Women make up about 51% of the population of the United States, yet for most of American history, their representation in politics has been almost nonexistent. It was not even until 1920 that women were given the right to vote by the 19th amendment. Before that, their involvement was shunned and prohibited. After women gained the right to vote, however, their election to office was not immediate. After gaining the right to vote, women have gone through a struggle to become involved in politics that gained momentum first in the 1960s and 1970s and especially in recent years. Also, the eventual admission of women into high level politics has had a substantial impact on the way government is run. The year 1920 represents a pivotal year in American politics. Women finally gained the right to vote; suffrage had been won. While this was an exciting victory for women everywhere, their political involvement was relegated to supporting roles. The right to vote did not necessarily usher women into political office immediately. They remained behind the scenes, doing the work that kept the political heart of America beating steadily. They were the “lickers and stickers” as mentioned by the documentary. They did the work of advertising and campaigning for candidates. The League of Women voters main work was in registering women to vote and promoting these campaigns, however, women were not running in these campaigns quite yet. Soon, their common route into politics was “the widow’s route
Women also had the right to vote, but some women didn’t use that right because they had believed it was for men. Though other women saw this as a chance to get involved with politics. Women
Back in the 1900s there were limits on what women were able to do. The life of a wife and a mother back then was to clean, cook, and tend to the every need of the husband and/or children. There was very little say in the matter of what women could do especially in the government or community. At this point in the United States Women Suffrage was knocking on the door of Washington D.C by Susan B. Anthony in 1871 but little was really accomplished on paper until later in the 1900s around 1915 or so, (Stevenson).
This was certainly true in the 1860’s when women were not even allowed to vote for who they believe should represent the country. Around the world there are 32 countries that don’t guarantee gender equality. Included in the list of these 32 is the United States. The equal rights amendment would allow women equality in all areas of the constitution but this has not been ratified. Back in the 1860’s as well as today, we can see the affects of this inequality with the law and how it promotes discrimination. America is behind now Iceland and Rwanda with the 28th spot on the “Global Gender Gap Report”. In the late 1860s women were not participating in government, had minimal opportunities and participation in the work force. Though the Civil War had employed many women in factories, women were still heavily reliant on their husbands. In addition to working outside of the house, women during these times were also expected to be a housewife. Today, these aspects of society are still true. Currently in the United States, only 66 percent of women are employed, and only 19 perecent of our government is represented by women. Looking at these statistics, a direct connection can be seen between the gender inequalities today and in 1866.
Women and those of color began to speak out for their right to vote and fight back against the injustices they were facing. Their problem was that if they didn’t have anyone in power to defend them, they wouldn’t make any progress. It was crucial for them to have the right to vote to get people in power that would help them get their unalienable rights. During the 1850s, the women’s rights movement gathered steam, but lost momentum when the Civil War began.
genders. Women may have the same political rights, however they are still degraded and seen as inferior to men. So, women in politics are now trying to prove that they are just as capable as men are. However, their attempts are being suppressed due to the inappropriate comments against them. Sexist remarks in the media against female political candidates is the reason why there is a smaller amount of women in government.
In the 1890's though they called it "Woman's Era," yet they were not allowed to vote. By the 1900's they began to hold jobs about 5 million women began to work. (Foner 663). Three years after the 19th Amendment finally guaranteed a woman's right to vote everywhere in the country (Bolden 203). Congress didn't pass it until 1972 then it had to be approved by 38 state legislatures within seven years.
Voting first limited to those who had land; then those who did not could, and finally women got their chance to vote. The nation limited American rights to vote but it limited equality as well. In
Another reason why women got acknowledged and got their right to vote was because of the Women Conference. “It wasn’t until 1848 that the issue of women’s rights was forced into the open, thanks to the Women’s Rights Convention” The women’s right convention made sure that the men would not be able to look away from what they have always wanted. The Women’s right convention is viewed as the beginning of the fight for the women’s right. The Conference was the turning point in the fight for equality in women’s right to vote, work, etc. Two of the many women that led the movement Were Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady. “Anthony’s decades of crusading—including casting a ballot in the presidential election of 1872, which led to her arrest and trial—made her a hero of the fight for equal rights for women in America.” This was also a turning point because one of the women who led the movement of women’s right to vote took it into her own hands and went to vote. It showed that women were not backing down and that they wanted/deserved the right to vote.
Women began to speak out against the laws that were deliberately set against them. Throughout this time period, women were denied the right to vote in all federal and most state held elections. Women
In August of 1920, women gained the right to vote after a long and brutal seventy-two year battle.
Over many years of protests and other movements laws were passed that granted women the right to vote and own their own land.
women over the age of 30 were allowed to vote for the first time. This
A woman of 1920 would be surprised to know that she would be remembered as a "new woman." Significant changes for women took place in politics, at home, in workplace, and in education.
The Development of a Campaign For Women's Suffrage After 1870 Prior to 1857, women had very few rights in the USA. If they were under 21 they were controlled by their fathers, and if they were married, by their husbands. Legally, women were completely under the influence of men. However as time progressed, women began to gain more Civil Rights due to several Bills being passed, for example, the Local Government Act gave women female property owners the right to vote in local elections, and in 1907 they women gained the right to sit as councillors .
August 26, 1920, a historic date to women all across America. This is the day women were constitutionally granted suffrage. Suffrage, another term for voting, was the first step for women to make their presence known to society. The United States is a republic form of government, this means that voting is a very crucial part of our rights as citizens. When women were granted their right to vote