Emancipation was in full affect; the issue of race was constantly evolving, so naturally, “women activists saw Reconstruction as the moment to claim their own emancipation.”[1] Although it happened gradually, change was sweeping the nation – the lives of African Americans were going to be forever changed. This was a huge step but not a big enough one for women, who believed the term “equality” included gender, not just race. During such a progressive time, women were still viewed as nothing more than wives and mothers. Women took on a passive role in society and were only called upon to serve the men and care for the children. Similar to African Americans, women had to fight the oppressive behavior shown to them by people in high authority in order to be given true, equal rights.
In the late 19th to early 20th century, it was truly a man’s world. Women had no power -they were the mothers and wives of men in power. A woman was raised with the mentality that finding a husband was one of the most important things in life, next to having children. She was expected to find herself a husband with money and stature since the social class of her husband was how she would be judged. Unlike today, “In 1900 American women could not vote [in all 50 states], serve on juries, run for elective office. Women’s economic situation fundamentally depended on their marital status.” [2] Women were definitely co-dependent upon their spouses because they did not work for a paycheck; they worked only in a domestic atmosphere. During industrial development, all the jobs were given to men because they were more capable of getting the job done faster. “Free labor principles, the justices declared, did not apply to women, since “the law of the Creator” had assigned them to “the domestic sphere.”[3] Men brought home the money to support the women and children.
A majority of women were content with duties such as cleaning and cooking but others had a different plan for their lives. It wasn’t until 1848 when the woman’s suffrage movement held the very first women’s rights convention in Seneca Falls, New York did women begin to express such independent mentalities. This radical form of thinking was extremely controversial for it’s time. Women who sought independence were treated as though there was something wrong with them, as if what they were doing was a betrayal and a sin. Men felt that it was absolutely ridiculous that a woman would want the same rights as a man because they were in no way equals. It was going against the very nature of man – men were more superior so therefore made all the decisions. For the most part, men opposed the movement because it meant losing control of their mothers, wives and daughters. Before this, men had all the power and the fact that women were speaking up and fighting back became a huge issue for them.
“For the next 50 years, woman suffrage supporters worked to educate the public about the validity of woman suffrage.”[4] Women including, Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony, forever changed history by becoming advocates as well as leaders in gaining equal rights. They, along with other women, “denounced their former abolitionist allies and moved to sever the women’s rights movement from its earlier mornings in the antislavery tradition.”[5] Women who were once strong abolitionist went on to fight for their own cause. “The determination of these women to expand their sphere of activities further outside the home helped legitimate the suffrage movement and provided new momentum for the NWSA and the AWSA.”[6] In 1890, the groups merged and NAWSA (National American Woman Suffrage Association) was formed and began making great strides towards granting women the same rights as men.
“Regardless of these changes, throughout the nineteenth century, 95% of married women remained “at home.”[7] While so much change was being discussed, little change was actually happening. It wasn’t until August 26, 1920, when the 19th Amendment was ratified did full voting rights for women become legal; and that turned out to be the first major event in granting women equal opportunity.
[1] Foner, Eric, Give Me Liberty! An American History, 3rd ed. (New York: W.W. Norton & Company, Inc, 2013) 460
[2] Anderson, Margo J., Women in 1900: Gateway to the Political Economy of the Twentieth Century (review),” Journal of Social History (2002): 506 – 508; 10.1353/jsh.2003.0002
[3] Foner, 461
[4] “Causes: The Woman Suffrage Movement,” The National Women’s History Museum presents: Reforming Their World: Women in the Progressive Era, accessed February, 17, 2014, https://www.nwhm.org/online-exhibits/progressiveera/suffrage.html paragraph 1
[5] Foner, 460
[6] “The Women’s Rights Movement, 1848 – 1920,” History, Art & Archives: United States House of Representatives, accessed February 9, 2014, http://history.house.gov/Exhibitions-and-Publications/WIC/Historical-Essays/No-Lady/Womens-Rights/
[7] “Women’s Roles in the Late 19th Century,” Conner Prarie, accessed February 5, 2014, https://www.connerprairie.org/Learn-And-Do/Indiana-History/America-1860-1900/Lives-Of-Women.aspx
In the late 19th to early 20th century, it was truly a man’s world. Women had no power -they were the mothers and wives of men in power. A woman was raised with the mentality that finding a husband was one of the most important things in life, next to having children. She was expected to find herself a husband with money and stature since the social class of her husband was how she would be judged. Unlike today, “In 1900 American women could not vote [in all 50 states], serve on juries, run for elective office. Women’s economic situation fundamentally depended on their marital status.” [2] Women were definitely co-dependent upon their spouses because they did not work for a paycheck; they worked only in a domestic atmosphere. During industrial development, all the jobs were given to men because they were more capable of getting the job done faster. “Free labor principles, the justices declared, did not apply to women, since “the law of the Creator” had assigned them to “the domestic sphere.”[3] Men brought home the money to support the women and children.
A majority of women were content with duties such as cleaning and cooking but others had a different plan for their lives. It wasn’t until 1848 when the woman’s suffrage movement held the very first women’s rights convention in Seneca Falls, New York did women begin to express such independent mentalities. This radical form of thinking was extremely controversial for it’s time. Women who sought independence were treated as though there was something wrong with them, as if what they were doing was a betrayal and a sin. Men felt that it was absolutely ridiculous that a woman would want the same rights as a man because they were in no way equals. It was going against the very nature of man – men were more superior so therefore made all the decisions. For the most part, men opposed the movement because it meant losing control of their mothers, wives and daughters. Before this, men had all the power and the fact that women were speaking up and fighting back became a huge issue for them.
“For the next 50 years, woman suffrage supporters worked to educate the public about the validity of woman suffrage.”[4] Women including, Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony, forever changed history by becoming advocates as well as leaders in gaining equal rights. They, along with other women, “denounced their former abolitionist allies and moved to sever the women’s rights movement from its earlier mornings in the antislavery tradition.”[5] Women who were once strong abolitionist went on to fight for their own cause. “The determination of these women to expand their sphere of activities further outside the home helped legitimate the suffrage movement and provided new momentum for the NWSA and the AWSA.”[6] In 1890, the groups merged and NAWSA (National American Woman Suffrage Association) was formed and began making great strides towards granting women the same rights as men.
“Regardless of these changes, throughout the nineteenth century, 95% of married women remained “at home.”[7] While so much change was being discussed, little change was actually happening. It wasn’t until August 26, 1920, when the 19th Amendment was ratified did full voting rights for women become legal; and that turned out to be the first major event in granting women equal opportunity.
[1] Foner, Eric, Give Me Liberty! An American History, 3rd ed. (New York: W.W. Norton & Company, Inc, 2013) 460
[2] Anderson, Margo J., Women in 1900: Gateway to the Political Economy of the Twentieth Century (review),” Journal of Social History (2002): 506 – 508; 10.1353/jsh.2003.0002
[3] Foner, 461
[4] “Causes: The Woman Suffrage Movement,” The National Women’s History Museum presents: Reforming Their World: Women in the Progressive Era, accessed February, 17, 2014, https://www.nwhm.org/online-exhibits/progressiveera/suffrage.html paragraph 1
[5] Foner, 460
[6] “The Women’s Rights Movement, 1848 – 1920,” History, Art & Archives: United States House of Representatives, accessed February 9, 2014, http://history.house.gov/Exhibitions-and-Publications/WIC/Historical-Essays/No-Lady/Womens-Rights/
[7] “Women’s Roles in the Late 19th Century,” Conner Prarie, accessed February 5, 2014, https://www.connerprairie.org/Learn-And-Do/Indiana-History/America-1860-1900/Lives-Of-Women.aspx