being sworn into office, and turned in favor of women 's right to vote and addressed the Senate in favor of suffrage. On May 21, 1919, republican James R Mann, a U.S. representative from Illinois who served as chairman of the Suffrage Committee, proposed the House resolution to approve the Susan Anthony Amendment. The bill passed with above the required two-thirds majority.
Susan B. Anthony was born into a Quaker family, with the hope that everyone would one day be treated equal. She denied a chance to speak at a temperance convention because she was a woman(Susan B. Anthony). From this point on, she knew that she needed to make a change. Susan B. Anthony, because of her intense work involving women 's’ rights, highly influenced all of the societies and beliefs that were yet to come. She employed a huge role in our history because of the fact that she advocated for women’s rights, for the integration of women in the workforce, and for the abolition of slavery.
Two abolitionists began to organize one of the first movements, “ It was not until 1848 that the movement for women’s rights launched on a national level with a convention in Seneca Falls, New York, organized by abolitionists Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucretia Mott”(History19). This movement consisted of over 300 women and some men, who were former African-American slaves. They made a statement in Seneca Falls, New York and most of the Seneca delegates agreed that women deserved their own political identities. After this convention, the press mocked women and the delegates that agreed. Naturally, some women would give up after this, but they came back
During the Progressive Era, women began reforms to address social, political, and economic issues within society. Some addressed the issues with education, healthcare, and political corruption. Others worked to raise wages and improve work conditions. Among these (women) is Carrie Chapman Catt, a leader of the women’s suffrage movement. Beginning her career as a national women’s rights activist in 1890, she was asked to address Congress about the proposed suffrage amendment shortly after two years.
The mid to early 1800s marked a dynamic period in America’s history. Powerful movements such as the Market revolution the Second Great Awakening gave way to new moral and socio-economic beliefs. These new found beliefs fueled a series of reform movement and earned this era the name the Age of Reforms. Although movements such as temperance restricted democracy in the US, to a greater extent, reform movements such as public education, women’s rights, and abolition expanded democracy by giving power and basic rights to women, slaves, and the lower class.
In chapter 18, the author talked about how woman played a significant role in the progressive era. The biggest victory was the passage of the 19th amendment, enfranchising women and being the 27th country to allow women to vote. Women’s reform redefined the role of the federal government. Women worked to expand the scope of the federal government by overseeing issues such as wages, health working conditions, sanitation and social welfare. Eleanor Roosevelt was involved in the women’s movement when Franklin Roosevelt brought the women’s reform movement into the federal government for the first time.
In the period between 1900 and 1920, the federal government and reformers were very successful in bringing social, economic, and political reform to the federal government. While not every aspect of it was successful, the rights of women, fighting against child labor and limiting the control of trusts and monopolies were three distinct successes of that time. Even before the progressive era, women challenged their place and articulated new visions of social, political and economic equality. The progressive era was a turning point for women as organizations evolved fighting for equal rights. Woman began to become very involved in a variety of reform movements.
During Progressive Era, there were many reforms that occurred, such as Child Labor Reform or Pure Food and Drug Act. Women Suffrage Movement was the last remarkable reform, and it was fighting about the right of women to vote, which was basically about women’s right movement. Many great leaders – Elizabeth Cad Stanton and Susan B. Anthony - formed the National American Women Suffrage Association (NAWSA). Although those influential leaders faced hardship during this movement, they never gave up and kept trying their best. This movement was occurred in New York that has a huge impact on the whole United States.
The Progressive movement began as an idea to fix the cities, however, it involved a lot more than just fixing up the cities. Many reform efforts that ranged from cutting down on poverty, improving the conditions of urbanized housing, and labor reform. The Progressives wanted impactful rules by the government on industry. During the Progressive movement, women were one of the major groups that battled hard for reform. Women were involved with many of the reforms like clean water sanitation, collection of garbage in areas stricken with poverty, and education of underprivileged children.
During Progressive Era, there were many reforms that occurred, such as Child Labor Reform or Pure Food and Drug Act. Women Suffrage Movement was the last remarkable reform. This movement was fighting about the right of women to vote, which was basically about women’s right movement. Many great leaders – Elizabeth Cad Stanton and Susan B. Anthony - formed the National American Women Suffrage Association (NAWSA). Although those influential leaders faced hardship during this movement, they never gave up and kept trying their best.
Their goal was to convince them to take a pledge against drinking alcohol. The temperance movement was very successful and it significantly reduced the amount of drinking and the problems associated with it. One the last movements toward women gaining their equal rights was when they held the Seneca Falls convention in 1884. This was the first convention in regards to women’s rights.
The role of women before the progressive movement was not that good. Women were still stay at home mother, but there were some who did have an education. Only a few had an education and those who did made a difference. Women had rights, but only a few. When the Progressive Era came along women suffrage started to get more national attention.
Adding on to other limitations, women almost had no freedom in their marriage. Before the women’s rights movement, when a woman is married the “husband and wife are one person” but “that person is the husband” (Doc 7). Once a woman is married, her rights and property were governed by the husband. Married women could not make wills or dispose of any property without their husband’s consent to do so.
They held many meetings and conventions to discuss about how they were going to fight for their rights. " In July 1848, the Women’s Rights Convention was held in Seneca Falls, N.Y. It was the opening salvo of the battle for women’s suffrage, although many years would pass before its proponents would finally achieve victory" ("Women 's Rights Convention"). This was one of the first steps in the road to freedom for women. They also had many supporters to make the United States of America pass the law for women to vote and have the rights men have.