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Origins of the Women Rights Movement and How It Impacted the World
Although women in some countries have a myriad of rights, women in other countries around the world are not always given the freedom they deserve. Unfortunately, many women are still neither given the same compensation nor shown the same recognition or equality, concerns which continue to occur today. In the past 100 years, women in the United States were just started to be given rights such as their male counterparts.
The women’s rights movement which began in the 1850s was able to show the results it wanted in the early 1920s. From every beginning, this included wanting to ratify the 19th amendment. This amendment highlighted how any U.S. citizen would finally be able to vote. Through lots of protesting, years of hard work, and dedication the road that led to suffrage for women was difficult but was finally achieved. In the years leading up to the women’s suffrage movement, many women and influencers wanted to have social reform.
Throughout the next couple of decades, it was quite evident how women were their separate spheres. They didn’t have the opportunity to have their voices heard let along for political or economic ideas. By being able to vote, they would have a stance on political and economic issues. There was a brief timeline for voting rights in the United States. It began with U.S. citizens who were white in the 1780s. It then moved onto African American men, but it would not be for another century and a half in which women would get their rights too. Women reformers looked into social injustices and well as other barriers, but the main goal was to get suffrage. To set a background, five notable people were involved in the Women’s Rights Movement. The number of people that were behind these was massive.
These women included Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Alice Paul, Lucretia Mott, and Lucy Burns. Susan B. Anthony tried to vote for the presidential election illegally and was fined $100 but never paid. She was in a politically active family. From a young age, she helped with the abolitionist and temperance movement. Anthony was inspired to fight for women’s rights when she was denied to speak at a temperance rally (History).Susan Anthony worked closely with Elizabeth Stanton who was one of the main people to set up the Seneca Falls Convention. She along with the other women mentioned had a strong desire to cheek change in their lifetime. They put up a strong front to be able to carry out this movement. They were present at the Seneca Falls Convention which was held in 1848. These small group of visionaries was able to make this a possibility through hard work and determination. Peaceful protesting was a large part of this. The Convention “brought together 300 women and 40 men”. (Constitutional Rights Foundation)
There was one main goal that was brought to attention at this conference and that was simply to get women the right to vote. At the conference, the individuals were able to draft the Declaration of Sentiments. It sheds light on how women should “be viewed as full citizens of the United States” and have identical “rights and privileges” as their male counterparts (Briticanna). It also was able to shed light on how men have “compelled her to submit to laws…. Withheld her from her rights which are given to the most ignorant and degraded men, has made her, if married, in the eye of the law, civilly dead.. and taken from her all right in property (Declaration of Sentiments). This was just the very beginning of a long battle to get the voting rights women had deserved. Within the realms of the 1850s, the movement was halted by the American Civil War. Initially, society viewed women for the things that only men could do. Their powers were limited and were continuing to be that way. However, the roles of women and their perception were drastically altered. As men were being drafted and fighting in the war, women and children had to take up their male counterpart jobs. This included having to farm, working in factories and doing some tedious and tough jobs. Women were no longer the traditional stay at home mothers. They were working more, and bearing fewer children. The prior views that were built about women were not the same anymore.
After years of constant lobbying and peaceful protesting there was about to be a change. There were a plethora of women’s rights groups and organizations in on this. All of these suffrage organizations wanted the constitutional amendment to be added. Finally, in 1919 the House of Representatives passed the amendment. Soon after, the Senate was able to ratify the amendment. In conclusion, through very hard work and constant determination fro a vast group of people, the 19th amendment was able to be passed. This particular type of feat is one of the biggest for women in the Progressive Era.
It took almost 100 years to win this particular right and there were many disagreements along with this. This is still relevant today as many countries don’t have these rights as we do. It’s up to countries with immense power such as the United States to lead as an example. Politically, women are involved in our government in far greater numbers than ever before. Whether it be a governor of a small state, to a Supreme Court justice, we have made some pretty big changes. However, even with all of this being said, there are greater changes that still have to be made in the wake of issues. Many of these honorable woman were able to use their platform to change our system.
