Paper Summary:

This paper traces the history of the women's suffrage movement in 19th century America, with an emphasis on its leaders and goals. In particular, the contributions of Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Fanny Wright are illustrated through their writings and lectures. The paper states that women earning the right to vote meant a nearly complete transformation of social norms in the United States. The paper also describes the connection between the abolitionist movement and women's suffrage. The writer concludes that despite the ratification of the 19th Amendment, women still suffered from widespread discrimination and continue to fight for equal rights even today.

From the Paper:

"Susan B. Anthony and scores of other prominent suffragists rallied as much for the cause of abolition as for women's rights. One of the most notable companion causes of 19th century suffragists was the temperance movement. In fact, suffragist Frances Willard had been intimately involved in the Christian Temperance movement and in 1891 became president World's Woman's Christian Temperance Union. The temperance movement's primary objective was the reduction in alcohol abuse, and in 1872, the Prohibition Party became the "first national political party to recognize the right of suffrage for women in its platform," ("Women's History in America"). Therefore, the women's suffrage movement did not exist in isolation of other social, economic, and political causes."

Sample of Sources Used:

• "19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution: Women's Right to Vote (1920)." Historical Documents. 2005. Retrieved July 31, 2006 from http://www.historicaldocuments.com/19thAmendment.htm
• ""Petition to U.S. Senate Women Voters Anti-Suffrage Party of New York World War I." United States Senate: Records Group 46. 1917. National Archives and Records Administration. Retrieved July 31, 2006 from http://www.archives.gov/global-pages/larger-image.html?i=/education/lessons/woman-suffrage/images/ny-petition-l.gif&c=/education/lessons/woman-suffrage/images/ny-petition.caption.html
• Stanton, Elizabeth Cady. "Woman's Rights Petition to the New York Legislature." Transcribed by Carolyn Sims and reverse-order proofed by Lloyd Benson, Department of History, Furman University, from Elizabeth Cady Stanton, et al., History of Woman Suffrage, (New York, Fowler & Wells, Publishers, 1881), I, 593-595. Retrieved July 31, 2006 from http://chnm.gmu.edu/exploring/19thcentury/womenandequality/pop_petition.html
• "Teaching With Documents: Woman Suffrage and the 19th Amendment." The National Archives. Retrieved July 31, 2006 from http://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/woman-suffrage/
• Wright, Fanny. "Course of Popular Lectures." 1829. Reproduced on Spartacus. Retrieved July 31, 2006 from http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/REwright.htm

Visitors who viewed this Research Paper also liked these:

• Essay # 14016 : "Women In Britain in the 19th and 20th Centuries"
• Term Paper # 144217 : "19th Century African-American Women"
• Essay # 67196 : "Women's Roles and Rights"

APA Citation:

MLA Citation: