WOMEN’S MOVEMENT
LOWELL MILLS
• Some were not over ten years old; a few
were in middle life, but the majority were
between the ages of sixteen and twentyfive.
• The most prevailing incentive to labor
was to secure the means of education for
some male member of the family.
• They were paid two dollars a week. The
working hours of all the girls extended
from five o'clock in the morning until
seven in the evening, with one half hour
each, for breakfast and dinner.
DOROTHEA DIX
• An advocate for
improvements in the
treatment of patients
suffering from mental
and emotional disorders
• The mentally ill should
be provided therapy,
books, music,
recreation and, above
all, meaningful work
• During the Civil War she
served as
Superintendent of
United States Army
Nurses
• For this purpose, it is needful that certain
relations be sustained, which involve the duties
of subordination. There must be the magistrate
and the subject, one of whom is the superior,
and the other the inferior. There must be the
relations of husband and wife, parent and child,
teacher and pupil, employer and employed,
each involving the relative duties of
subordination. The superior, in certain
particulars, is to direct, and the inferior is to yield
obedience. Society could never go forward,
harmoniously, nor could any craft or profession
be successfully pursued, unless these superior
and subordinate relations be instituted and
sustained.
CATHERINE BEECHER
• A Treatise on Domestic
Economy, For the Use of
Young Ladies at Home,
and At School - This book
has been called the first
complete guide to housekeeping published in
America
• There is nothing, which has
a more abiding influence
on the happiness of a
family, than the
preservation of equable
and cheerful temper and
tones in the housekeeper.
A woman, who is
habitually gentle,
sympathizing.
CULT OF DOMESTICITY
• In civil and political affairs, American
women take no interest or concern, except
so far as they sympathize with their family
and personal friends; but in all cases, in
which they do feel a concern, their opinions
and feelings have a consideration, equal,
or even superior, to that of the other sex.
• In matters pertaining to the education of
their children, in the selection and support
of a clergyman; in all benevolent
enterprises, and in all questions relating to
morals or manners, they have a superior
influence
SOJOURNER TRUTH
• She agitated
for the
inclusion of
blacks in the
Union Army.
• Involved in the
issue of
women's
suffrage
• Fought for land
to resettle
freed slaves
HARRIETT BEECHER STOWE
• Uncle Tom’s
Cabin opened
up the realities
of slavery to the
entire world.
• Created an
integrated
school in Florida
ELIZABETH CADY STANTON
• "Because man and
woman are the
complement of one
another, we need
woman's thought in
national affairs to
make a safe and
stable government.“
• She wanted to link
women’s suffrage to
black suffrage.
WOMEN’S MOVEMENT
• Two key “beginning” factors
• Women moving into the workforce
• Money, labor force to reckon’ with
• Opening of western land
• New opportunities to prove oneself
• General expansion of democratic principles
• Less influencing agents
• The first two states
• Wyoming – political ploy backfires on the
Democrats
• Utah – Mormon effort to get good PR
WHY NOT ON THE EAST COAST?
• Why not in the land of diversity and liberalism?
• Liquor lobby – women were always the most
vocal on this issue
• Business leaders – too many of the workers may
be able to influence politicians by joining labor
unions
• Immigrant groups – wasn’t in the culture of some
groups
• The political machine – could women be
controlled
• The South – if you admit discrimination against
women then what about blacks?
• Many of these states never ratified the 19th
Amendment
SENECA FALLS RESOLUTIONS
• woman is man's equal
• to speak, and teach, as she has an
opportunity, in all religious assemblies
• sacred right to the elective franchise
• all laws which place her in a position
inferior to that of man, are contrary to the
great precept of nature
• the same amount of virtue, delicacy, and
refinement of behavior, that is required of
woman in the social state, should also be
required of man
LIST OF ABUSES
• He has never permitted her to exercise her
inalienable right to the elective franchise.
• He has compelled her to submit to laws, in
the formation of which she had no voice.
• He has withheld from her rights which are
given to the most ignorant and degraded
men—both natives and foreigners.
• He closes against her all the avenues to
wealth and distinction
• He has denied her the facilities for
obtaining a thorough education
• Equal Rights Amendment
• Section 1. Equality of rights under the law
shall not be denied or abridged by the
United States or by any state on account of
sex.
• Section 2. The Congress shall have the
power to enforce, by appropriate legislation,
the provisions of this article.
• Section 3. This amendment shall take effect
two years after the date of ratification.
• The ERA was introduced into every session of
Congress between 1923 and 1972.
• Only 35 states ratified it.