Vida Goldstein Persuasive Speech

"Changing attitudes in Britain Society towards women was the major reason why some women received the vote in 1918". How accurate is this view?

First and foremost, the fight for women’s rights is something that has occurred throughout time not only in the United States, but in every part of the world. When it comes to the United States, one cannot deny that it was an important historical event. “The struggle for women’s suffrage in the United States had occupied better part of a century” (Source 1). Truly a struggle, for it was not acknowledged by men in the past, primarily white man who had full rights in the nation. Susan B. Anthony was an important leading figure of the Suffrage Movement and contributed to the Suffrage Movement.

Women’s rights were not always a part of society as it may seem in today’s world. Suffrage can date all the way back to 1776. Women had to fight for their rights and privileges, hard and for many years. In the late 1800’s women were seen as much less than a male and had no voice. Women were arrested, prosecuted and put down for wanting more freedom and power for their gender. As you see in many suffrage ads, women were desperate and wanted so badly the same equality as men. A few women in particular stood up for what they believed was right and fought hard. Although it took far too long and over 100 years, in 1920 women were finally given the opportunity to share the same voting rights as men. History had been made.

Before the Suffragettes, women were not able to vote and the move for women to have the right to vote really started in 1897 when Millicent Fawcett founded the National Union of Women’s Suffrage. Fawcett strongly believed that women should have the right to vote but also believed in peaceful protests, patience and logical arguments. She felt that if any violence occurred then men would believe that women could not be trusted and therefore should not have the right to vote. She also made the argument that if women were made responsible for sitting on school boards and paying taxes that they should be part of the process to make the laws and should have the same rights as men. A main argument of hers was that even though some women who were wealthy mistresses of large manors and estates employed gardeners, workmen and labourers who were able to vote but women still could not, regardless of their wealth and social class. However, the progress of Fawcett was very slow and although she converted some of the members of the Labour Representation Committee (The Labour Party) but the majority of men felt that women would not understand how parliament functioned and therefore should not take part in the electoral

There have been many determined women and organizations such as the NASWA and the NWP that have fought long and hard to gain the right to vote. Although it’s been a long battle to

Did you know that women in the United States did not have the right to vote until the year 1920? Exactly 144 years after the United States was granted freedom from Great Britain. The women’s suffrage movement, however, did not actually start until 1848, and lasted up until they were granted the right to vote in 1920. Women all over the country were fighting for their right to vote in hopes of bettering their lives. The women’s suffrage movement was a long fought process by many people all over the world, over all different races, religions, even gender. (Cooney 1)

“Beginning in the 1800s, women organized petitioned and pocketed to won three right to vote but it took them decades to accomplish their purpose”(archive.com). The organized movement started at Seneca Falls, NY with a meeting called by Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucretia Mott. The most influential leaders during the movements were Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton. The Suffragists and Suffragettes were trying to prove to the public that women could be doing other things apart from looking after the children and taking care of the homes. The Seneca Falls convention was organized by a group of women who had been active in the antislavery movement. The Seneca Falls Declaration called for an increase in women’s rights in these areas, as well as in education for women and the jobs available to

Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucy Stone created one of the first organizations in New York, 1848. (Lewis B.R. Women at War: the women of World War 2; at home, at work, on the Front Line) The goal of this movement was to bring attention to the public about restrictions against women and to address the issues regarding equality between men and women. However, the main goal was to earn themselves the right to vote. These women promoted their ideas and concerns by speaking in girl schools and in public as well as participating in the hostings of parades around the White House. All of the women’s information was beginning to influence others, therefore, they received support from people outside of the movement. Finally, after all of the fighting women did to gain liberation, the government passed the Nineteenth Amendment in 1920 which granted women a right to vote. (https://www.nwhm.org/online-exhibits/progressiveera/home.html) Thus, after all the protesting, marches, parades and organizations, women’s voices were finally heard and they now felt more equal to men because their long term goal was achieved.

The battle for suffrage was a long and slow process. Many women tried to initiate the fight for suffrage, like Alice Paul and Lucy Burns. “These were the New Suffragists: women who were better educated, more career-oriented, younger, less apt to be married and more cosmopolitan than their previous generation.” (pg 17) Eventually, in 1920, the 19th amendment was ratified; allowing women to vote, but it was not any one person or event that achieved this great feat. It was the confluence of certain necessary factors, the picketing and parades led by Alice Paul, militaristic suffrage parties and the influence of the media that caused the suffrage amendment to be passed and ratified in 1920. But most importantly, they successfully moved both

Elizabeth Stanton was an amazing woman and historical figure, who demonstrates what it takes to get a law passed in the United States Government. Elizabeth along with many other women laid the ground work for the women’s movement by organizing the Woman’s Suffrage Movement. The power and influence of these tremendous women grew for many years, and transformed into the National Women’s Suffrage Association (NWSA). Sadly, Elizabeth was not able to exercise her right to vote in her lifetime, nevertheless, the contributions that she made to the women’s movement will be recognized in history

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.

In the nineteenth century, Elizabeth Cady Stanton was a very important person of the women's rights movement. Stanton did several things over the years that were important to the movement. She "drafted a “Declaration of Sentiments, Grievances, and Resolutions" that echoed the preamble of the Declaration of Independence. “We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men and women are created equal." ("The Women’s

In 1923, I married one of the Suffragettes working with Emmeline, and I asked her to tell me all about their efforts to give women voting rights. Because of what she told me, I was able to increase my efforts to grant women voting equality with men in

31 year old Agnes Macphail, became the first women elected into the House of Commons (Milestones for Canadian Women in Politics). In 1921, during her campaign she said “I want for myself what I want for other women, absolute equality.” (Milestones for Canadian Women in Politics) She was a monumental figure for all Canadian women to realize that had the same say as men do and can be leaders if they desire to do so.

When New Zealand first became colony it was widely accepted that women were best suited for domestic tasks and men were fit for public life and politics. Women were kept separate from the world of politics, similar to many European societies at the time (Ministry for Culture and Heritage, 2014). Some women began to challenge these narrow-minded views during the late 19th century. Secondary schools, universities, charity groups and churches began to offer opportunities to women; particularly those from wealthy or middle-class families. Women soon turned their attention to their political and legal rights. Thus, a movement for women’s rights emerged gaining momentum from the mid-1880s. In 1891 – 1893 women’s suffrage campaigners, led by Kate Sheppard, assembled a number of huge petitions asking that Parliament grant women the right to vote. In 1891 over 9000 New Zealanders signed, in 1892 nearly 20,000, and in 1893 nearly 32,000 signatures were gathered which was equal to about a quarter of the adult European female population of New Zealand (Ministry for Culture and Heritage, 2016).