Ninety six years ago women throughout the United States were not allowed to vote in public elections. Fortunately, on August 18th 1920, after being passed by Congress, the 19th amendment was ratified by the states, giving women the right to cast a ballot. The road to women’s suffrage was long and winding with a few U-Turns and full stops on the way to equality. Nevertheless, the suffragettes persevered and accomplished what is arguably one of the greatest achievements of the women’s rights movement. The ratification of the 19th amendment had thousands of women behind its success, but the vast majority of it is due to Alice Paul, whose traditional Quaker upbringing, time spent in England among radical suffragettes, and determination, even at …show more content…
She remained in the Quaker community throughout college, graduating from the prestigious Swarthmore College in 1905. This extensive amount of time that Paul spent somewhat sheltered among people who believed in gender equality and improving society had to influence and strengthen her beliefs as well as her drive to obtain women’s suffrage. Carol, Meyers, and Lindman write for the Alice Paul Institute article “Who Was Alice Paul” that “Alice’s faith not only established the foundation for her belief in equality but also provided a rich legacy of activism and service to country.” It seems as if Alice Paul was almost predestined to lead the women’s suffrage movement. Alice’s own mother, Tacie Paul, was a member of the National American Women’s Suffrage Association. She brought Alice with her to meetings and even held suffrage events in their home, Paulsdale (Reiter). Arguably, if Alice Paul had not been born to a Quaker family during this time period, she might not have been exposed to the women’s suffrage movement, therefore, limiting her own ideas and beliefs in women’s rights as well as her involvement in the movement. Alice Paul’s background was as vital to her success and assistance in passing the 19th amendment as her time spent in England …show more content…
The Pankhurst women were controversial, militant suffragettes who protested not being allowed to vote by breaking windows, heckling politicians, and holding marches. These women believed in utilizing their frustration at their government by participating in public displays of aggression. They had discovered that aggression had a much larger influence on people than other forms of protest (e.g. petitions), and so the WSPU used it to grow their membership and impact. Evidently, the Pankhurst women’s aggression certainly got Alice Paul’s attention. She became a member of the WSPU not long after arriving in England (Cahill 10). Her involvement in this organization had a significant effect on her attitude towards improving society. Carol, Meyers, and Lindman explain it best, writing that “Though Alice’s upbringing was steeped in suffrage ideals, it was during her stay in England that she was transformed from a reserved Quaker girl into a militant suffragist (“Who Was Alice Paul). While a suffragette in England, Paul personally admitted to breaking numerous windows and being imprisoned on several occasions. This exhausting but presumably exhilarating time in Paul’s life served as rigorous training for the day when she would lead the women’s suffrage movement in the United States. Not many other American suffragettes
The rivalry between the National Women’s Suffrage Association lead by Carrie Chapman Catt, and the National Women’s Party lead by Alice Paul was only intensified by each group’s intense desire to as quickly as possible get the vote for American women. Progress having been stalled and stagnated after the Civil War, ignited by this halt in momentum the two groups to give no ground or tolerance for anything that might stall their progress.
The women used many different tactics to earn the right to vote. The at the time did whatever tactics they new to help the situation. One of the tactics they used was to go on a hunger strike. For example the girls wouldn't eat during there lunch time, but most of the girls couldn't handle it. Alice Paul continued to proceed with the strike.but that didn't work very well because they force fed her. Another strategy was called propaganza. These girls (mostly alice paul) found a way to publish her life in prison in the newspaper. They did this by when some came to visit them they would slip the note into their pockets and then the people would find it. the last trick they use was to get people to not vote for woodrow wilson. One way
It was January 11, 1885 and in Moorestown, New Jersey what I would call a rook in the chess game of women’s suffrage, was born. It’s hard to believe that such an overwhelming infatuation in equality could be so deeply immersed in a woman only twenty-seven years of age. However, when you know that this person is none other than Alice Paul, believing gets easier. It was the defiance caged up inside this fire-cracker of a woman that led her steadily through the great battle of woman's suffrage.
Furthermore, they failed to give recognition of the significant contributions made by Native Americans in shaping the West, emphasizing the importance of acknowledging diverse experiences. What was the impact of Alice Paul on the Women’s Suffrage Movement? Alice Paul, a well-known activist, was the woman who initiated the Women's Suffrage Movement. Paul's religious foundation as a Quaker heavily influenced her beliefs in equality and justice. During the Progressive Era, Paul served as representative for women, as she pushed for a constitutional amendment to grant them the right to vote.
Alice Paul was one of the most necessary factors in the equation for Women's Suffrage. Her bold tactics revitalized the suffragists movement and allowed for her to achieve her long term goals. She is the most important person of this time period because she never compromises her beliefs in the face of adversity. From a young age she was taught that she deserved unconditional equal rights. This is a radical notion that will drive her work throughout the rest of her life. She underwent arrests, forced feedings and protest after protest all in the name of equality. This message still resonates with people today as this generation fights for their rights.
Alice Paul spent her childhood in luxury, with a life of fortune already granted to her, but she humbly decided to risk it all for the equality of women. The achievements of Alice contributed greatly in the outcome of the Women’s Rights Movement. She demanded to be heard, from England to America, and would not settle for anything less than equality of genders. To this day, Alice Paul is known as the “architect of the 20th century’s outstanding political achievements on behalf of women” and will always be remembered as one of the most impactful Woman’s Suffrage Activist.
“I never doubted that equal rights was the right direction. Most reforms, most problems are complicated. But to me there is nothing complicated about ordinary equality." These wise words were once spoken by a prominent and influential woman named Alice Paul, whose mission changed the course of history and brought equality to women. A feminist, women’s right activist and American suffragist, she dedicated her life to the single cause of securing equal rights for women.
The journey of women’s suffrage beings with an aspired women named Alice Paul, who revolutionize the rights for women everywhere. Walton refers, how the inspiration all had flipped-the switch in Alice Paul when she heard speech on the “Votes for Women,” from a women named, Christabel Pankhurst, which was interrupted abruptly due to Christabel spitting in a police offers face, and being taken to jail. Walton refers to the Women’s Social and Political Union (WSPU) as being seldom out of the news during the winter of 1907,
Making this movement public was essential in ratification of the Constitution. Paul organized women on all levels. She knew that selling the movement to the American people would further the cause. Her first attempt was to campaign against all Democratic candidates. That did not do much to the political party. She had to reformulate a plan. She organized a group of women to picket the White House daily, except for Sundays, with banners of the President’s own speeches written on them. Papers often carried the stories of the suffragettes’ struggles. When World War I was declared, that changed.
Alice Paul returned to the United States of America in 1910 where she enrolled in yet another school. She graduated from the University of Pennsylvania where she earned a Ph.D. in sociology. This is one piece of evidence supporting the great leadership that Alice Paul portrayed. She found a cause to identify to and then obtained the needed knowledge and education needed to achieve her goals. After graduating from the University, Paul launched herself into her vocation, becoming a “full-time” suffragist. Paul then joined National American Woman Suffrage Association which was founded by Elizabeth Stanton and Susan Anthony among others. Paul soon realized that the leadership styles employed by these two suffragist leaders did not agree with her personality and so she broke from the group, forming her own. Another piece of evidence, Paul understood herself and so knew what methods would agree with her leadership type and personality, essentially magnifying her impact. Paul then founded the Congressional Union for Woman Suffrage with Lucy Burns. “In 1916, NAWSA found itself on the conservative side of the movement.” (ocp.hul.harvard.edu) Paul a radical at
The fight for women suffrage was one of the largest reform movements of the Progressive era. In the twentieth century, it was hard for American’s to understand why the right to vote was a big disagreement. Alan Brinkley, an American historian, wrote, “that woman
This movement is important because although it took years the goal was achieved. It was a long battle and women were brave enough to put their lives on the line. Alice Paul was a determined young woman
The Women’s Suffrage Movement of the 1920’s worked to grant women the right to vote nationally, thereby allowing women more political equality. Due to many industrial and social changes during the early 19th century, many women were involved in social advocacy efforts, which eventually led them to advocate for their own right to vote and take part in government agencies. Women have been an integral part of society, working to help those in need, which then fueled a desire to advocate for their own social and political equality. While many women worked tirelessly for the vote, many obstacles, factions, and ultimately time would pass in order for women to see the vote on the national level. The 19th Amendment, providing women the right to vote, enable women further their pursuit for full inclusion in the working of American society.
The Progressive Era was an era of reforms to bring the United States up from its corrupted and poverty-stricken condition. In light of these reforms, new ideas were formed, challenging tradition. Of these, the early women’s civil rights movements of the late 1890’s to late 1910’s stood as one of the most prominent. In 1917, towards the end of the era and right before President Wilson ratified the 19th Amendment, feminist and journalist Alice Stone Blackwell responded to possible outcomes if women were allowed the right to vote. Blackwell’s response towards anti-suffrage ideals is significant to the Progressive Era due to her deconstruction of the arguments against women’s suffrage, essentially revealing its acceptance would not present a
This new generation of activists fought with this new agenda for almost 20 years until a few states in the West began to extend the vote to women. The Eastern and Southern states still refused to give in, but this didn’t stop the National American Woman Suffrage Association. In 1916, Carrie Chapman Catt, president of the NAWSA, worked vigorously to get women’s organizations from all over the country together and fight side by side. “One group of activists, led by Alice Paul and her National Woman’s Party, lobbied for full quality for women under the law” (Divine). She used mass marches and hunger strikes as strategies, but she was eventually forced to resign because of her insistence on the use of militant direct-action tactics (Grolier). Finally, during World War 1, women were given more opportunities to work, and were able to show that they were just as deserving as men when it came to the right to vote. On August 18th, 1920, the 19th amendment was ratified, allowing women to vote. This drawn-out and arduous battle opened a new window of opportunity for women all over the country. Significant changes in both social life and job availability began to create what is now referred to as the “new women.”