Women’s SuffrageWomen’s Suffrage

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When the United States Constitution was written, only white men had the right to vote. Women were not allowed to vote under the law. Women also did not have many other rights such as the right to own property or to be educated for certain jobs.

As time passed, many people came to feel that this was unfair and that women should have the same rights as men in our country.

Women’s suffrage (right to vote) became an organized movement in 1848 at a convention in New York.

The Seneca Falls Declaration The Seneca Falls Declaration (1848) (1848)

The Seneca Falls Declaration The Seneca Falls Declaration of 1848 outlined the women's of 1848 outlined the women's rights movement of the mid-rights movement of the mid-19th century. 19th century.

As can be seen in the opening As can be seen in the opening passages, the document was passages, the document was modeled after the Declaration modeled after the Declaration of Independence.of Independence.

“…“…We hold these truths to be We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men and self-evident: that all men and womenwomen are created equal; that are created equal; that they are endowed by their they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable Creator with certain inalienable rights; that among these are rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness; that to secure happiness; that to secure these rights governments are these rights governments are instituted, deriving their just instituted, deriving their just powers from the consent of the powers from the consent of the governed. “governed. “ 4

The suffrage movement did not have much success in the beginning and it would be almost 80 years before U.S. laws would be changed. Many women and men worked very hard to bring about these much needed changes in the law.

Here are a few important people from the suffrage movement:

Susan B. Anthony

Susan B. Anthony was born February 15, 1820 in Adams, Massachusetts. She was brought up in a Quaker family with long activist traditions. Early in her life she developed a sense of justice.

Elizabeth

Cady Stanton

In 1851 Stanton met Susan B. Anthony and for the next fifty years they worked together. Stanton wrote and gave speeches that called for the improvement of the legal and traditional rights of women, and Anthony organized and campaigned to achieve these goals.

Carrie Chapman Catt

Catt was president of the NAWSA when the 19th amendment giving women the right to vote was passed in 1920.

Esther Morris

Esther Morris was the first woman to hold public office in the United States. She was a judge in the Wyoming Territory.

These women and other men and women across the country worked long and hard to convince the government and the people of the United States that the laws should be changed.

Women’s Suffrage Parade in New York City

One thing that had to be done, was to let the people of each state vote on the idea.

Women’s Suffrage Map Women’s Suffrage Map

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"Kaiser Wilson""Kaiser Wilson" During World War I, militant During World War I, militant

suffragists, demanding that suffragists, demanding that President Wilson reverse President Wilson reverse his opposition to a federal his opposition to a federal amendment, stood vigil at amendment, stood vigil at the White House and the White House and carried banners such as carried banners such as this one comparing the this one comparing the President to Kaiser Wilhelm President to Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany.II of Germany.

In the heated patriotic In the heated patriotic climate of wartime, such climate of wartime, such tactics met with hostility and tactics met with hostility and sometimes violence and sometimes violence and arrest. arrest.

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Finally after years of hard work, the 19th Amendment was added to the Constitution of the United States in August of 1920.

The state of Tennessee was the 36th state to approve the law. Their approval gave the amendment the majority it needed to become a law.

Amendment XIX

The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of sex.

The End

(but really just the beginning)

Chronology of Women’s SuffrageChronology of Women’s Suffrage

18691869 Wyoming Territory grants suffrage to women. Wyoming Territory grants suffrage to women. 18701870 Utah Territory grants suffrage to women. Utah Territory grants suffrage to women. 18801880 New York state grants school suffrage to women. New York state grants school suffrage to women. 18901890 Wyoming joins the union as the first state with voting Wyoming joins the union as the first state with voting

rights for women. By 1900 women also have full suffrage rights for women. By 1900 women also have full suffrage in Utah, Colorado and Idaho. in Utah, Colorado and Idaho. New Zealand is the first nation to give women suffrage.New Zealand is the first nation to give women suffrage.

19021902 Women of Australia are enfranchised. Women of Australia are enfranchised. 19061906 Women of Finland are enfranchised. Women of Finland are enfranchised. 19121912 Suffrage referendums are passed in Arizona, Suffrage referendums are passed in Arizona,

Kansas, and Oregon. Kansas, and Oregon. 19141914 Montana and Nevada grant voting rights to women. Montana and Nevada grant voting rights to women. 19151915 Women of Denmark are enfranchised. Women of Denmark are enfranchised. 19171917 Women win the right to vote in North Dakota, Ohio, Women win the right to vote in North Dakota, Ohio,

Indiana, Rhode Island, Nebraska, Michigan, New York, Indiana, Rhode Island, Nebraska, Michigan, New York, and Arkansas. and Arkansas.

19181918 Women of Austria, Canada, Czechoslovakia, Women of Austria, Canada, Czechoslovakia, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Poland, Scotland, and Wales Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Poland, Scotland, and Wales are enfranchised.are enfranchised.

19191919 Women of Azerbaijan Republic, Belgium, British East Women of Azerbaijan Republic, Belgium, British East Africa, Holland, Iceland, Luxembourg, Rhodesia, and Africa, Holland, Iceland, Luxembourg, Rhodesia, and Sweden are enfranchised.Sweden are enfranchised.

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Passage of the 19th Amendment Passage of the 19th Amendment

Passed in 1919Passed in 1919

““The right of citizens The right of citizens of the United States of the United States to vote shall not be to vote shall not be denied or abridged by denied or abridged by the United States or the United States or by any state on by any state on account of sex.”account of sex.”

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