Women's Suffrage Movement In The United States
Suffrage was not a big idea among the women’s rights movement. Many women actually had an alliance with the Garrisonian part of the abolitionist movement. The popular belief in the abolitionist movement was that women should avoid political activities and instead convince people of their perspectives with “moral suasion. ” Many women reformers and abolitionists were Quakers who stuck to traditions that prevented them from participating in nonreligious political activities. However, many conventions changed that perspective such as the New York State Constitutional Convention of 1846. This convention received many petitions for women’s suffrage from at least three counties.
Some members of the abolitionist movement supported women’s suffrage like Samuel J. May (Unitarian minister and radical abolitionist). He expressed his support in a sermon which was later considered as the first of the women’s rights tracts. It was named “The Rights and Condition of Women. ” In this sermon, he called for the Constitution to be changed and “that more than one-half of our population are females, to whom equal rights and equal privileges ought to be accorded, and secured by Constitution and Statute law. ” The convention of the Liberty Party in Rochester, New York of May, 1848 called for “universal suffrage in its broadest sense, including women as well as men. ”
There was also the National Liberty Convention in Buffalo, New York in which Gerrit Smith (a candidate for president) gave a short speech, sharing his call for women’s suffrage. He cleared a misunderstanding of suffragists. Most men thought they wanted to be in government. Although that was true, women’s greatest concern was “to exercise my God-given right to vote. ” He clears this by saying, “Suppose I should go to vote, and some man should push me back and say, “You want to be Governor, don't you?” “No,” I reply, “I want to exercise my God-given right to vote. ” Such a taunt as this would be no more insulting than those now cast at women, when they demand rights so unjustly denied. ” It took seventy-two years for women get granted suffrage.
Lucretia Mott and Elizabeth Cady Stanton were banned from the World Anti-Slavery Convention in London so they held the Women’s Convention (more known as Seneca Falls Convention) in New York. Originally, it was held for the women reformers to discuss on how to make reform legislation. However, for that to occur, suffrage needed to be granted. With this new goal, the women’s suffrage movement was formed. Therefore, the Seneca Falls Convention led to the women’s suffrage movement and started it. This is why it is known this convention “launched the women’s suffrage movement. ” The women’s suffrage movement was part of the women’s rights movement in the U. S. It focused on the voting rights of women. It started in 1848 and ended in 1920. Famous leaders include Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Alice Paul, Emmeline Pankhurst, Carrie Chapman Catt, Lucy Stone, Lucretia Mott, Millicent Fawcett, Lucy Burns, Henry Browne Blackwell, and Ida B. Wells. Women wanted equality with men in government. Also, women reformers wanted to make reform legislation. However, women realized suffrage must be granted in order for these to happen. The women’s suffrage movement was formed.
As women reformers realized the importance of suffrage, they planned a document. It would discuss about gender equality in politics. It was named the “Declaration of Sentiments. ” This document was signed by sixty-eight women and thirty-two men. Since women suffragists wanted suffrage to overcome the injustices men had done and because they were also citizens of the U. S. , they wrote in the Sentiments: “Now, in view of this entire disfranchisement of one-half the people of this country, their social and religious degradation,-in view of the unjust laws above mentioned, and because women do feel themselves aggrieved, oppressed, fraudulently deprived of their most sacred rights, we insist that they have immediate admission to all the rights and privileges which belong to them as citizens of the United States. ” Eventually, suffrage was granted when the 19th Amendment was passed on June 4th, 1919.
Women were greatly affected as this movement broke down the traditional-values of women staying in the house. Equality between women and men in politics, economics, and education was achieved. Right after suffrage was granted to women, women achieved many opportunities. Although some were small, the opportunities were nonetheless gladly accepted. Educational opportunities rose for women; more and more women were attending colleges and universities. Women were no longer forced to stay in home and were able to participate in the economy. They were allowed to have jobs. Although some were tiring (factory jobs were popular), they were still gladly accepted.
Additionally, the status of women arose politically since they now had power in elections by voting. Property rights was another result. Because suffrage was granted, the traditional-values and stereotypes of women were now broken. The 19th Amendment was the result of women suffragists’ hard work. It was passed in June 4th in 1919 stating that “the right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex. “Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation. ” This amendment allowed women to have educational, economic, and political opportunities.
It affected American history by achieving gender equality. A woman once quoted, “The law gives the husband power to use such a degree of force necessary to make the wife behave and know her place. ” She was denied of divorce by the Supreme Court although her husband horsewhipped her. If women took divorce to court, it would always be denied. This was proven by a statement in the Declaration of Sentiments, “He has so framed the laws of divorce, as to what shall be the proper causes of divorce;” It continues, “in case of separation, to whom the guardianship of the children shall be given; as to be wholly regardless of the happiness of women-the law, in all cases, going upon a false supposition of the supremacy of man, and giving all power into his hands. ”
However, the 19th Amendment prove women were equal to men in politics by voting. Since they were now equal, such things, like divorce, could be taken to court without being denied unreasonably. Susan B. Anthony once quoted, “No advanced step taken by women has been so bitterly contested as that of speaking in public. For nothing which they have attempted, not even to secure the suffrage, have they been so abused, condemned and antagonized. ” This was accurate as women were “abused, condemned and antagonized” for publicly voicing their opinions. Fortunately, the 19th Amendment demolished this. The stereotype of women being quiet in politics was now destroyed as the suffrage movement demanded rights for them to be equal in government. One huge impact the suffrage movement made on the U. S. is that it broke down barriers of women not being allowed to do what they were capable of. The stereotypes of women being housewives and obedient creatures was destroyed; they were now free to do what they had the capacity of.
