👩🏻‍🦰Women and World History Unit 7 – Women's Rights & Suffrage: 19th-20th Century

Key Events and Milestones

• Seneca Falls Convention (1848) marked the beginning of the organized women's rights movement in the United States
  • Organized by Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucretia Mott
  • Adopted the Declaration of Sentiments, modeled after the Declaration of Independence, which outlined the grievances and demands of women
• Women's suffrage granted in New Zealand (1893), making it the first self-governing country to extend voting rights to women
• International Women's Suffrage Alliance founded (1904) to coordinate efforts for women's suffrage worldwide
• Women's suffrage granted in Finland (1906), the first European country to do so
• Women's suffrage granted in Norway (1913), Denmark (1915), and the Netherlands (1917)
• 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution ratified (1920), granting women the right to vote nationwide
• Equal Franchise Act passed in the United Kingdom (1928), granting women equal voting rights with men
• United Nations adopted the Convention on the Political Rights of Women (1952), the first international law instrument to recognize and protect the political rights of women

Major Figures and Their Contributions

• Susan B. Anthony advocated for women's suffrage and co-founded the National Woman Suffrage Association (NWSA)
  • Arrested for voting in the 1872 presidential election, which brought national attention to the suffrage movement
• Elizabeth Cady Stanton co-organized the Seneca Falls Convention and served as the first president of the National American Woman Suffrage Association (NAWSA)
  • Wrote extensively on women's rights, including the influential "The Woman's Bible"
• Emmeline Pankhurst founded the Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU) in the United Kingdom, which engaged in militant tactics to advocate for women's suffrage
• Alice Paul organized the Silent Sentinels, a group of women who picketed the White House for women's suffrage
  • Co-authored the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA), which aimed to guarantee equal rights for women under the law
• Ida B. Wells-Barnett, an African American journalist and activist, fought against both racism and sexism
  • Co-founded the National Association of Colored Women (NACW) and the Alpha Suffrage Club in Chicago
• Carrie Chapman Catt served as president of the NAWSA and founded the League of Women Voters
  • Played a key role in the passage and ratification of the 19th Amendment in the United States

Social and Cultural Context

• Victorian era gender roles and the "separate spheres" ideology confined women to the domestic sphere and limited their participation in public life
• Higher education gradually became more accessible to women, with the founding of women's colleges (Vassar, Wellesley, Smith) and the admission of women to some universities
• Women's participation in reform movements (abolition, temperance) provided experience in organizing and public speaking that would later be applied to the suffrage movement
• Working-class women's labor force participation increased, particularly in factories and domestic service, which exposed them to exploitative conditions and fueled demands for political representation
• The "New Woman" emerged in the late 19th century, challenging traditional gender norms and advocating for greater freedom and independence
• World War I significantly impacted gender roles, as women entered the workforce in greater numbers and took on new responsibilities in the absence of men

Legal and Political Developments

• The Married Women's Property Acts in the United States and United Kingdom granted married women the right to own property and control their own earnings
• Wyoming Territory granted women the right to vote (1869), followed by several other western states in the late 19th and early 20th centuries
• The formation of international women's organizations (International Council of Women, International Woman Suffrage Alliance) facilitated the global spread of suffrage activism
• The Representation of the People Act (1918) in the United Kingdom granted suffrage to women over 30 who met certain property qualifications
  • The act also enfranchised all men over 21, eliminating property requirements for male voters
• The 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution (1920) prohibited the denial of suffrage based on sex, effectively granting women the right to vote nationwide
• The Persons Case (1929) in Canada recognized women as "persons" under the law, making them eligible for appointment to the Senate
• The United Nations Commission on the Status of Women was established (1946) to promote gender equality and the advancement of women's rights

Opposition and Challenges

• Anti-suffragists, often led by wealthy and influential women, argued that women's suffrage would disrupt traditional gender roles and threaten family stability
  • Organized opposition through groups like the National Association Opposed to Woman Suffrage in the United States
• Some suffragists faced criticism and resistance from within their own movements due to differences in tactics and priorities
  • The NWSA and the American Woman Suffrage Association (AWSA) split over disagreements about the 15th Amendment and the prioritization of African American male suffrage
• Racism within the suffrage movement marginalized and excluded African American women, who formed their own organizations (NACW) to advocate for their rights
• Working-class women often prioritized labor rights and economic justice over suffrage, leading to tensions with middle- and upper-class suffragists
• World War I diverted attention and resources from the suffrage movement, although women's wartime contributions eventually helped to build support for suffrage
• Even after the passage of suffrage legislation, many women of color continued to face barriers to voting, including literacy tests, poll taxes, and intimidation

Global Perspectives and Movements

• The women's suffrage movement in New Zealand, led by activists like Kate Sheppard, resulted in the country becoming the first self-governing nation to grant women the right to vote (1893)
• The suffragettes in the United Kingdom, led by the WSPU, employed militant tactics (property damage, hunger strikes) to draw attention to their cause
  • British suffragists, in contrast, advocated for suffrage through peaceful and constitutional means
• Women's suffrage movements in Scandinavia gained momentum in the early 20th century, with Finland granting women the right to vote in 1906, followed by Norway (1913) and Denmark (1915)
• The Russian Revolution (1917) led to the granting of women's suffrage, as the new Soviet government sought to promote gender equality
• Women's suffrage movements in Latin America gained strength in the early 20th century, with Ecuador (1929), Brazil (1932), and Uruguay (1932) among the first countries in the region to grant women the right to vote
• The women's suffrage movement in India, led by activists like Sarojini Naidu, was closely tied to the struggle for independence from British colonial rule
  • Women's suffrage was granted in 1947, following India's independence

Impact and Legacy

• The achievement of women's suffrage marked a significant milestone in the struggle for gender equality and women's rights
• Newly enfranchised women voters played a key role in shaping political agendas and advocating for social reforms (child labor laws, maternal health, education)
• The suffrage movement laid the groundwork for future women's rights campaigns, including the fight for equal pay, reproductive rights, and protection against discrimination
• The passage of the 19th Amendment in the United States and similar suffrage legislation in other countries inspired women's rights movements globally
• Women's increased political participation led to the election of women to public office and the appointment of women to key government positions
• The legacy of the suffrage movement continues to inspire contemporary feminist activism and the ongoing struggle for gender equality worldwide
• The centennial anniversaries of women's suffrage milestones have provided opportunities for reflection, celebration, and renewed commitment to advancing women's rights

Further Reading and Resources

• "The Women's Suffrage Movement" by Sally Roesch Wagner, a comprehensive overview of the U.S. suffrage movement
• "The Concise History of Woman Suffrage" edited by Mari Jo Buhle and Paul Buhle, a collection of key primary sources and essays on the suffrage movement
• "Votes for Women: The Struggle for Suffrage Revisited" edited by Jean H. Baker, a series of scholarly essays exploring various aspects of the suffrage movement
• "Sisters: The Lives of America's Suffragists" by Jean H. Baker, a biographical approach to the suffrage movement through the lives of key activists
• "Women's Suffrage: A Short History of a Great Movement" by Millicent Garrett Fawcett, a contemporary account of the British suffrage movement by a prominent suffragist
• The Library of Congress's "Shall Not Be Denied" online exhibition, featuring primary sources and educational resources related to the U.S. suffrage movement
• The National Women's History Museum's online exhibits and educational resources on the suffrage movement and women's history more broadly
• The International Museum of Women's online exhibition "Women, Power, and Politics," which explores women's political participation and activism worldwide