Women’s Rights

The efforts of women during the Progressive Era significantly impacted the lives of countless Americans and led to many of the "luxuries" we take for granted today -

These “luxuries” included: clean water, trash collection, hot lunches at schools, community playgrounds, fire codes for office buildings, public libraries, and so much more.

At the end of the nineteenth century, women were considered the "moral guardians" and protectors of the home.

During the Progressive Era, female reformers used this ideology to argue that in order to protect the home, women should move into the public sphere… ”Politics”

Women moved into politics where they could exercise their moral authority over issues such as public sanitation and education, which ultimately affected the home.

massive numbers, women joined volunteer organizations to work for reform.

Efforts often began at the local level, and expanded to the state and national level.

Women conducted research, implemented programs, and lobbied for legislation to address social, political, and economic problems.

Temperance reformers sought to limit the consumption of alcohol by Americans.

(Temperance cont.) This issue resonated with many women because alcohol consumption often increased the frequency and severity of domestic violence and abuse.

(Temperance cont.) In addition, men would sometimes squander limited household finances on alcohol.

The woman suffrage movement actually began in 1848, when the first women’s rights convention was held in Seneca Falls, New York. Suffrage

In 1920, the 19th Amendment, enfranchising women, was finally ratified. (That means women could vote.)