Analysis Of The Declaration Of Sentiments: Elizabeth Cady Stanton

The activist, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, in her essay, “Declaration of Sentiments and Resolutions, Seneca Falls Convention, 1848” emphasizes the importance of equality between women and men. Stanton’s purpose is to outline the inequality that existed between men and women and make points that will lead to inequalities ending. She adopts a straightforward and factual tone to get her point across without sounding biased or being disrespectful towards anyone who may disagree with her.

The problem states that women of the 19th century believed they were not free because they did not have the right to vote. This right to vote was the gateway to women’s freedom if men allowed it to pass through. Stanton believed freedom to be the equality among all genders. The Suffrage Movement brought about the First Women’s Convention to discuss the issue of women’s rights. The First Women’s Convention led to the continuation of more conventions as a way to get a woman’s perspective to be heard.

In Elizabeth Cady Stanton’s “Declaration of Sentiments of the Seneca Falls Woman’s Rights Convention”, She makes a statement that ultimately makes

There are many important documents in history that have influenced the lives of women today, but possibly none more important than the “Declaration of Sentiments” by Elizabeth Cady Stanton. The declaration was able to make an extremely strong and memorable impact, not only for the ideas presented in it, but also for its strong rhetoric and use of figurative language such as anaphora and syntax; also, notable is its imitation of the “Declaration of Independence”. Though written over one hundred years ago, the declaration written at the Seneca Falls Convention addressing women’s rights has made influences still felt today including but not limited to the right to vote, gender equality in the eyes of the law, and even just simple things such as women wearing pants or the confidence of young girls.

Principally authored by Elizabeth Cady Stanton and presented in Seneca Falls, New York on July 19, 1848 at the first Women’s Rights Convention, The Declaration of Sentiments outlined a series of grievances resulting from the marginalization of women and proposed eleven resolutions, arguing that women had the right to equality in all aspects of their lives. The Declaration generated widespread ridicule and even hostility particularly from religious leaders and members of the press and even some members of the growing women’s rights movement distanced themselves from the document for its controversial inclusion of a resolution supporting women’s right to vote. Modeled after the Declaration of Independence, Stanton connected the nascent campaign for women’s rights with a well-known American symbol of liberty while underscoring the point that while the Declaration of Independence was all-inclusive, its language specifically excluded women.

During the 1800’s, women were subject to increasing discrimination, especially throughout the public sphere. Women were expected to take care of the house, children, and the husband. There was a fundamental belief that men owned their wives, allowing a gross

Stanton is known for speaking about women's rights at the Seneca Falls Declaration on August 2, 1848 (doc I). Stanton argued that is equality was a democratic ideal of the United States then why were women not granted equality. While men had the right to chastise and imprison their wives (doc I), yet women were not even allowed in the voting booths to represent themselves in “the government under which we (they) live” (doc I). This was not equality in fact Stanton and many other women worked hard in order to shorten this gap, Stanton was seeking to expand the core democratic value of equality specifically equality of the sexes. Although Stanton's efforts were not effectively introduced to the nation until later the efforts shown in this particular reform movement proves the validity of the statement ““Reform movements in the United States sought to expand democratic ideals”.” During the same time period as Stanton a man named Samuel F.B Morse was trying to lessen equality specifically the equal rights of

One point that Elizabeth Cady Stanton makes is that the man never permitted her to exercise her inalienable right to the elective franchise. This is very true seeing that women were not even allowed to work because their place was at the home where they were to raise the family. If women did work for a part time they would not get even close to the amount of money that males get. She also states that he has taken from her all right in property, even the wages that she earns. Women at this time were not allowed to own property. She also states that he has withheld her from her rights, which are given to the most ignorant and degraded men, which even includes foreigners. This meant even if you were the smartest, kindest, and most willing to work hard woman alive, you still would be treated worse than the least respected man.

Stanton then wrote the Declaration of Sentiments, which was taken from the Declaration of Independence. One of the famous lines was that “all men and women had been created equal”. To see that she took some ideas from the Declaration of Independence was very smart because, some very important men wrote that. Stanton also wrote eleven resolutions, one being that women had the right to vote. Over 100 people, men and women signed the Declaration of Sentiments, including Frederick Douglass who was an escaped slave who became a leader of abolitionist movement. This convention helped spread the message about Women suffrage. It just amazes me how much women suffered back then. They had literally no rights at all. They could not vote, sell or buy land and most of all they had no voice between men. Even after so many years women do still experience the same inequality, in which some women get paid less than men and also promotions are more likely to go to men than

Susan B. Anthony inspired to fight for women’s right while camping against alcohol..along with Elizabeth Cady Stanton also an activist, Anthony and Stanton founded the NWSA . Which helped the two women to go around and produced The Revolution, a weekly publication that lobbied for women’s rights.She also went on saying that if women ever wanted to get reaction men had…only thing stopping them,..having voting rights. An american social reformer and women’s right activist who played a pivotal role in the women’s suffrage movement, also a teacher who aggregate and compare about nature. She gave the “Women’s Rights to the Suffrage” giving outside the jail she was going to be held in, she gave this speech in person in 1873 and her audience were mostly white women that want virtues like men. Also men that wanted to put women in their place and friends of her and fellow citizens. Her main points are that women needed power that men had. Growing up in a quaker household she knew that women needed honor as men just like slaves experience getting their freedom. In Women’s right to suffrage Susan B. Anthony uses tone, reparation,and logos which dematices why women should have equal morality and voting abilities as men.

Meeting Lucretia Mott lead to one of Stanton’s greatest accomplishments which was the world’s first women’s rights convention, the Seneca Falls Convention. “The Seneca Falls Convention, a gathering on behalf of women’s rights held in the upstate New York town where Stanton lived, raised the issue of woman’s suffrage for the first time” (Foner 452). This was a huge milestone to spread the word about women 's equality in the United States. It was the first women’s convention, so it gathered a lot of hype and attention to women’s need of rights. There’s no reason why women should not get the right to vote, or the right of education just because their gender. Thankfully, “the convention was the beginning of the 70 year struggle woman’s suffrage” (Foner 453). Stanton helped spread the voice of women and their own ideas about rights. With the men being dominant in the society, it was difficult to lead the way of women 's rights, but the Seneca Falls Convention started it all.

The 19th Amendment guarantees a vote for women in the United States of America, but how did this constitutional change happen? Many females prior to this accomplishment faced struggles from external forces that denied their rights and capabilities. Feminism and equal rights were and still are prominent in American society. In order to provide women of the future what is rightfully theirs, women during the 1700s have taken control of their opinions and used their strong-will to make the necessary changes in American society. During the Seneca Falls Convention, Elizabeth Cady Stanton exclaimed in her address, “The right is ours. The question now is: how shall we get possession of what rightfully belongs to us,” (Stanton). The leaders, Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucretia Mott of the Seneca Falls Convention, along with other female leaders, displayed civil disobedience, provided powerful lectures, and organized conventions that gave a new perspective on gender equality.

Seneca Falls, NY in 1848 marked the start of the women's suffrage movement. The movement, being led by many influential women, such as Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton, was said to be one of the largest political movement of the 20th century. According to the National Women's History Museum, the movement was the “…single largest enfranchisement and extension of democratic rights in our nation’s history (“Rights for Women: The Suffrage”).”

Liberty and Equality are the major and fundamental ideas to Americans, and as individuals, Americans always fought for their interests and preferences to pursue their inalienable rights. The history of American freedom is full of debates and controversies, and Declaration of Sentiments and Resolutions is one of the instance. In Address on Woman`s Rights, Belinda Stillion Southard (2006) writes “American women in 1848 still lived with severe economic, legal, and social restrictions—all woven into a seemingly impenetrable web of laws and social customs” (sec.4). In addition, she explains: “Marriage laws in America were fashioned after English common law, which declared women femme covert—legally dead—upon marriage. A woman's legal rights were

will do in the 1800’s, managing their home. Even though Stanton liked where she was they moved to Seneca, Falls and met with her old friend Mott. In 1848, they granted their promise and held the first Women’s Rights Convention, in addition to this, the people who attended this meeting believed or wanted to have equal power as men. In the Convention Stanton drafted the Declaration of Sentiments which is similar to the Declaration of Independence, “the best protection any women can