What Was The Movement For Women's Rights In The First Half Of The 19th Century?

In the mid-1800s American women united to participate in social reforms movements more than ever before. This movement’s involved: struggle to abolish slavery, outlaw alcohol, and ban child labor among others (Rupp, 1987). Despite the failure of the women's movement to attain one among its primary goals, the passage of the ERA , the movement overall accomplished an excellent deal. For several women activists, management over their bodies was a central issue in the campaign. Women needed to be liberated to explore and control their gender, while not being judged by society. An oversized a part of management during this arena concerned having access to birth control, or contraception ways (Fishman, 1998). The contraception pill, associate inoculant,

Led by a fair number of women, the Second Great Awakening opened new possibilities for women. The idea that women were subordinate to men was slowly becoming a thing of the pass. Women broke the social norm and began to lead reform movements in order to gain rights. The Grimké sisters regularly spoke to coed audiences about abolitionist efforts in order to gain support and spread the idea of abolition (Pastoral Letter to the Liberator, 1837). However, women didn’t fully receive equal legal status and rights until the mid-nineteenth century. The Seneca Falls Convention ultimately paved the way for women’s rights and the Declaration of Sentiments proposed “women’s equality in everything from education and employment to legal rights and voting”(Hewitt, Lawson

During the late 1700s, women were not seen as being equal to men. They were imaged as one who stayed at home and took care of the kids. No one ever imagined a woman voting. Some women actually supported the fight in allowing blacks to vote. During the time the 15th amendment passed, many women who supported Women’s Suffrage were disappointed in which they were excluded in the idea of allowing “everyone” to vote. Before the Civil War, the movement for Women’s Suffrage started to pick up steam, but had become lost due to the interruption of the Civil War. One of the acts that stood out the most for Women’s Suffrage was the Seneca Falls Conference in 1848. This was organized by two American activists, Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucretia Mott. They were the first to organize a conference to address Women’s rights and issues, and with sixty- eight women and thirty two men, they signed “The Declaration of Sentiments”, a document that was similar to the Declaration of Independence, but directed towards women’s rights. Getting suffrage for women was not an easy campaign. During 1890- 1919, many states were in a mix on their decision on suffrage for women. Some agreed with equal suffrage, others partial, and the rest wanted no suffrage at all for females as displayed in Document 6. Women’s Suffrage finally became a reality when it was ratified as an amendment (19th) in

The early 19th century in the United States was a period of many social upheavals and reforms including women’s rights. The women's rights movement in the United States began with a convention held at the Wesleyan Church chapel located in Seneca Falls, New York, which became known as the Seneca Falls Convention. Approximately 200 people, men and women, attended; many of them were already activists in various movements. During the convention the Declaration of Sentiments and Resolutions was created and presented. This document defined the rights that both men and women should have. This eventually led to women’s right to vote, own property and have independent lives. The Seneca Falls Convention was a monumental event that resulted in a movement that truly changed the idea of women being less equal

The women 's rights movement of the nineteenth century had a major impact for women. It had unified women around a number of issues that were seen as fundamental rights for all citizens. These rights included: access to higher education, the right to own property, reproductive rights, and suffrage. All was achieved and even more between 1870 and 1930.

It was not until after the Civil War that these ideas started to change in America. “Dozens of women’s colleges were founded after the Civil War, and many formerly all-male colleges began admitting women.” (Shi and Tindall, pg. 569) By 1900 nearly one-third of college students were women (pg.569) In the early 1900’s women began to liberate themselves from the home, their social roles, and even some of their character traits. New public venues for female interaction were created, from charitable associations to women’s clubs. The increase of female interaction brought a means to change the lack of female influence in government. In 1869 the National Woman Suffrage Association was founded by Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton, which not only campaigned for woman suffrage, but also for new laws to make an abused wife get a divorce easier and for female workers to get higher pay (pg. 712-714) It was not until the spring of 1919 after WWI that the Nineteenth Amendment was passed giving women a Constitutional guarantee of their right to vote (pg. 775). Women gaining the right to vote was one of the greatest social developments that happened in America because since women made up forty percent of the electorate they had the capability to change the course of politics (pg.

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 mid to late 1700's, the women of the United States of America had practically no rights. When they were married, the men represented the family, and the woman could not do anything without consulting the men. Women were expected to be housewives, to raise their children, and thinking of a job in a factory was a dream that was never thought impossible. But, as years passed, women such as Susan B. Anthony, Lucretia Mott, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Lucy Stone, and Elizabeth Blackwell began to question why they were at home all day raising the children, and why they did not have jobs like the men. This happened between the years of 1776 and 1876, when the lives and status of Northern middle-class woman was changed forever. Women began to

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.

For more than a century, women from all over have deliberately confronted and engaged in numerous protests to destroy all restrictions, control and violations in regards to many prejudices made against their gender. Yet, it was not until the mid 1800’s that powerful women such as Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and Lucretia Mott passionately fought and publically spoke for the rights that women deserved as American citizens. Essentially, the movement for women’s full entitlement reached out to an enormous audience with the Seneca Falls convention in New York and inspired the creation of a written stand on political requests by Stanton and other activists, named and remembered as The Declaration of Sentiments. At

Throughout time, history has shown that women’s roles in society were often downplayed. Their roles from late eighteenth century to mid nineteenth century started with quiet influence inside of the home where their major focus was on the well-being of their family through Republican Motherhood as well as the Cult of Domesticity. Women’s domestic work then led to an influential change stepping out into the public sphere pushing many reform movements then on to setting up The Seneca Falls convention where they voiced their opinions to men and women all over the country. Throughout the course of United States’ history women’s roles in society were often believed to be restricted to inside of the home, but as time went by women were able

Mott and Stanton felt women were not allowed the same rights as men. Women prior to and during the 19th century in some ways were their husband’s slave. Men dictated their wives activities and did not allow them to have a voice. This documented brought out several examples of this behavior. Some of the areas where women did not have or had very little rights were in the areas of education, employment opportunities, the right to participate or have representation at the various levels of government and the right

At the Seneca Falls Convention of 1848, many men and women gathered to discuss women’s rights, or lack thereof. The abolition of slavery had not yet occurred in the United States, but some women saw more important matters at hand: their position in society. Five women headed the organization of this convention, held in Seneca Falls, New York, over two July days. This group included a woman by the name of Elizabeth Cady Stanton, who delivered multiple presentations during the convention, including one keynote address that demanded freedom and political representation for women. Stanton made it known in this address that she did not expect the women’s rights movement to have an overwhelming level of acceptance, but also that she did not care,

Throughout history society has segregated and oppressed women in many ways and forms. Certainly women have come a long way, since the ratification of the 19th Amendment, on August 18, 1920, which granted women the right to vote. This was accomplished thanks to strong – willed women like Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucretia Mott, who promoted the women’s rights movement, and established the Seneca Falls Convention in New York. Females and males attended this convention, including the famous abolitionist, Fredrick Douglas (19th Amendment). Although we have made progress woman today still suffer from inequality and unjust treatment. For instance, women have lower wages than men, and unfair employment opportunities. Therefore, to believe that

The fight for women’s rights has been going on for many decades and has expanded to many places throughout the world. Through first, second and third wave feminists many gender inequalities have been erased in the United States. Since the late 1840’s, women’s rights have played a big role in shaping American history. A discussion over tea involving many of the most influential women in history started the whole movement. Women would come together and talk about gender inequality through meetings, petition drives, lobbying, public speaking and non-violent resistance (History of the Women’s Rights Movement, nwhp.org). The one woman we have to thank for it all is Elizabeth Cady Stanton.