9.1 History of women's suffrage and political participation

The women's suffrage movement was a pivotal fight for equality. It began with the Seneca Falls Convention in 1848 and culminated in the 19th Amendment in 1920, granting women the right to vote in the United States.

Suffragists used various strategies to overcome obstacles, from publishing newspapers to nonviolent resistance. The movement's impact extended beyond voting rights, increasing women's political representation and advancing gender equality across society.

Women's Suffrage Movement

Women's suffrage movement timeline

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• Seneca Falls Convention (1848)
  • Marked the beginning of the organized women's rights movement in the United States
  • Brought together activists to discuss social, civil, and religious rights of women
  • Produced the "Declaration of Sentiments" outlining grievances and demands for equality (voting rights, property rights, access to education)
• National Woman Suffrage Association (NWSA) and American Woman Suffrage Association (AWSA)
  • Formed due to strategic differences within the suffrage movement
  • NWSA focused on securing a federal constitutional amendment for women's suffrage
  • AWSA prioritized state-level suffrage campaigns and other women's rights issues (divorce laws, pay equity)
  • Reunited in 1890 as the National American Woman Suffrage Association (NAWSA) to strengthen the movement
• 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution (1920)
  • Culmination of the suffrage movement's efforts, prohibiting denial of voting rights based on sex
  • Followed the passage of the 15th Amendment (1870), which granted voting rights to African American men but not women
  • Required extensive state-by-state ratification process after congressional approval
• International women's suffrage timeline
  • Highlighted the global nature of the women's suffrage movement
  • Finland: first European country to grant women the right to vote in 1906
  • Russia: granted women the right to vote in 1917 following the February Revolution
  • Canada: granted women the right to vote at the federal level in 1918
  • Demonstrated the varied pace and contexts of suffrage achievements worldwide

Suffragist strategies and obstacles

• Strategies employed by suffragists
  • Published newspapers and magazines to spread their message (The Revolution, The Woman's Journal)
  • Organized conventions and meetings to discuss tactics and build networks
  • Used parade floats, posters, and other visual media to raise public awareness
  • Engaged in hunger strikes and other forms of nonviolent resistance when arrested
  • Formed alliances with other social reform movements (abolitionism, temperance)
• Challenges faced by suffragists
  • Confronted deeply entrenched beliefs about women's roles and capabilities
  • Faced ridicule, harassment, and violence from opponents
  • Struggled with class and racial divisions that limited the movement's inclusivity
  • Encountered resistance from women who opposed suffrage, arguing it would disrupt traditional gender roles
  • Navigated competing priorities and disagreements over tactics within the movement

Impact of women's voting rights

• Increased voter turnout among women
  • Women's voter registration and turnout rates steadily increased in the decades following suffrage
  • By the 1980s, women consistently voted at higher rates than men in U.S. presidential elections
  • Women's voting patterns often differed from men's, with gender gaps evident in party preferences and issue priorities
• Greater representation of women in elected offices
  • Women's presence in Congress, state legislatures, and local offices gradually increased post-suffrage
  • Milestones included the first woman elected to the U.S. Senate (Hattie Caraway, 1932) and the House of Representatives (Jeannette Rankin, 1916)
  • Despite progress, women remain underrepresented in political leadership roles relative to their population share
• Advancement of women's rights and gender equality
  • Voting rights empowered women to advocate for policies addressing their concerns
  • Suffrage laid the groundwork for later achievements (Equal Rights Amendment, Title IX, Roe v. Wade)
  • Women's organizations and activism continued to push for social, economic, and legal equality
• Intersectionality and the ongoing struggle for inclusive representation
  • African American, Latina, Asian American, and Native American women faced additional barriers to voting and political participation
  • LGBTQ+ women, women with disabilities, and other marginalized groups continue to fight for full inclusion and representation
  • Intersectional approaches recognize the compounding effects of multiple forms of discrimination on political access and power