Jane Addams is often refered to as a social and political pioneer. She seperated herself from what society belived a women should do and created many radical changes for that time period. Many of her fellow friends, characterized as going crazy and too hopeful. But in the years later to come, Jane Addams would redefine what a women can and should do. She once said, “Old-fashioned ways which no longer apply to changed conditions are a snare in which the feet of women have always become readily entangled” (JaneAddams).
The 15th amendment, which allowed African-American males to vote, was successfully passed before the 19th amendment was. This actually helped the women’s suffrage movement, as it brought in African-American women who also wanted to vote. The National Woman Suffrage Association (NWSA) and the American Woman Suffrage Association (AWSA) were the two main associations that discussed women's right to vote. These two groups were conjoined to form the National American Woman Suffrage Movement (NAWSA) after they had been defeated by Congress on the Senate floor. They had just begun to persuade states to allow women to vote, such as, Colorado, Utah, Idaho, and Wyoming, and thought they had enough backup and support to make women voting, a national occurrence.
Who were the founders and what methods did they use? What were their successes and/or failures? Women’s Suffrage Movement gave women the right to vote in elections during the late 19th century. Women organizations nationally and even globally formed efforts to gain voting and equal civil rights for women. Women's Suffrage Movement has taught many students about the importance of gender equality and how women deserve the same rights and benefits that a man is given.
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
Women Suffrage movement began more active after 1894. For example, “In New York City, Josephine Shaw Lowell and Mary Putnam Jacobi formed the Woman Municipal League." (Dubois, 189) This organization was primary focusing on the corruption of public. “By the early 1900s, moreover, the spirit of political reform in New York City spread beyond the elite.” (Dubois, 189) For instance, African American women also began their suffrage by forming the National Association of Colored Women in 1903. "…with links to the Democratic Party and the labor movement, A Women's Henry George Society, and a female wing of William Randolph Hearst's Independence League."
It listed the grievances, or issues, that women had with society, it was named the Declaration of Sentiments. People that were for women vote said that they do so much work and deal with so many bad things in work, so why can't they vote. (artifact 3) They used many different strategies to gain the right to vote like moral persuasion. The Women's Christian Temperance Movement fought for the ban on production and sale of alcohol. The 19th amendment was passed in 1920 the women had the right to vote.
In the 1900’s, life started to changed 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 was all worth it for future generations once the 19th Amendment was ratified. Starting of by the famous Seneca Falls Convention, the fight for women’s rights began. Many attempts were made to fight the oppression like conventions, campaigns, people, propaganda, etc. It was a very long and harsh process to gain their rights; women witnessed other races overcoming discrimination while they were still ignored.
"We stand here today united in a belief in beauty, genius, and courage, and that these can transform the world" Jane Addams was an incredible woman who helped make the changes in child labor laws and the rights of workers that occurred during the Progressive Era. She took action to get corporations to raise wages and improve workplace quality for poor Americans, even though she herself was rich. She fought to make America go through an evolution both mentally and physically by making people aware of the struggles of working immigrants and making sure changes happened to keep workers safe as they provided for their families. Addams was born in Cedarville, Illinois. Because her father, John Addams, was a moderately wealthy politician and businessman, She was one of the first generation of women to attend college.
After the war, however, they broke away from those who had been involved in the abolitionist movement. Many of these people showed little interest in woman suffrage and supported the 15th Amendment to the Constitution of the United States. This amendment gave the vote to black men, but not to women. In 1869, Anthony and Stanton formed the National Woman Suffrage Association and worked for a woman suffrage amendment to the Constitution.From 1868 to 1870, Anthony published a weekly journal, The Revolution, which demanded equal rights for women. In 1872, she voted in the presidential election and was arrested and fined $100 for voting illegally.
For many years throughout American history individuals have fought greatly to gain equal rights. Women and African Americans struggled for equality for many years. Women gained their right to vote after the 19th amendment was passed in 1920. Women suffrage lasted for 70 years as they were struggling to gain equal voting rights as men. The women’s suffrage movement helped women all across America gain the right to vote.