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First Women's Rights Convention
Organized by Elizabeth Stanton and Lucretia Mott, they held it in Seneca Falls NY. All the women that attended were fighting for their civil rights, human rights, and equality. This event sparked the beginning of the women's suffrage movement. -
National Woman Suffrage Association
This organization was founded by Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Stanton. They started a newspaper called "The Revolution" and used it as their voice. Anthony and three of her sisters attempted to vote in the 1872 election as a form of protest but were arrested. Their phrase was "Justice, not favors- Men, their rights and nothing more,- Women, their rights and nothing less." -
The First "State"
On December 10th, 1869 Wyoming granted women the right to vote. Governor John Allen Campbell signed an Act of the Wyoming Territorial Legislature. The U.S told them they would not be allowed to become a state unless they withdrew that act. Wyoming fired back by saying, "We will remain out of the Union 100 years rather than come in without the women." Wyoming, later on, became the 44th state, along with the first state where women could vote. -
Minor v. Happersett
Women decided they wanted to challenge the law a little bit. Many tried to vote, ended in being arrested. But, some decided to challenge the amendments. After some talk, the Supreme Court rules the 14th amendment doesn't count women, they ruled it unanimously, saying citizens and voters are defined specifically as male. This riled up many women suffrage protesters. -
Possible Constitutional Amendment
NWSA and suffrage movements influenced the U.S Congress for a constitutional amendment. They formed committees in the House of Representatives and Senate. Together, they all studied and debated the pros and cons of this issue/topic. When the proposal finally reached the Senate in 1886, it was defeated. -
National American Woman Suffrage Association
NWSA merged with AWSA, Elizabeth Stanton being their first president. They were made up of local and state groups, from all over the world. Local and national press committees wrote pro-suffrage articles for this organization. They talked about their main goals and had a plan to lobby for women's vote on a state-to-state basis. -
First Suffrage Parade
The first suffrage parade took place in New York City on May 21, 1910. Over 10,000 people joined in demanding women the right to vote. Being held in New York symbolized their increasingly prominent role in the national movement. Activists that put the parade together included Sarah Garnet, Harriot Blatch, Carrie Catt, and Mabel Lee. -
Against the Amendment
There is so much controversy over the topic at the time, many were against it and had so much to say. President Wilson labeled the women who campaigned as "totally abhorrent." He called many of the women protesting insulting, unfeminine, and unpatriotic. Many of the women began to get arrested, and fights were starting to break out in front of the white house. -
National Woman's Party
Founded by Alice Paul, this organization used dramatic protests, marches, and demonstrations to try and get their points across. They wanted to "punish" parties in power that did not support suffrage. Anyone in the group withheld their support from existing political parties as another form of protest. -
President Wilson
After his many events of bringing down protest and the women who were protesting, he changed his position to support the amendment. His views seemed to completely change and he started telling people that women deserved to be equal. Wilson's main views were women deserved the right to participate, women do share the burden of supporting the nation, and that it would be hypocritical to deny women this right. After he came out about this issue, the political balance began to shift. -
Passing of the 19th Amendment
The 19th Amendment was passed by Congress on June 4, 1919. It was then to be ratified on August 18, 1920. Getting this amendment passed took decades of agitation and protest. Sadly, many early supporters did not live to see this victory for women.