Taking a Stand for Women in Tennessee
Insert historical context here!!!! The United States, despite being a culturally forward nation now, was the twenty-seventh county to give women the right to vote. Women’s suffrage was an important step forward for the Equal Rights movement in both Tennessee and America because there was an incredible amount of opposition overcome, men and women from all over the United States fought for it, and the amendment was passed because of Tennessee.
Many women were angered about not having the same rights that men had, way before suffrage was granted. The first public protest of gender inequality was in 1848 (Yellin and Sherman, 17), and by 1870, women in Tennessee began to show an interest in the right to vote
…show more content…
The people working towards gaining suffrage not only had their own movement, but those in opposition to women 's suffrage had a movement of their own. The Anti-Suffragists, as they were called, chose a red rose as their symbol, saying that it symbolized the American family (Christian, B-1). They also organized themselves and formed the National Association Opposed to Woman Suffrage. It wasn 't difficult for people to oppose the idea of suffrage for women, because at the time, it seemed like an incredibly outlandish idea. Although the Anti-Suffrage movement was strong, the Suffrage movement was stronger. They had many activists, all over the state. Anne Dallas Dudley marched in suffrage parades with her husband’s approval and encouragement (Yellin and Sherman, 84). She once said, “A woman 's home will be the whole world” (Bergeron, Ash, and Keith, 229). Another Tennessee activist was Lizzie Crozier French; she enjoyed travelling, and her travels introduced to her to feminist ideas (Tumblin, A-2). She said, “As soon as you marry a man, he has control of all your real estate, rents, and all, and he has your personal property,” (Lakin). She also made another statement that still reigns true today, “We don’t ask that women shall have more rights, we just ask that they shall be equal. One of the very important parts of the Women’s Rights movement was suffrage clubs. The NWSA and the AWSA were two of the suffrage associations (Bergeron, Ash, and Keith, 227). The NWSA wanted a …show more content…
It was because of one man, Harry Burn, that women of the U.S. gained the right to vote. Burn was one of the youngest members of the state legislature (Cohen). Harry Burn was known to be an anti-suffragist, but because of a simple note from his mother, the Nineteenth Amendment to our Constitution was ratified (Cohen). Before Burn shared his vote, there was a 48 to 48 tie (Cohen). Because of this, suffragists were very disapointed. The one man left to cast his vote, had fallen into the Anti-Suffragist category, until now (Cohen). Harry Burn stepped up to give his vote, and surprisingly said, “Aye” (Cohen). Harry Burn had promised his mother, who had sent him a letter, that he would vote in favor of suffrage (Wheeler, 64). He once stated, “I know that a mother’s advice is always safest for a boy to follow,” (Christian,
The 19th amendment states that someones right to vote should not be denied based on their gender. I have read “No Votes for Women-The New York State Anti-Suffrage Movement” by Susan Goodier. In this book, Susan Goodier gives insight to what happened behind the scenes and in the public eye during the
The first being the ratification of the 19th amendment on August 18, 1920, which finally granted American women the right to vote. For all of the years America has existed, the entire population of women did not have the same rights as men, including the ability to vote. It wasn’t until 1848 that movements for women’s rights began to launch all across the nation with just one convention in Seneca Falls, New York, created by Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucretia Mott. Finally, after 70 years of fighting these groups have emerged victorious as the amendment
Lucy Burns was a suffragette and women's rights advocate who was tremendously important to the history of women rights in America. In her lifetime women and men were not treated equal, women often stayed at home and did not have much say in their lives. Inspired by her father, Ms. Burns joined the Women's Social and Political Union and worked on its behalf for justice. However, Alice Paul and Lucy Burns disagreed with the Women's Social and Political Union, and together with Alice Paul, Burns created the National Women’s Party in order to take more actions. Her work ultimately led to the passage of the 19th Amendment which gave women the right to vote.
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.
Many lower class citizens such as women, African American, and immigrants demanded their god-given rights of suffrage and freedom, and being accepted in society as an equal citizen. The Women’s Rights Movement assembled due to the unfair distribution of rights in men and women. According to Document I, women demanded their right to “be free as man is free, to be represented in the gov’t… [and]…we now demand our right to vote according to the declaration of the gov’t under which we live.” Elizabeth Cady Stanton protests of being inferior to men, being governed without their consent, yet still being taxed by the “democratic” gov’t to which they mean nothing.
Although many claimed that giving women the right to vote was not the smart decision, women proved they were worthy by organizing three things: parades, protests, and conventions, getting the president on their side, and winning the final vote. These three things alone attest to what they were able to accomplish, not to mention all the protestings and work behind the scenes to make this
The Second Great Awakening was extremely influential in shifting the minds towards reform in people across America. The mentality of the people at this time was closed minded and had acceoted their way of living. Among other factors, Charles Finney played and important role in the success of the Second Great Awakening. “Much of the impulse towards reform was rooted in the revivals of the broad religious movement that swept the Untied States after 1790.” Revivals during the Second Great Awakening awakened the faith of people during the 1790s with emotional preaching and strategic actions from Charles Finney and many other influential preachers, which later helped influence the reforms of the mid-1800s throughout America.
Both of the associations led by very powerful women wouldn’t stop until they could see the bigger picture where although you were a different gender you were treated equal as men and had the same rights. Now although the women’s suffrage amendment didn’t pass until 1920 it provided a many of us women with very strong role models and women that were very powerful in their own way trying to accomplish one goal
(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." (Dubois 189) This quote presents several of representatives that women had done to the whole society.
This was called The National American Women Suffrage Association, also known as NAWSA. The NAWSA was an association that was put together between two associations to become one big one. This was a start for all the women who wanted their right to vote to come together and earn it. They made the NAWSA alive and they wanted to keep it going so that it would help gain and attain their right to vote (“National”). The women did not want it to die.
“I have encountered riotous mobs and have been hung in effigy, but my motto is: Men's rights are nothing more. Women's rights are nothing less.” Susan B. Anthony 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.
In Washington, Paul became a household name in American circles. Despite how she is not a public speaker everyone wanted to know what is her suggestion on what to do. Everyone wanted to hear from Alice Paul. President William Taft did not favor women 's suffrage and that it’s clear for everyone. Taft’s speech upsets everyone based on what he said, “That women in general had to be denied the right to vote because of the possibility that the less desirable among them might actually vote while the more intelligent among them choose not to vote.”
Women’s suffrage Have you ever thought about women 's rights and equality? It’s not as pretty or memorable as you think it is. But just like Shirley Chisholm said “at present, our country need’s womens idealism and determination, perhaps more in politics than anywhere else.” Which is true but back then it certainly wasn’t. Let me take you way back to when women and men were not equal, and when men had more power over women.
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
Suffrages chose to take a more militant style approach to capture the attention of the government in a way that could not be ignored. They became a public nuisance in terms of publically demonstrating their frustration through actions rather than words. In “Freedom or Death,” Pankhurst speaks on behalf of the suffrage women, “we were called militant, and were quite willing to accept the name. We were determined to press this question of the enfranchisement of women to the point where we were no longer ignored by the politicians” (Pankhurst, 2). Though militant had a negative association, the suffragists prided their actions fighting for an honourable peace.