Women's Rights In The 1800s Essay

In the early 1800s, women were expected to be housewives. They had to get married and have children. Once there was the industrial revolution, women started working in the Lowell Mills. They were able to earn a salary. However, the working conditions were challenging. Some of the working conditions were having to work long hours, no safety precautions, and strict rules. Another challenging issue for women was voting rights. During the Seneca Falls Convention & Declaration of Sentiments, women gathered to advocate for their voting rights. Even though they advocated for their rights, they never became fully independent and didn’t have the same opportunities as men. Women did not have equal political, economic, and social rights compared to white

Document 1 “The Rights of Women: Laws and Practices, Zinn Education Project” states “Women may not vote in any state in the union.” This quote explains some of the laws and conditions that Women were denied. The quote mentions that women could not vote which shows that white male citizens had more political rights compared to women. It’s political discrimination against women’s opportunities compared to men’s opportunities. This demonstrates that women did not have a say in any political voting. During the 1800s, women in the United States did not have equal rights compared to white male citizens. At this time in American history, women were not allowed to attend college, could not speak in public, and were paid half of the salary as white male citizens. Document 1 notes, “Based on British common law, a woman

Document 2 states “The Life and age of woman, stages of woman's life from the cradle to the grave” and “The Life and age of man, stages of man's life from the cradle to the grave,” New York, 1848. James Baillie’s images, “The Life and age of woman, stages of woman's life from the cradle to the grave,” and “The Life and age of man, stages of man's life from the cradle to the grave,” show society's expectations for women. This source is describing society’s roles for women and men. The first image indicates that women were supposed to raise children and get married. If they would have to stay at home, it would limit their opportunities to go to college and get a good education. In the second image, the life of Men indicates that they become soldiers. While images of women and men corroborate on lifespan, they disagree on their roles in society. Men were recognized in society as more important because they were fighting in wars. In contrast, women would be expected to stay home and not be as recognized in society. Document 5, “Sojourner Truth, Speech at the Ohio Women’s Rights Convention, 1851” states, “That man over there says that women need to be helped into carriages and lifted over ditches, and to have the best place everywhere. Nobody ever helps me into carriages, or over mud-puddles, or gives me any best place! And ain't I a woman?” This quote explains how men treated white women