Controversial Issues In American Politics

The civil war had a very profound effect on America and what it has become today. With the civil war many changes took place such as 13th, 14th, and 15th amendment. Women’s rights were put forth into motion. Along with Reconstruction laws being passes and the push back that these laws caused. During this time the south became even more divided and started to take things into account and create their own laws in regards to racism.

The Roaring Twenties, characterized as a progressive era toward changes and advances, it was a start for freedom and independence for women. Women gained political power by gaining the right to vote. They changed their traditional way to be, way to act and dress to gain respect, and the liberty of independence. Society had different ways of ideals and the ways women were willing to do were disapproved of, and it was wrong for lots of different people, including women from the older generation. In the 1920’s women went through a lot of changes that made them a free spirit, changes that made them what they are now and having the liberty of being independent.

Susan B. Anthony is considered by some as the founding mother of the women’s suffrage movement in the United States. Her goal: men and women treated equally under the eyes of the law and society. The 19th Amendment in 1920 would be the culmination event for this movement, but the winds of change began blowing in 1848. During the Seneca Falls Convention on Women’s Rights, Elizabeth Cady Stanton was the architect of one of the most famous women’s suffrage texts of the United States.

Many women in the early 1900’s sought for change. Some rose to power and took leadership over many organizations that pushed for equality. Women’s battle for voting rights was specifically led by Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and Alice Paul. These women devoted most of their life to create a foundation which we live upon today. Women’s struggles lasted many decades until they finally achieved some equality under the 19th amendment.

Throughout history women have constantly had fewer constitutional rights and profession openings than men, primarily because women have continuously been considered inferior to men. The working class also possessed fewer rights during the 1800s. Workers were bound to their employers and had little to no rights. As the years moved on, much of that began to change. Employed citizens had little to no voting rights, and they kept trying until they achieved what they wanted. Inspired by this, women saw the success and decided to fight for their own rights. This set women on a path to seek and secure all women political rights. Through peaceful protests, publicity stunts, and nonviolent militant force, women and some men attempted to gain political

Suffrage means to have the right to vote in political elections. This concept is an ideal meaning for women throughout history, especially for the women population between late 1800’s and early 1900’s. Women suffrage commenced at the Seneca Falls, which later on had escalated to Unions, then led to the 15th and 19th amendment. Of course, the men of that time had belittled the women who believed that they were more than merely the traditional mothers and wives. Although, suffrage is not only just for females, but to the Black population too; both males and females. With determination and the passion burning within them, women and African Americans alike, had reached the right for suffrage.

The early women’s rights organization was developed based upon the standards and experiences of different endeavors to promote social justice and to enhance the human condition. These efforts are known as change. Among these were the Abolition and Temperance movements. The personal and historical connections that united, and on occasion divided the movement for women’s rights existed before 1843, have advanced over the subsequent century and a half. The 1877 Woman’s Suffrage amendment had been initially brought into U.S. Congress.

During the antebellum period of the United States, different policies and political agendas were laid out to create a country that aspired to be better than the one from which it claimed its independence. The discussion of education began then, in hopes to create a more nationalistic society and to instill individual thought so that tyranny would never be able to take control. Education for who though, is where things began to get a little blurry. Most education in this time period began as disorganized and personal. Studying abroad was becoming unpatriotic—why send your children to other countries, when they could stay in the States so that they could learn to love their own country. So education became more domestic, but also more expensive.

Adding on to other limitations, women almost had no freedom in their marriage. Before the women’s rights movement, when a woman is married the “husband and wife are one person” but “that person is the husband” (Doc 7). Once a woman is married, her rights and property were governed by the husband. Married women could not make wills or dispose of any property without their husband’s consent to do so. This showed that they were invisible even in their marriage, The women’s movement promoted the support which eventually resulted in the Married Women’s Property Act. The act states what a married woman can’t and can do in a marriage (Doc 6). Something they must do is to take their husband’s name after marriage. Lucy Stone was an abolitionist and

The level of influence a time period has on a country is defined by its political, economic, and social change. The 1920s was one of the most influential decades in the history of the United States. Corrupt politicians, tax cuts for the rich and new opportunities for women signify the influence of the Roaring 20s.

In the 1900’s, life started to change for women; they started to gain a higher position in society, they were able to demand more rights and they started thinking and acting freely and independently. Although the process towards women’s rights was challenging, it’s value to the future generations is clearly seen through the great amount of legislation passed throughout the years. Since the attempt at furthering equality among the genders, the biggest achievement was the ratification of the 19th Amendment. The fight for gender equality however was not achieved easily. There were a series of campaigns, propaganda, and conventions that took place in this struggle; starting off by the famous Seneca Falls Convention, the fight for women’s rights began. It was a very long and harsh process to gain their rights; women witnessed other races overcoming discrimination while they were still ignored. While men fought to preserve their position in society and their image of being superior, many important women fought against the society’s unfair oppression and many life-changing events were taking place.

Women in England during the 1800s faced restrictions to participate in movements and were limited in their political speaking and voting capabilities. Although many women accepted their fate, some fought for a different social role. (“The Women 's Rights Movement”) Women such Mary Wollstonecraft, Jane Austen, and Mary Shelley inspired a new way of radical thinking towards human rights, specifically the rights of women (Surgis). Thanks to these inspiring individuals, there was a change in women’s attitude regarding their options to become part of the work force, gain an education, and have equal rights in marriage (Surgis). Educating women was the primary focus for many modern feminists, explaining that if women were educated the opportunities

The women’s rights movement being an extensive movement helped women to occupy better jobs and higher positions “Increased access to leadership positions is an important achievement because – in terms of gender – the field is more level now: some women will be allies, some are not, but no one is excluded only for being a woman”. Today, women can choose to occupy the jobs that were once titled only for men and they have an equal employment opportunity “Because of workplace rights, women enjoy freedom to work in almost any position they choose. They join the armed forces, work as cab drivers, own businesses and become executives in large corporations” Women can now become ministers, juries, senates, and even the president “1975 — In Taylor v. Louisiana, the court denies states the right to exclude women from juries….1981 — Sandra Day O’Connor is appointed as the first female U.S. Supreme Court Justice… 1997 — Madeleine Albright is sworn in as U.S. Secretary of State. She is the first woman in this position.” The women’s rights movement encouraged women to fear nothing and to refuse to be a part of the crowd or go with the flow, but to act as individuals that have values and

“These two amendments allowed men to vote, but still permitted states to deny the vote to women” (Kirk, G. & Okazawa-Rey, M. 2013). Once they submitted their votes, they immediately had a warrant out for them because women were not able to vote during this time. After they were caught, they were taken to trial, which lasted for a long year (McDavitt 1944). However, the question for women suffrage bubbled up to the service, which proved to legislation that they needed equal rights for women (McDavitt 1944). According to the textbook, Elizabeth Stanton and Susan B. Anthony formed the Woman Suffrage Association and started working towards getting the women the right to vote (Kirk, G. & Okazawa-Rey, M. 2013). Finally in 1920, the nineteenth amendment was presented and allowed the women in the United States the right to vote (Kirk, G. & Okazawa-Rey, M. (2013). When thinking about how the women felt about not be able to speak up with voting situations is horrible. We are truly blessed that there were women who spoke their mind and changed the women’s lives for the

The 20th century saw a major increase in women’s rights, getting a step nearer to gender equality. It is defined as the act of treating men and women equally, having the same access to right and opportunities no matter the gender. Although it is not a reality in our world, we do have advanced in comparison to the last century. At the begging of the 20th century women still were considered the weak gender. Their education consisted on learning practical skills such as sewing, cooking, and using the new domestic inventions of the era; unfortunately, this “formal training offered women little advantage in the struggle for stable work at a liveable wage” (1). Their role in society was believed to be that of wife and mother but our mind was changing. Women started to fight for some rights such as the access to the labour force during World War I, the improvement in education allowing women to attend university, and the equality within the marriage, in order to avoid subordination of women. Probably their greatest achievement was the access to the electoral process in the United States of America. Earning the right to vote meant a recognition of women power and intelligence, as well as their ability to participate in politics. This essay will analyze how women fought for their right through some feminist movements.