Comparing Elizabeth Stanton’s Declaration of Sentiments and The Women’s Bible

Stanton accomplished great things although; she did not actually experience what her accomplishments resulted in. She was an advocate for women’s suffrage and that was her goal. She died before she could see her wish come true, but all her hard work and accomplishments made it happen. Along with her friend and partner Susan B. Anthony, Stanton began her fight for women’s rights in politics after the American Revolution. She organized the first national women’s rights convention in Seneca Falls (Gordon, 2009). This was the first time that the advocates for women’s rights formally organized. At this convention Stanton also co-authored the Declaration of Sentiments which really was the Declaration of Independence for women (Gordon, 2009). These women knew how powerful the original Declaration of Independence was in the US, and they were hoping to do the same. This showed the people who women are in the same situation that the US was with Britain before the revolution. Writing the Declaration was a huge step because without it they couldn’t really illustrate how severe their situation really was. Another accomplishment was the enactment of the married women’s property statute in 1848. Stanton and her followers were determined to see change in the property rights of women. In England, women had no

In the Declaration of Sentiments, author Elizabeth Cady Stanton expresses her anger of the oppression experienced by women in the United States. After being rejected to attend the World’s Anti-Slavery convention in London, Stanton was frustrated because she was being rejected for being a woman. This motivated Stanton to share her own ideas on advocating women’s rights and changing the way women are treated in society because of the mistreatment done to her, as well as many women across the nation waiting for their voices to be heard. Stanton parallels the Declaration of Sentiments with the Declaration of Independence by using laws that the male population regarded as righteous and including how it had negative effects on over half the American population. This put into question male authority and supremacy, creating a more concrete argument by revealing what men already have under the law, to what women should have. The sophistication of the Declaration of Sentiments to a document that the U.S. government values highly, threatens the values of the U.S. by making women’s rights a more pressing issue. The Declaration of Sentiments targeted the U.S. government and the population by appealing to their own opinions and beliefs in order to recognize that women were being treated like second-class citizens. Although the Declaration of Sentiments never made a significant impact on the

(Hollitz, Contending Voices, 167) but Elizabeth developed a strong sense of independence because her family wanted boys she decided to try to become more manly and courageous. (Hollitz, Contending Voices, 167) she began to become the son her father never had she started learning mathematics she learned to debate, she learned how to ride. (Hollitz, Contending Voices, 167) by being in her father’s office so much she started to learn how women were treated unequally. She believed that women should have the same equal rights as men, that women should be able to have a voice also. (Hollitz, Contending Voices, 167)

Elizabeth Cady Stanton's rhetoric was very effective in advancing her point of view. She iterates that women deserve the right to vote, and be treated as equals. She is asking the audience to join her in advocating women's rights, because it is simply the logical thing to do. Stanton is a woman, so she knows first hand what it is like to be an American woman in the 1800s. She uses this knowledge to choose how to further her argument.

If Elizabeth Cady Stanton was alive today, she would be definitely pleased to see the advancements of women’s rights, however, she would not be completely satisfied and probably disappointed to see that many of the issues she brought up during her time are still being dealt with today. Elizabeth Cady Stanton was highly critical of the sexual double standard and the lack of equal education for women. She believed that men should be placed at the same moral standard as women and that women should be given the same opportunity in education as men. Remarkably, women today have advanced far more in education than with the sexual double standard, however, the sexual double standard has come to collide with women’s education.

“Women’s degradation is in man’s idea of his sexual rights. Our religion, laws and customs are all founded on the belief that woman was made for man” (Stanton) Believed to be one of the greatest and most influential feminists of not only her generation, but of all time, Elizabeth Cady Stanton paved the way for women and their rights in a time when they had none. Elizabeth, was one of the first feminist theorists in America and through her beliefs that women deserve equality and equal rights, she paved the way for the future of women and her effect on America is still felt today.

Elizabeth Cady Stanton was one of the most influential activists of the national women’s suffrage movement in the 19th century. After the Civil War, she helped to found the National American Woman Suffrage Association, which strived to break gender inequality by advocating the need for women’s rights (Davis 28). In January 1892, Stanton delivered her speech “The Solitude of

Elizabeth Cady Stanton was an very early leader of the woman's rights movement and helped greatly. Elizabeth wrote the Declaration of Sentiments. Elizabeth did this for female equality. Elizabeth Cady Stanton was born on November 12 in 1815. She was born in Johnstown, New York. Elizabeth Cady Stanton was an abolitionist and also a leading figure in the Women’s Suffrage movement. Elizabeth Cady received the best education that was offered for women at Emma Willard’s Academy. Elizabeth did not have a full college education. Elizabeth fell in love with Henry B. Stanton who was an abolitionist. Elizabeth’s father did not want her to marry Henry,but they did anyway. Elizabeth and Henry attended the World’s Antislavery convention for their

However, the pain of losing his youngest son Eleazer in 1826 distracted Cady from taking much notice of her accomplishments; .".. her father's only reaction was, as always, to express the wish that she had been a boy." (Banner, 12) On occasion, certain cases read aloud to her would spark an interest; one case in particular entailed discrimination against women. Their former servant Flora Campbell's possessions, which had become her husband's property after marriage, had been willed to their negligent son. Campbell, as a woman, was prohibited to testify in court to regain her farm. Such cases infuriated Cady Stanton; she sought to keep them in mind when she grew up and was able to speak out against these injustices. While her father was away on business, Cady Stanton looked to other role models such as her cousin Gerrit Smith. He was a self-made philanthropist and social reformer who encouraged Cady Stanton's curiosity in politics and feminist reform; however, he was first and foremost an abolitionist, sometimes disagreeing with Cady Stanton's opinion about which issue was more important. Elizabeth's family often visited Smith in his town Peterboro. During their gatherings, Smith, his outspoken wife Ann Fitzhugh, and many of his cultured guests used his home as an open forum for engaging discussion, be it abolitionism or woman's rights. It was Smith who shaped young Cady Stanton's budding mind, and his

Judge Cady wanted his daughters to marry men that became familiar with the law, but instead she married secretly Henry Stanton a social reformer in 1840; also went into law to get along with his wife’s parents. They had 7 children in total, 2 girls and 5 boys (Salisbury). Shortly, the Stanton’s traveled to London for an Anti-Slavery Convention and talked more about the participation of women which was denied by the council; Henry Stanton made a huge speech to let women contribute in the meeting but he voted not to let women get involved. Elizabeth met Lucretia Mott and promised to “form a society to advocate the rights of woman” (Salisbury). The Stanton’s moved to Massachusetts and there were more social, cultural, political opportunities (Salisbury). Therefore in every aspect she did, Stanton will do it with pride. For example housekeeping, cooking also any other jobs a woman

Hello, I am Elizabeth Cady Stanton I was born on November 12, 1815 in Johnstown, New York brash I was the eighth of 11 children born. My mother was Margaret Livingston and my father was Daniel Cady, and he was a respected lawyer, judge and congressman. When I was a precocious child, my time was spent watching, observing the doings at my father’s law office, where I was disgusted to learn of the many inequitable laws restricting women’s freedom and ability to inherit property. I even schemed to snip the offending passages out of her father’s law books in the hope of invalidating them.

After stating these points she continues on to discuss the importance of women having the same opportunities as men. One of the first opportunities being the choice to pursue the education she desires and not one that be designated to her, “The education that will fit her to discharge the duties in the largest sphere of human usefulness, will best fit her for whatever special work she may be compelled to do.” She states that, “The strongest reason for giving woman all the opportunities for higher education, for the full development of her faculties, her

The first issue both Mary and Sarah discuss heavily is women education. Sarah states, “The sphere upon which a young woman enters on first leaving school is so entirely new to her, her mind is so often the subject of new impressions, and her attention so frequently absorbed by new motives for exertion… ‘What is my position in society? What do I aim at? And what means do I intend to employ for the accomplishment of my purpose,’” (pg 612). Sarah’s background was a school teacher teaching her students how to manage in the home. If her students can control the house then they can control the children and influence her husband. Sarah states the society on women and their position and purpose on education. The Victorian era of women of that time period was taught to read, write, and be creative in the arts. Women try place to place themselves in occupations after school trying to understand their purpose in life. It was common

“The strongest reason for giving woman all the opportunities for higher education, for the full development of her faculties, complete emancipation from all forms of bondage, of custom, of dependence, of superstition; from all the crippling influences of fear, is the solitude and personal responsibility of her own individual life. To guide our own craft, we must be captain, pilot, engineer; with chart and compass to stand at the wheel; to match the wind and waves and know when to take in the sail, and to read the signs in the firmament over all. It matters not whether the solitary voyager is man or woman.” (Elizabeth Cady Stanton) Elizabeth Cady Stanton’s words ripple through time like a pebble in a pond. Stanton was among the first

     Lucretia Mott, Stanton and many more reformers started a Women’s Rights Convention in Seneca Falls that dealt with women receiving further rights. Anthony collaborated with Stanton to write From Address to the New York State Legislature, 1860. In this speech, Stanton delivered many of her powerful ethics to the State Legislature. She felt that women should have the right to have a divorce, and generally more rights for women. Through her well-educated, formal speech she gained respect from the State Legislature, but at that time, respect was all she received. Writing for social protest, she wanted women to make their own decisions from what type of dress to wear, to what type of job and/or education they want.