While the beginning of the 20th century was a critical time for American women, what with gaining the right to vote via the 19th Amendment, ratified on 18 August 1920, the struggles of women neither began nor ended with the Suffrage Movement. Women of all races struggled against the shackles imposed by tradition and societal expectation, though only white women made monumental strides towards equity and independence during this period, leaving women of color to struggle even to be seen as worthy of being mothers and wives, the caretakers of their own homes. As men often infantilized and split women along two lines, either seeing them as pure, or absolute filth, women also shared this attitude though primarily along racial or income lines.
Prior to the 20th century, tradition dictated that women be bound to rigid gender roles. These roles, for white women were limited to being a wife and mother. This was seen to the public at large as the natural
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While women became further integrated into working society due to the requirements of many men being called to the war front, the ideas about women, their roles and their weaknesses had not changed. Society looked upon some manipulation and exercises of burgeoning political power with a species of benign amusement or even favor, as in the case of the Hull House women, who used political relations to further their own work on laws to benefit working women most notably the 8 hour law[2]. In other places, specifically in the west and border south areas of San Antonio, women holding positions of authority were met with disdain by male politicians[3]. Civil rights were impeded on with nearly 15,000 working class women being incarcerated without trial,[3]. While men might have disagreed and protested these mass incarcerations, they did not have the additional burden of being seen automatically as the repository for
Achieving this milestone required a lengthy and difficult struggle; victory took decades of agitation and protest.” (19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution: Women's Right to Vote (1920)). The only people that were allowed to vote in the early years of the United States were white males who owned land; the 19th Amendment changed history forever, it allows suffrage from women. The privilege of permitting women to vote caused distinct opinions due to the fact that women were kept away from politics since they were not supposed to take part in male roles. The participation of females in politics altered their lives, they voted and a few years later also ran for office (Women’s Equality Day:
All throughout history until the 19th century women were underestimated and branded as a household wife. Women lacked basic rights and opportunities that men were handed. Women were slowly rejoicing and were fed up of living in a society that promoted inequality. It was their goal to create a society that offered them equal rights. Over time, the sexist discrimination was finally put to an end on August 18, 1920 when the 19th amendment allowed American women the right to vote.
Women, like black slaves, were treated unequally from the male before the nineteenth century. The role of the women played the part of their description, physically and emotionally weak, which during this time period all women did was took care of their household and husband, and followed their orders. Women were classified as the “weaker sex” or below the standards of men in the early part of the century. Soon after the decades unfolded, women gradually surfaced to breathe the air of freedom and self determination, when they were given specific freedoms such as the opportunity for an education, their voting rights, ownership of property, and being employed.
According to Berkin, “As their men went off to war, these women took on the task of managing shops and farms in addition to caring for large families and coping with shortages of food and supplies”(Berkin, 2012, Pg. 150). Many women adapted to their new roles well and spoke of being satisfied with the independence and sense of accomplishment. The feeling of accomplishment caused women to become more assertive after the war. Members of America’s political and social elite began rethinking the role of white women in their new republican society. After the war, white women were given some new legal rights. However, these rights were primarily for the elite white women. White women were permitted to divorce, own property separately from their husbands, own businesses and received an
Passed by Congress on June 4, 1919, the 19th amendment was a milestone for which many had struggled, it had taken years of agitation and protest to finally achieve this milestone. Female supporters of women suffrage organized, petitioned, and picketed to win the right to vote, but it took them decades to accomplish their purpose. By 1920, the American electorate had changed forever, but many argued that giving the right to vote to women wasn’t going to be enough. Women wanted independence, equality, they wanted the right to buy a house, practise blue collar jobs, they wanted to escape their domestic, housewife stereotypes. They proved themselves when the situation called for it; they served as nurses in all the wars, provided food, they served as telephone operators, journalists, and over 25 000 U.S women served in Europe during World War l. Had they not been successful in providing for the war, had they not been supportive and had they chosen to stay at home like they had been taught to do, this amendment would never pass. While both World Wars were and still are a very low point in history, it was nesessary for the enchancement of “equality”.
On the 18 of August, 1920, the 19th Amendment went through. The U.S. Constitution permitted American women to vote. Before the U.S. made these changes women had to suffer plenty to get the rights they have now a days. One of the biggest struggle was having the freedom to have a voice in the United States of America. This part of history is known as woman suffrage. The women in the U.S. did everything possible to obtain the rights they deserve.
Women in America never felt equally to the men. They never felt as if they had the same potential or freedoms the men had. Women, like men, felt they were entitled these rights. This lead to many campaigns, protests, etc. Women fought for these rights for years with little to show for it. But, on August 26th, 1920 the Nineteenth Amendment was passed giving women the right to vote. In the 1920’s women wanted equality, which fueled the suffrage movement that allowed key women to lead the charge and fight for reforms.
Along with their right to vote came a change in the social status of women as a whole. They were no longer viewed as inferior individuals to men, but as strong citizens of the United States who could equally contribute to the political system. Nevertheless, women began changing their “natural roles” years before the Nineteenth Amendment was even ratified. They left the domestic housewife label and took on different jobs such as factory and office work. The support of women reformers urged them to move forward and aim for a change. Because of the women reformers in the Progressive Era, modern day women are benefitting from their hard work and persistence. Women are still able to vote and express their political opinions. Female votes matter just as much as those of the men. Furthermore, women are not confined to being housewives. They can take on any job that a man can and also care for those in their home. In fact, many women are the main supporters of their households now. With that being said, women reformers paved the way for all women that followed after them. If women reformers could see a glimpse of how far women have come since their time, they would be highly pleased to see the fruits of their
This investigation has enabled me to gain a perception into some of the techniques used by certain historians, as well as to the difficult task that historians encounter when undertaking historical investigations. I feel I have developed the skill of critically and carefully analyzing sources which is essential in the study of history. In order to carry out this investigation, I read books by well-known and praised historians on the subject of women’s rights and analyzed statistical evidence.
The Women’s Rights Movement began in 1848 with the first assembly of women and men gathering to discuss the civil, social, and other conditions of women. The Seneca Falls Convention was the start of the women’s movement. The two women who organized this event were Lucretia Mott and Elizabeth Cady Stanton, both who were abolitionists and believed women deserved the rights men were given. This convention began on July 19, 1848 and lasted through July 20, 1848. Although the convention lasted two days, the outcome of this convention sparked the women’s rights movement in various ways. The Seneca Falls Convention was very significant in establishing the women’s rights movement in the sense of creating the Declaration of Sentiments and Resolutions, influencing women bravery in the Civil War due to the expression of equality between men and women, and it led many to believe this convention was the biggest and most important event that has occurred.
The women 's rights movement of the nineteenth century had a major impact for women. It had unified women around a number of issues that were seen as fundamental rights for all citizens. These rights included: access to higher education, the right to own property, reproductive rights, and suffrage. All was achieved and even more between 1870 and 1930.
For decades, women struggled to gain their suffrage, or right to vote. The women’s suffrage movement started in the decades before the Civil War, and eventually accomplished its goal in the year of 1920 when the 19th Amendment was ratified into the U.S. Constitution. After the U.S. Civil War, the women’s suffrage movement gained popularity and challenged traditional values and sexism in the country; the increase of progressive social values benefited the women suffragists by allowing them to succeed in passing the 19th Amendment which changed the role of women in society, guaranteed them a voice in politics, and encouraged future generations to struggle for women’s equal rights.
In August 1920, the Nineteenth Amendment was ratified, granting white American women the right to vote. This ended the suffrage movement that women were allowed the same rights as men. "The long fight for suffrage” Is known as the beginning of American feminism. These women shared the ideal of improving the countries social political policies. "We hold these truths to be self evident; that all men and women are created equal" This statement was presented at Seneca hall in defense of women's right to citizenship and voting.
With the advancement of suffrage to equal pay, over the last century, women’s rights have progressed immensely. Through historic marches and demonstrations across the United States, women protested for their equal place in politics and social progress. Despite the fear-mongering components used in achieving these rights, women’s rights are still thoroughly debated within society today. Over the last century, incredible and unreachable goals have been fulfilled for women, such as the right to vote and a sense of equal state in the “Free World,” and can only improve in the years to come.
Over a hundred years ago, one event created chaos among gender roles and here are some of the initial factors of how rights for women started as a predicament which later began to evolve into a much larger problem that involved many people around the nations. Over the course of history, many issues had change the world to what it has become today. Many problems led to social, economic, and other changes. One small event is able to cause more obstacles, which eventually leads to larger complications. Even though society had tried to resolve these issues, they still encountered many hardships that were disruptive to their own perspectives as also for other people within the community. Thus, this was an important issue because it had changed