Declaration Of Sentiment Analysis

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.

Up until the early 1900’s, women were seen by society as people with household roles that consisted of cooking, cleaning, and tending their children. As time progressed, the view of women in society gradually changed, but their opinions still did not seem to matter. It wasn’t until 1920, that women gained suffrage with the 19th amendment. This amendment was a huge step in gaining full and equal rights for women, but unfortunately discrimination against them still happens today. There are various different situations in which the issue of gender inequality occurs. Although the law states that everyone has equal opportunities and rights, women are highly discriminated against in everyday roles such as employment, extracurricular activities, military, and in the government.

During the late 1700’s, the colonies in America were upset and resentful of the British tyranny. In order to make the separation between the two groups official, Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence. Two hundred years later, women were facing the same injustice, only it was from men; and to protest against the unfair treatment, Elizabeth Cady Stanton wrote the Declaration of Sentiments and Resolutions. Both parties of oppression fought against the same outcome, unjust treatment, yet, each fought against different causes and in different ways.

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

Women have virtually the same rights as men. However, the fault needing to be recognized in today’s society is the way that women are treated. Even in simple areas, such as jobs, women are put on the back burner. A woman is able to become a CEO of a company, nonetheless, she will struggle twice as hard as a man would. Even as an employee, women are statistically paid less than men are.

Women had been fighting for equal rights for many years, because women had been suppressed and unfairly differentiated within many fields of the society. The Declaration of Sentiments written by Elizabeth Cady Santon reveals the inequality of the nature of gender relationships in nineteenth century America.

During the Antebellum period of America which revolved around the 18th century, women were indistinguishable when coming to advocating for reform in female rights, support in the demolishment of slavery, and the endorsement to hold a valid position in education. Women justified the need for transformation in their civil and individual rights by comparison to men. Society had plagued the model view of a women by stating she was to be a subordinate to her husband, and to hold position which she can only accompany around household chores, the care of her children, and be detached from societal issues. According to Elizabeth Cady Stanton, an advocate for the suffrage of women’s rights, she states in The Declaration of Sentiments and Resolutions of Seneca Falls, that,

In the “Letter to John Adams” written by Abigail Adams, and the “Declaration of Sentiments of the Seneca Falls Woman’s Rights Convention” written by Elizabeth Cady Stanton, there are notable differences and similarities between the two. The authors of each have their own way of appealing and arguing their points. Their viewpoints on social equality is unique in accordance to the time period. And, each piece has its own historical impact. Comparing and contrasting the “Letter to John Adams” and the “Declaration of Sentiments of the Seneca Falls Woman’s Rights Convention” there are notable differences and similarities in the way the selections make their appeals and arguments, the writers viewpoints on social equality, and the historical impact of each piece.

All of you here have heard and read the Preamble to the Declaration of Independence. The line that resonates with most people is “that all men are created equal and that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness”. America was founded on this principle, and many argue that this idea still stands today. However, if one were to look at the treatment of women in the United States over the course of time, one could conclude that not everyone residing in America is fortunate enough to have the same opportunities economically, at home, and even in regards to their own body.

Throughout the history of this country especially beginning in the 1800s with the women's suffrage movement, women have fought for equality. It is no secret that the role of men versus women have change immensely over the last century however some things have not changed. As a result of the unchanging or slowly evolution of equality feminism has arise.

“No Society treats its women as well as its men” is a quote from the United Nations Development Program when they were asked about the issue of gender inequality, which was featured in the Chicago Tribune News. Fifty years earlier, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which specified that everyone, regardless of gender, was entitled to the same rights and freedoms (The Universal Declaration of Human Rights). Fifty years later though, countries are still falling short of achieving the goal of gender equality. Many find it hard to believe that the United States is among the countries that have yet to fulfill the goal of achieving gender equality. Women began the fight for equality in 1848 by

This declaration simply stated the equality that both men and women should have and how all people are created equal. As it showed the self evident truth to say that all men and women were equally created. These sentiments were endowed with the rights to life,liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” Modeled on the Declaration of Independence in order to emphasize the belief that women’s rights were part of the same democratic promises on which the United States was founded, it outlined fifteen grievances and eleven resolutions designed to promote women’s access to civil rights”(Berg,1)As this listed these facts and illustrates the oppression of suffrage, participation and lack of a “mouth in government”. Also, property rights in marriage, inequality in divorce law as well as education and employment opportunities.

Women began to climb the ladder and finally became equal to men, well almost. Women’s rights include, but is not limited to positions that any man can hold, promotions that were not allowed beforehand last but not least socially and legal equality. As women, we can’t continue to yell inequality when we are not on the same playing field as men. We, women, have more leverage than the men. Aspiring to be like men would require us to also go the same extra mile that the male has to also. Women’s right is not for us to be equal while also being held on a pedestal at the same time. Equality goes both ways, it is for us, as well as men.

Elizabeth Cady Stanton wrote a declaration that was published in 1881 titled, “Declaration of Sentiments and Resolutions.” The document was written to shed light on the fact that during this time period, women were not being given their God-given inalienable rights. These rights are: life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. As a United States citizen, these rights were to be instilled into anyone who was a natural born citizen. Elizabeth decided it was time to take a stand. It was time that the government enforced rights that all men and women were created equal and should be treated as such. “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, and 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.”

Today we live in a world that continually stresses to us that, "All men are created equal." While this sounds great at face value, further inspection tells us that this is far from realistic and sadly may never be. One can examine any aspect of society whether it be race, religion, language, level of education, sexual orientation or economic status and notice that there are numerous characteristics and factors of identity that enable others to treat others differently. This truth may not be pleasant or make one feel all warm and fuzzy inside, however it is our society’s reality, however dismal it may be. Even if the statement above as to the equality of all men were true, how about women? Clearly women have made tremendous strides towards