Women Suffrage Movement 1865-1920 Essay Example

Women's suffrage describes the fight or the crusade that gave women equal rights to vote and run for political office (Rau 12). All around the world, women have been fighting for equality. It has been a long and tedious fight for women to be recognized and given the same attention as men. History teaches us that women were seen and held to be lesser beings than their counterparts and their role was taking care of the home (Galloway 282). However, as the years progressed, women realized that they could be able to do almost everything men did and decided to stand firm and demand for equal treatment. On August 26, 1920, the United States Constitution was amended ratifying the 19th Amendment (Thoennes 147). These empowered women are giving them the same responsibilities of citizenship as their male counterparts. This paper is aimed at discussing the Women Suffrage Movement 1865-1920.

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Women suffrage was helped and born mainly by the civil war and the defeat of the Confederates. These events marked a major turning point in America which led to the abolishment of slavery and the empowerment of women (Crawford, 40). Indeed, the country was destroyed by the war, and there was a need for a lot of resources to rebuild the nation. On the part of manpower, it proved to be difficult to have only the men involved in the reconstruction, and it was important to empower the women to help in rebuilding the nation (Holton 83). Also, the new laws recognized women more as they were allowed to gain education and do the same work as their male counterparts.

To some extent, there were instances where women did better than men. As the years progressed, women started questioning their worth in society and recognized the need to have equality as well as granted rights to participate in activities such as voting. It made them join together and formed groupings and organizations that demanded certain changes in the constitution that would recognize men and women as equal members of the society (Bader-Zaar 113).

The fight for equality for women in America started way before 1865. Mary Wollstonecraft 1792 has been credited to have started the Women Suffrage Movement. It was through her publication of "A Vindication of the Rights of Woman" (Crawford 59). She is considered as the mother of all feminists in the world because her publication brought to fore the double standard that existed between men and women. However, the fight to vote for women could be traced even further back in 1647 when Margaret Brent, a property owner wanted to vote in the Maryland colonial assembly (Thoennes 31). She was not allowed to vote by the governor and failed miserably in her attempts. Fast forward into 1790, New Jersey Constitution allowed women who were property owners the power to vote. It was however rescinded in 1807 when a legislator who nearly lost the election because of the women voters had this changed barring them from voting (Galloway 283). It was getting frustrating for women, and it would take a short period of time before a movement was formed to look after and fight for their rights as women. Particularly, the women did not understand how they could be allowed to hold positions of power in the workplaces but could not hold political offices.

The women suffrage movement was born of the frustration that women felt because they were denied the chance to do or say anything. Two feminists, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and Lucretia Mott arrived in the United States in 1840 after attending the World Anti-Slavery Convention in London. They were refused to seat because they were women and they went back home with a heavy heart and decided that there was a need to address these issues. They organized a women's rights convention at Seneca Falls in 1848 that brought women from all corners of America together (Holton 71-112). Their activities to start a movement were, however, slowed down by the American Civil War since most people turned their attention to the war. The war was important as it gave the women who participated some sympathy from the men who would be helpful in their struggle (Bader-Zaar 119). However, the women struggles were hampered as they were seen to be riding on the freed black slaves who were also fighting for recognition. Indeed, it was thought that there would be a struggle between women rights and black civil rights at the time. Furthermore, the black women were not recognized in the women suffrage at the time (Galloway 282-283)).

In 1866, Susan B. Anthony and Lucy Stone joined the cause, and together with the other two, they were able to establish the American Equal Rights Association. This association was the first among many that were formed to fight for the rights of women during the period. In 1869, the National Suffrage Association was formed. Lucy Stone and Julia Ward Howe formed American Women Suffrage Association in the same year. They would merge in 1890 to form the National American Women Suffrage Association (NAWSA) with Susan B. Anthony as the president. It later changed in 1920 to be known as the National League of Women Voters after the women were finally recognized and given the right to participate in voting (Thoennes 103-179). It was an organization whose mandate was teaching the women to vote wisely. During this time, the women leaders faced many trials that were meant to derail them in what they were fighting for. In 1872, Susan B. Anthony was arrested for attempting to vote in an election. She was found guilty and charged for violating the rights (Rau 155).

The 19th Amendment became legal in the US on August 26th, 1920. Women were given the right to vote, own property, freedom of speech, child custody rights and divorce. It was a struggle that lasted nearly a century. It nearly did not take place as the bill went through the House of Representatives twice. And when it did, it was taken to the Senate where it also faced a huge challenge which saw the intervention of the president for it to pass (Crawford 74-132). Women were now allowed to do things that they were not allowed to do before. It is, however, important to note that black women were still viewed as lesser beings and this victory although largely for women, it was more a white woman victory than women generally. All in all, the achievements and struggles would be replicated all across Europe and women started getting recognition all over the world (Bader-Zaar 124). Indeed, women in today's world hold major political offices world over which can all be attributed to the struggles of Women Suffrage in 1865-1920.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Women Suffrage was an important part in American as well as the world's history as it was the struggle that opened and paved the way for many other issues facing women. Women suffrage movement was aimed at getting women the ability to be recognized and allowed the chance to vote and hold political office. It was successful in 1920 when the constitution was amended, and women were allowed many rights not just the right to vote. It was a major victory which has been replicated all over the world. Today, women are holding key political offices all over the world which is all thanks to the women struggles.

Works Cited

Bader-Zaar, Birgitta. "Rethinking Women's Suffrage in the Nineteenth Century." Constitutionalism, Legitimacy, and Power, 2014, pp. 107-126.

Crawford, E. The women's suffrage movement: A reference guide, 1866-1928. Taylor & Francis e-Library, 2003.

Galloway, Stuart. "Fighting Chance: The Struggle Over Woman Suffrage and Black Suffrage in Reconstruction America." American Nineteenth Century History, vol. 13, no. 2, 2012, pp. 282-283.

Holton, S. S. Suffrage Days: Stories from the women's suffrage movement. Routledge, 2016.

Rau, Dana M. Great Women of the Suffrage Movement. Compass Point Books, 2006.

Thoennes, Keller K. The Women Suffrage Movement, 1848-1920. Bridgestone Books, 2003.