Women Rejecting the Cult of Domesticity

Cult of Domesticity Traditional Role=“Cult of Domesticity” Women’s place is in the home-keepers of national “conscience” & raise good citizens By 1840s, calls for expanded roles & Rights for women increased Mostly by middle class reform-minded women Elizabeth Cady Stanton & Susan B. Anthony Expanded rights for women-suffrage Seneca Falls Convention (New York, 1848) “Declaration of Rights & Sentiments” Launched modern women’s rights movement

Main Points For the first 150 years of this nation’s history, women were denied a fundamental right of American citizenship, the right to vote. Women involved in the early 19th century social movements spoke out against and actively resisted many forms of political, social, economic and racial oppression. Even though women knew it to be dangerous to oppose the male-dominated status quo, many bravely persevered. Men, as well as women, supported the early women’s movement.

Assignment In your groups, you will ready 4 documents from women who lived during the early Women’s Movement. Elizabeth Cady Stanton Sojourner Truth Lucy Stone and Henry B. Blackwell Susan B. Anthony 1. Assign each person one document. 1 min. 2. Read and annotate your document-5 mins. 3. Answer the corresponding questions-5 mins. 5. Each person shares 10 mins. 6. Together, answer the culminating questions. 10 mins.

Religious Revival and Women Women's movements were rooted in the Second Great Awakening Women were able to participate in religious affairs Formed women's groups (Bible reading) which became reform societies. 1830-1840s reform societies grew rapidly Politically women were not to be seen or heard

Questioning Inequality in Religion Sarah Grimke “men and women are CREATED EQUAL….Whatever is right for a man to do, is right for a woman.” (in a letter written to her minister 1838)

Abolitionism and Women Religious revival lead to anti-slavery = women’s groups  to anti-slavery groups 1830s-1860s African American women became major leaders of anti-slavery movement Harriet Tubman: helps free 200 slaves through Underground RR; only 5 ft tall; $40.000 bounty Sojourner Truth: former slave, escapes – leader in anti-abolitionist movement; writes memoir; 6 ft tall

Harriet Tubman and Sojourner Truth

Women’s Suffrage Women demand rights of representation and vote Seneca Falls Convention, 1848 First women's rights convention held in US Organizers: Lucretia Mott & Elizabeth Stanton Seneca Falls Declaration (Stanton) “all men and women are created equal” Emphasis on women’s rights as oppose to another group (slavery, religion)