Women Rights in America1840 -1920

Women Rights in America1840 -1920

Introduction

The problem and struggle of women towards getting identity and place in society have been studied for centuries. According to the recent research women rights, movement remain as an essential issue in the modern era. Since from 1840 women strived to fight for their place in society as this could make them be able to make significant changes in women place and role in life in the current culture. Though the movement towards woman rights in America started at low motion, it resulted in dramas tic change In the community.

Interestingly the early feminists helped in ensuring that the movement amount to transforming and changing the role of women, women started taking significant roles in politics, economy, politics and other fields in life. The over 100-year struggle for gender equity and equality resulted to critical changes in social consciousness and made many people change their previously preoccupied ideas and mentality on social; political responsibilities of women thorough even today we don’t have full gender equality in America[1]. This being a current issue in the modern society it is very relevant that advocating for woman rights will result to new nontraditional elements in the community leading to the increased importance of several social organizations,  association and many institutions aimed at improving the impacts of the struggle for women right in the society. This essay is mainly describing the battle for woman rights in the United States considering the time frame between 1840s to 1920. Bearing in mind, this was a very significant period in American history[2].

According to history, the women crusade towards achieving equal rights aimed at giving the women some freedom such as run for political office rights foe vote. Interestingly over the records fighting for women rights in America from 1840 to 1920 was not an easy task, since the activist struggle for over 100 years. The most significant achievement was in 1920 August on 26th; this was when Amendment to the United States Constitution ratified, this empowered women by giving them powers and rights that were similar to those of men. This was confirmed in the year 1920 when millions of women got rights and participated in Election Day.

According to the American history in 1848 an extraordinary meeting took place in New York, Seneca falls convention, this was aimed at formulating the need and enfranchising the American women. A declaration of sentiment was prepared by Elizabeth Candy Stanton who was done following the declaration of independence, and the statement was “a man should not withhold a woman’s rights, take her property or refuse to allow her to vote”[3]

Though the Seneca fall convention could not appear to be successful, it represented a crucial step in establishing and initiating the women campaigns for women rights in America. The agreement took two days the declaration of sentiment was refined and argued upon and the delegated in attendance voted to make it attain one third vote support.   “represented an important first step in the evolving campaign for women’s rights”[4] .

According to American history in 1850 the movement and struggle towards building women right move continued, but when the civil war began it, this movement seemed to lose momentum. There were constitution amendment ratification after the end of civil war, precisely the 14th and 15th amendment, it aimed at giving protection to all women citizens, including both suffrage form black men[5].

It is important to note that even though the states and international laws are advocating for the principle of equality, in social context women are not being given balance in activities and public life. Such contradiction could result in small opportunities in the community that limit women from meeting them, regrettably as time goes by people get more conscious on the issue of women rights though their needs are not met[6]. The stereotype of social roles of women is most common in the society women are mostly the family and motherhood. As discussed above we need to put much consideration on the achievements, nature, and objectives of American women struggle for their rights from 1840 to 1920s[7].

According to history, it is genuine that the end of the war of independence in America marked the beginning of women rights movement. The colonist was advocating and struggling for political rights, and many could not get these rights. Majority of the people denied political rights included women, during this period, there were no reasons to slaves, poor and servants were considered inferior in society. Therefore there was a need for raising the alarm for the abolishment of misuse of human rights, in particular respecting the woman rights this could be of importance and transform the women right in the society[8].Women rights movement has its roots on antislavery convention held in 1840 in London,  Lucretia Mott and Elizabeth Cade Stanton founded them. These were after the two feminists underwent gender discrimination at the conference.

According to the history, the struggle for women rights in America started in 1848 when there was Seneca fall congress; there was a recommendation on the necessary actions that could be taken to support women movement. During the congress declaration of rights and sentiment was signed, based on U.S declaration of independence and therefore approving the fact that all men and women have equal rights[9]. Among the activists fighting for a constitutional amendment, adoption included Lucy stone, Susan Anthony, Lucretia Mott, and Elizabeth Stanton. They advocated for giving equal rights to all American including the blacks and women. According to the history, the above activists formed American equal rights Association In 1866 chaired by Lucretia Mott.

Interestingly the struggle for women rights and inclusion can be seen, for instance following the 14th and 15th adoption generally expanded the rights of men and blacks having limited relevance on women rights. As a result, Stanton and Anthony come up with a national woman suffrage association whose purpose was to oppose the 15th amendment they only included women[10]. Though some other individuals were supporting the 15ht amendment, the American Woman Suffrage Association, this group claimed that this amendment was vital as it could result in the expansion of their voting rights.

In late 18 century, there was much organization that focused on fighting for women rights, including socialist groups who were focusing on equal pay for women, the suffragette was involved in struggling for legal and political equality of women: other efforts aimed and focused on improving women participation in a trade union, radical feminists promoting the issues of women charities, birth control, and conscious motherhood. These efforts were generally aiming to make women aware and used to their roles in society[11]. According to go history feminist and women activists in America were very crucial in bringing masses to the idea of gender equality initiating several civic initiatives which led to making women more independent.

In 1900 women movements were the very active social movements in America as they helped in advocating for democratic orientation. Their political orientation determined the social need, political rights and economic interests of American women. Additionally working together with environmental, youth and Pacific and social movements women organization were able to influence people to struggle for a social change, calling for social justice democracy and human relation and principles[12].

According to the research as a result of women struggle for their rights since 18th century American women are capable of winning the rights to education, get equality at work get better wages and most importantly being recognized and given the right to vote, right to vie for the political seat as well as getting right to divorce. So generally there was a gradual shift towards social relation of gender women were capable of attaining their rights and thus paving ways to them gaining power in the society.

According to the recent study, it is evident that despite the struggle for women rights in America, it was not easy to change people’s mindset towards transforming people on their perception on women in the society. We can therefore not that in United States there were an intensification of the democratic process with purpose and aimed to eliminate any discrimination[13]. Consequently, there were initial cases of mistreating women in the society; the women movements resulted in reforms on radical forms as well as reflections on woman liberation movements[14].

In nutshell the new era in the 1980 and 1990s did lead to the eradication of feminism.  It has brought up a new face of open-minded people and equal opportunities that don’t discriminate any gender hence creating a powerful weapon of togetherness in society. Freedom is the most significant opportunity that everyone has to encounter in the process of living. The women have shown this by remarkable effort in fighting for their freedom, and this effort has not gone imperceptible, but instead, it has given a lot of people the motivation to fight their way through the excellent opportunity. Raising the attention of a modern woman and the so gone era woman we can notice the difference in their way of living, the modern woman has a lot of freedom compared to the previous woman who was compelled to the discrimination in the current society. Today women have unbeatable opportunities in our communities this making them enjoy what is worth in the auditory of the word freedom. History must not and should not be forgotten by any modern woman because it carries with it the power of painful sacrifice and high price which was paid by the previous error woman. Let their sacrifice never be forgotten in our hearts and minds with their courage and bravely woman today live in a community full of opportunities.

Reference list

Andes, Anna, Irene Gammel, Lara Hubel, Jessica McCarthy, Pedro Ponce, Jochem Riesthuis, and Nancy Von Rosk. Working Women in American Literature, 1865–1950. Rowman & Littlefield, 2018.

Carroll, Susan J. “The Gender Gap as a Tool for Women’s Political Empowerment: The Formative Years, 1980–1984.” In The Legacy of Second-Wave Feminism in American Politics, pp. 137-165. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham, 2018.

Faludi, Susan. Backlash: The undeclared war against American women. Broadway Books, 2006.

Friedman, Elisabeth. “Women’s human rights: The emergence of a movement.” In Women’s Rights, Human Rights, pp. 18-35. Routledge, 2018.

McBride, Dorothy E., and Janine A. Parry. Women’s rights in the USA: Policy debates and gender roles. Routledge, 2016.

Tobias, Sheila. Faces of feminism: An activist’s reflections on the women’s movement. Routledge, 2018.

Andes, Anna, Irene Gammel, Lara Hubel, Jessica McCarthy, Pedro Ponce, Jochem Riesthuis, and Nancy Von Rosk. Working Women in American Literature, 1865–1950. Rowman & Littlefield, 2018.

[2] Andes, Anna, Irene Gammel, Lara Hubel, Jessica McCarthy, Pedro Ponce, Jochem Riesthuis, and Nancy Von Rosk. Working Women in American Literature, 1865–1950. Rowman & Littlefield, 2018.

[3] Tobias, Sheila. Faces of feminism: An activist’s reflections on the women’s movement. Routledge, 2018.

[4] Tobias, Sheila. Faces of feminism: An activist’s reflections on the women’s movement. Routledge, 2018.

[5] Faludi, Susan. Backlash: The undeclared war against American women. Broadway Books, 2006.

[6] Andes, Anna, Irene Gammel, Lara Hubel, Jessica McCarthy, Pedro Ponce, Jochem Riesthuis, and Nancy Von Rosk. Working Women in American Literature, 1865–1950. Rowman & Littlefield, 2018.

[7] Tobias, Sheila. Faces of feminism: An activist’s reflections on the women’s movement. Routledge, 2018.

[8] McBride, Dorothy E., and Janine A. Parry. Women’s rights in the USA: Policy debates and gender roles. Routledge, 2016.

[9] McBride, Dorothy E., and Janine A. Parry. Women’s rights in the USA: Policy debates and gender roles. Routledge, 2016.

[10] Carroll, Susan J. “The Gender Gap as a Tool for Women’s Political Empowerment: The Formative Years, 1980–1984.” In The Legacy of Second-Wave Feminism in American Politics, pp. 137-165. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham, 2018.

[11] Friedman, Elisabeth. “Women’s human rights: The emergence of a movement.” In Women’s Rights, Human Rights, pp. 18-35. Routledge, 2018.

[12] Carroll, Susan J. “The Gender Gap as a Tool for Women’s Political Empowerment: The Formative Years, 1980–1984.” In The Legacy of Second-Wave Feminism in American Politics, pp. 137-165. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham, 2018.

[13] Carroll, Susan J. “The Gender Gap as a Tool for Women’s Political Empowerment: The Formative Years, 1980–1984.” In The Legacy of Second-Wave Feminism in American Politics, pp. 137-165. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham, 2018.

[14] Faludi, Susan. Backlash: The undeclared war against American women. Broadway Books, 2006.