The 19 th Amendment Women’s Right to Vote

History of Women’s Rights Women in the begging parts of America mostly worked in the house with cooking, cleaning, children, etc. Some women worked in the fields with the man/men to help farm when needed When slaves came over, most women who had slaves would be in charge of the slaves in the house and tell them what to do, such as cooking, cleaning, etc. Women were expected to do their work in the house, and not leave the house much, instead they were expected to stay home and not cause a seen or draw any attention Women always served the food and cooked at gatherings Before the 19th Amendment, women did not have the same rights as men and did not have equal opportunities Women were social and politically inferior to men

History continued… Cult of Domesticity was the belief that a women was to stay at home and do the house work and raise the children properly (children are main priority) Mid to late 1800's- Women fought for prohibition of alcohol, better treatment of the mentally insane, better prisons, and more help for the poor and/or homeless Many women set up settlement houses to help the poor people or the homeless by providing shelter and food Women believed they should be equal to men because during WWI, they filled in all the jobs that the men originally had because most of the men were at war Women did not want to go back to their cult of domesticity Men began realizing that women were capable of doing work, and that if it were not for them, the war may not have ended like they had wanted because they would be short workers in America, thus lacking supplies in war because nothing would be produced 19th Amendment ratified/passed in 1920

Arguments for Women’s Suffrage *The standard for voters was already so low, adding women would not lower it. *Women would vote wiser because: -they read more -they were in school longer -they had better personal habits -they drank & smoked less than men -they were less wasteful -they paid more attention to people -tried harder to be good people *Women would focus on voting for people of decent character. *Because the majority of women were conservative, they would vote away from the socialists and radicals.

Arguments Against Women’s Suffrage *It would add a great population of unqualified voters. *Some women did not want the vote. They said women acting for it were putting a great burden on those who opposed it.^ ^This was a major reason women’s suffrage was delayed. *Women were expected to work in the house and not to worry about anything else.

In the 1800’s, women became more educated, and there was a wave of women’s rights movements. NWSA – The National Women’s Suffrage Association was founded by Susan B. Anthony in This organization fought for equal employment, education, and the right for women to vote.

AWSA – The founders of the American Women’s Suffrage Association were Lucy and Henry Stone. Their expectations weren’t as high as NWSA. They fought for limited suffrage for women in local elections.

NAWSA – In 1890, both the NWSA and the AWSA came together to form the National American Women’s Suffrage Association. They launched campaigns in the states who had not adopted women’s suffrage and urged women in favored states to pressure the national representatives to support the federal amendment. They were able to convince President Wilson to support their cause. Officers, National American Woman Suffrage Association, meeting with President Wilson, From left to right, front row: Maud Wood Park, Anna Howard Shaw, Carrie Chapman Catt, Helen Gardner. Back row: Rose Young, Mrs. George Bass, Ruth White.

Famous People

Susan B. Anthony Susan B. Anthony was a reformer and leader of the women’s suffrage movement. She was a teacher, and had always longed for equal pay for women teachers. When that was denied, she met up with Stanton and formed the first women’s rights convention in She also organized the National Women’s suffrage association in 1869, and was co organizer of the women’s loyal league. She formed a second generation of suffrage leaders, but did not live to see the effects she had.

Lucretia Mott Lucretia Mott was brought up into a Quaker society where she became a minister in This provided her with the skills for some of her great speeches. She was fully supported by her husband, James Mott. She began to organize women’s abolitionist societies. In 1848, she, along with Stanton and others, set up a women’s rights convention at Seneca Falls and one in Rochester, NY. She was elected as the first president of the American Equal Rights Convention.

Elizabeth Cady Stanton Elizabeth Cady Stanton was also one of the women’s suffrage leaders. Her husband was Henry Stanton, an abolitionist, and she attended slavery conventions with him. She was president of the National Women’s Suffrage Association. She was a writer, and she fought for divorce laws and equality of women.

Final Push Period When U.S. entered WWI, suffragists believed women should be able to vote as a war measure President Wilson is in support. Michigan, Oklahoma, and South Dakota are in favor. House of Representatives ratified it by the necessary 2/3’s it needed to be passed Republicans gained the majority and passed the 19 th amendment. Women’s right to vote was finally passed on August 26, Massive anti-suffrage rallies resulted. However, not successful.

Results: Before & After Before women were: Unable to do “men’s” jobs involving strength or thought Not allowed to own land Not allowed to sue people or be sued Unable to do any kind of work outside her husband’s home Only supposed to take care of the children, cook, and wash the clothes Not allowed to attend schools Unable to be involved in politics After the Suffrage Movements women could: Vote in most nations Have more opportunities to go to school Own their own houses Work outside their home and become doctors, lawyers, teachers, singers, preachers, and writers Work for as long as 12 hrs a day Be chosen to run for a political office Have equal wages as men