Seneca Falls: Women's Rights Convention Essay

The first ever woman's rights convention was held at Wesleyan Chapel in Seneca Falls, New York, United States. The convention was coordinated by Lucretia Mott and Elizabeth Cady Stanton with close to two hundred women in attendance. The two organizers met at World Anti-Slavery Convention in London, 1840 (Seneca Falls Convention; Wellman, Judith; 2010). Being the founders of women's rights movement in the United States, the two women, Mott and Stanton joined forces with Martha Wright, Mary Ann McClintock, and Jane Hunt in 1848 at Stanton's home near Seneca Falls. On the 14th of July at Seneca County Courier, the announcement was published which discussed the social, civil, and religious conditions in relation to the women's rights (begins, Seneca).

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The second day of the convention was welcomed with some invitations. Men were among the guests who were welcomed including the famous African American abolitionist Frederick Douglass. This day marked the signing of Declaration of Sentiments and Grievances by the assembly. Furthermore, twelve resolutions with eleven being unanimous were also passed for particular women's equal rights. The declaration of the ninth resolution was based on women's duty of the country of United States as well as securing themselves with a sacred right to the elective franchise. This suggestion was considered as the only way to face the opposition. At the end of the long debate, Douglass agreed with Stanton on the argument that involved the importance of female enfranchisement. Later on, the resolution was declared.

The women's right to vote was the first proclamation that was staged at the Seneca Falls Convention. As a result, it was exposed to public contempt. However, this initiation marked only the beginning of the suffrage movement of women in America (Faulkner, Carol; Seneca Falls In 1848). The declaration of sentiments stated that human events are accompanied by various courses including nature's law as well as that of the nature of God. Necessarily, each individual has a position to occupy different from that of the other people. However, with the respect that the opinions of mankind deserve, each has their own valuable causes which in turn propel mankind to adhere to such a course. These truths are presented in a more self-evident manner and further explain that all humans are created equal. Factors such as life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness are endowed with absolute righteousness. Furthermore, these factors ensure that human rights are secured through various government institutions by equipping them with just powers to administer to those whom they govern.

If any form of government encounters destruction at both ends, it is the right of those who are governed to deny their allegiance to it. In most cases, this process will often lead to a new institutionalized form of government which contains all the required principles as well as the organization of power in a well-structured form. In turn, this will create a more secure outcome with an increased satisfaction in terms of its establishment. The nature of this concept was compared to that of the patient sufferance of women. The government that existed then was accused of inflicting constraints on the rights of the women. This long train of abuses with increased usurpations caused women to demand justice and fight for equal rights to which they were accustomed to.

Seneca Falls was founded in the 1790s by the first white settlers alongside the Seneca River. During the period of 1779, the Sullivan-Clinton Campaign had identified the area along with its increased potentiality and later on returned 1840 (Seneca Falls Convention). The state of New York had created a route for the Great Western Road in 1794. Hence, this led to the establishment of a road company was set up at Seneca in1800. The Seneca Road Company played an important role in maintaining and improving the condition of the roadway.

In 1821, more islands were created to connect the two waterways and a canal was opened later on to pass through the falls. The Seneca Lock Navigation Company conducted this process in a well-organized manner with the establishment of new factories, thus, the village experienced growth and expansion. The two canals, Cayuga-Seneca and Erie were linked together by 1828 to facilitate the transport of raw materials and finished goods. Furthermore, it led to the enhancement of easing the transportation of goods; hence, a wider market was opened up for items which were manufactured locally.

Goods that were manufactured in Seneca Falls were able to reach the world markets at the beginning of 1841 through the launch of the Rochester-Auburn railroad system. Trains served an important purpose in providing a tangible link to the outside world. This was an efficient means of transporting goods at a faster rate which in turn were shipped to other parts of the world. Manufactured products were specialized by the local industry whilst not paying close attention to the variety of goods that were supplied for the local market. Some of the goods that were produced at Seneca Falls industry during the 1840s and 50s included pumps, fire engines, and other metal goods.

The emergence of manufacturing industry created new opportunities for women. Thus, for the first time, women were allowed to work from outside their homes. With new income opportunities that were created, most women began to realize that they were being discriminated to a further extent. For instance, women who were married were to give up their earnings to their husbands as well as having limited or no option towards buying any property. Also, in most cases, their contracts were executed. In comparison to the men, the women were receiving less pay. Furthermore, they were not allowed to vote and taxed without any form of representation.

Social and religious upheavals were commonly experienced in a more considerate manner. Among them were reform movements including temperance and abolition. During this period, these movements were receiving broad support within the region. As a result, it led to the rise of the opposition but also in a more considerate way. Because of the increase in the popularization of religious revivals and new sects which were based on religion, the area, later on, became known as "The Burned-Over District." In turn, many communities especially the utopian shared a common faith in terms of the predictable outcomes of other people as well as the society in general. Furthermore, these communities became more open towards new experimental forms of social and religious organizations.

Seneca Falls became one of the most thriving and prosperous communities within the region due to the waterpower resources surrounded by farmlands which were fertile. The inhabitants of that area at the time became optimistic in matters related to social reform, religious and utopian ideas in relation to people and the society as a whole. They were undoubtedly affected by the future outcomes regarding this concept and in turn, opted to join and form anti-slavery societies and temperance leagues. Hence, discussion about certain topics such as public roles of women in society became increasingly common and more people became interested which led to the establishment of women's rights convention.

Some of the most important participants in the convention were the Free Soil Party members. They mostly dealt with religious and political reforms. A presidential election that occurred in the year 1848 favored both candidates of the major parties to extend slavery all the way to the western territories. The Free Soil Party was formed because of this kind of decision. In their response, they would only support a candidate who opposed the extension. A Free Soil chapter was created by local abolitionists in a meeting that was carried out in the western chapel on the 13th of June, 1848. The abolitionists later made their way back to the Chapel in order to attend the Women's Rights Convention which was in July. Later on, the reformers were able to identify the similarities that existed between the statuses of black men in comparison to that of women in the society.

Another important group that attended the convention was the Quakers. The local Genesee Yearly Meeting of Friends which occurred in June 1848 had divided over issues regarding the governance of the church. The Progressive or Congregational Friends were among the people who broke away and claimed that all people were equal. The reason for this is because they believed that no person was to be subjected under the control of ministers and elders who were considered to hold the highest hierarchical position. Instead, they concentrated on enhancing their commitments towards social reforms. Their organization, which was based on religious principles, demanded racial equality by demonstrating at the convention.

The Women's Rights Convention at Seneca Falls was regularly held on an annual basis. However, the beginning of the civil war marked the end of their campaigns as it interfered with the majority of the support they received (Report Of The Woman's Rights Convention). This support came from the abolitionists as well as the temperance movements. When the war ended, feminist leaders separated themselves from the legislation which enfranchised black men and excluded women. Abolitionists termed it as "the Negro's Hour," and argued that the involvement of female suffrage would terminate the passage according to the Fifteenth Amendment of the constitution. Furthermore, this amendment was also allowing the enfranchisement of former slaves. The protests carried out by Stanton and Anthony alienated the wing of movement which was more cautious. The demonstrations were as a result of the betrayal they encountered from their old allies, which caused them to oppose the Fifteenth Amendment. Moreover, two competing suffrage organizations were formed due to this encounter.

Lucy Stone and others formed the moderate American Woman Suffrage Association. On the other hand, Stanton, Anthony, and Martha Wright, as well as the radical faction, were the founders of National Women Suffrage Association (Anthony, Susan B). With Lucretia Mott being an elderly widow, most of her efforts concentrated towards reconciling the two camps. Both of the organizations aimed at women equality both on a political and economic basis. In 1890, the two organizations merged to form the National American Women's Suffrage Association whereby much had been accomplished (Marilley, Suzanne). As a result, many states had the chance to enact laws that cared for all the women's needs including granting them properties, especially married women. The organization further extended their appeal to allow women the right to vote. Their demands were later met in the wake of the First World War when all women received equal voting rights.

Conclusion

The Seneca Falls marked only the beginning of Women's Rights Movement in the United States. The meetings that were held mostly addressed on the need for social, civil, and religious conditions as well as the rights of women. For instance, the National American Women's Suffrage Association demanded that all women be given equal rights to vote, receive equal pay in comparison to that of men as well as granting of properties especially for married women among other rights. In turn, these demands were met during the wake of World War I as the Congress passed an Amendment which they referred as "Susan B. Anthony Amendment" in 1919.

Works Cited

Anthony, Susan B. "included the fight for female suffrage, and she helped establish the National Woman Suffrage Association (NWSA).(Library of Congress)." Reforming America: A Thematic Encyclopedia and Document Collection of the Progressive Era [2 volumes] (2017): 9.

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