Women’s Movements The Path to Suffrage

Anti-Slavery Movement  1833 Female Anti- Slavery Society  Sarah and Angelina Grimke  Investigation of slave rights led to discussions of women’s rights  Published letters concerning the condition of women

Women’s Rights Convention at Seneca Falls, N.Y.  1848 organized by Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Lucretia Mott, and Lucy Stone  Gender roles becoming very different in the 19 th century  The convention a call for equal rights  Began the modern women right’s movement

Civil War Amendments  Women felt betrayed at being excluded from the amendments passed following the Civil War  Suzan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton campaigned against the 14 th Amendment for not including females in the right to vote  Wanted 15 th also to refer to women’s suffrage

19 th Century Societal Issues  Abolition-many women involved in this movement prior to Civil War  “Separate Spheres” societal condition developed in 19 th century  Education –schools did not admit women upper level education women involved in abolition an exception  Marriage-many women involved in Progressive Movement were not married

Organizations  Two women’s organizations merged in 1890 into the National American Woman Suffrage Association  African-American women formed the National Association of Colored Women in 1896 before the NAACP was organized in 1910  Women’s Christian Temperance Union organized many women in the fight against alcohol consumption

Problems faced by Women’s Groups  Leadership  Membership  Demographics  Internal divisions  Popular appeal

State Suffrage  Western states begin to allow women to vote  1890 – 19 states allowed women to vote on school boards  western states offered suffrage  1917 – New York, Michigan, Oklahoma, and South Dakota offered suffrage to women

Two More Bright Spots on the Map Harry Osborn, Maryland Suffrage News, November,1914

Judge, September 1912

“Tearing Off the Bonds” Judge Magazine, Oct

Judge, May, 1913

Women’s Groups Involved in Political Issues  Progressive activities  World War I - assistance to the war effort  NAWSA led by Carrie Chapman Catt relied on letter writing and a propaganda campaign organized through many women’s clubs  During World War I Alice Paul a more radical leader form the National Women’s Party

Legacy following Ratification  Alice Paul and the Equal Rights Amendment – National Women’s Party foundation for feminist movement of the 1960s  Carrie Chapman Catt and theLeague of Women’s Voters – more traditional women