The Women’s Suffrage
Movement
Why?
• Why is this important?
Susan B. Anthony
• Quaker, abolitionist, temperance advocate,
and women’s rights leader
• Led the National Woman Suffrage
Association
• Practiced Civil Disobedience
• Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and Lucy
Stone were crucial in the formation of
National American Women Suffrage
Association (NAWSA)
Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth
Cady Stanton
Suffrage at the Turn of the
Century
• By 1900 women could buy, sell, and will
property
• Bradwell vs. Illinois – “wide difference in the
respective spheres and destinies of men and
women”- said the court in 1873 Denied Mary
Bradwell license to practice law
• Anti-Suffrage arguments
– Women had enough rights
– Women would become more masculine
– Temperance movement would dominate
government
Opposition
Suffrage Strategies
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Constitutional
Amending the
constitution
2/3 of each house
3/4 of state
legislatures
First try 1868-1896
Stalled repeatedly
until it was thrown
out in 1913
State Level
• Lobby individual
states
• Successful
especially in the
west
Two Women Leaders
Carrie Chapman Catt
• Former principal
• Outstanding
speaker
• Two time leader of
the NAWSA
• Believed in slow
precinct by precinct
political work
Alice Paul
• Witnessed the
aggressive English
progressive
movement
• Targeted
constitutional
amendment
• Formed the
Congressional Union
Carrie C. Catt and Alice Paul
Two Movements
Congressional Union
Alice Paul
• Militant change
• Burned Wilson’s
speeches
• Hunger strikes
• Were arrested and
jailed
NAWSA
• In 1915 Catt was
given free reign to
bring about victory
• “Winning Plan” –
full time workers
work push eastern
states for 6 years
http://www.learningcurve.gov.uk/britain1906to1918/g4/cs1/g4cs1s6.htm
19th Amendment
• World War I women
hasten to do their
patriotic duty
• 18th Amendment passed
outlawing liquor
– Liquor advocates
back down
• 1920 - the 19th
Amendment ratified
• 19th Amendment marks
the last Progressive
Reform
Other Amendments
• 16th- established an income tax
• 17th- direct election of senators