Teaching with Primary Sources — MTSU
PRIMARY SOURCE SET:
WOMEN’S SUFFRAGE MOVEMENT ACROSS AMERICA
Historical Background
Abigail Adams was one of the first to recognize the need for women’s
suffrage in the United States. In 1776, when her husband, John, was
helping draft the Declaration of Independence, she asked him and his
peers to “remember the ladies.” Despite this, women would not gain
suffrage until the ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment in 1920.
The first convention dedicated to women’s rights occurred in 1848 in
Seneca Falls, NY; here, many attendees signed the “Declaration of Sentiments and Resolutions,” which drew inspiration from the Declaration of
Independence. After this meeting, suffragettes began meeting regularly
for their cause. The Civil War required that the movement cease temporarily while “war work” took priority. After the Civil War, the Fourteenth Amendment equated citizenship and enfranchisement with being
a male while the Fifteenth Amendment enfranchised black men.
In 1878, the Woman Suffrage Amendment was first introduced to Congress. The wording of the amendment remained the same until both
houses passed it in 1919. In the intermediate years, suffragettes worked
to gain enfranchisement on a state-by-state basis. By 1913, only nine
western states enfranchised women voters and the movement needed to
be reenergized. The National American Woman Suffrage Association’s
(NAWSA) Congressional Committee, headed by Alice Paul, used President Woodrow Wilson’s 1913 inauguration to draw national attention
to women’s suffrage with a march on Washington, D.C.
Over the next seven years, the NAWSA, the National Women’s Party
(NWP), and state and local organizations worked on all fronts to
achieve suffrage. At the same time, anti-suffragist organizations worked
to prevent enfranchisement. The tactics of NAWSA, starting in 1916,
were two-pronged: Carrie Chapman Catt’s “Winning Plan” coordinated
work at the state level with lobbying efforts in Washington, D.C. for a
federal amendment. NWP’s focus was on a federal amendment. They
drew heavy criticism for their militant lobbying, particularly when they
picketed during wartime.
The Nineteenth Amendment passed both houses of Congress in June
1919 and was ratified by the 36th state (Tennessee) on August 26,
1920. Women nationwide voted in their first election the following
fall.
Women suffragettes visit TR at Sagamore [1917].
Governor Edwin P. Morrow signing the Anthony
Amendment--Ky. was the twenty-fourth state to
ratify, January 6, 1920.
Collections to examine:
 Votes for Women: Selections from the National American Woman Suffrage Association

By Popular Demand: “Votes for Women” Suffrage Pictures, 1850-1920

Women of Protest: Photographs from the Records of the National Woman’s Party (with Collection Connections)

Miller NAWSA Suffrage Scrapbooks, 18971911 (with Collection Connections)
More useful links:
 Themed Resources from the Library's Teachers
Page: Women’s History (including lesson plans
and a primary source set)

TPS-MTSU Women’s Suffrage Links Guide

TPS-MTSU Lesson Plans: A More Perfect Union: Women's Suffrage and the Constitution
and Civil Disobedience and the National Woman's Party

TPS-MTSU Newsletter: Women’s Suffrage

TPS-MTSU Primary Source Set: Women’s
Suffrage in Tennessee
“Women’s Suffrage Movement” from the Tennessee Encyclopedia of History and Culture

Suggestions for Teachers
Students can create a timeline documenting and
organizing the major events in the fight for women’s suffrage in the U.S. Teachers can also split
students into groups and have each group examine
the primary sources in one of the themes designated in this primary source set. Students can do
online or library research to investigate the context for the sources.
First Fifty Years
Teachers can also pose document-based questions,
using these primary sources as documents. For
instance, students can examine the split between
the NWP and the NAWSA in 1916. Why did
each organization’s leaders stand behind their
methods? Which was most effective? Why?
For a multiple perspectives activity, students can
examine the argument posed by anti-suffragists
that enfranchised women would not do housework. How did both sides make this argument?
What kinds of images were used? Teachers can
use Venn diagrams for two or three sources.
[Lucy Stone, head-and-shoulders
portrait, facing right]. [1840-1860]
Elizabeth Cady Stanton,
seated, and Susan B. Anthony, standing, three-quarter
length portrait. [18801902]
Students can also ask questions about what is missing from women’s suffrage primary sources. Why
are there not as many sources related to the struggle of African American women? How did this
gap occur?
“Susan B. Anthony's Fine.
A Woman's Indignation
Meeting in Apollo
Hall.” [June 21, 1873].
The Apotheosis of Suffrage. [January 26, 1896].
Texts
 “First Convention Ever Called to Discuss the Civil and Political Rights of Women, Seneca Falls, New York, July 19, 20, 1848.”
Lucretia Mott. [ca. 1870-1880]

“Proceedings of the first anniversary of the American equal rights association,
held at the Church of the Puritans, New York, May 9 and 10, 1867. Phonographic report by H.M. Parkhurst.” [1867]

An Account of the Proceedings on the Trial of Susan B. Anthony, on the Charge of Illegal
Voting, at the Presidential Election in Nov. 1872. [1874]

The Progress of Colored Women. [1898]
Anti-Suffragists
“Women’s Votes. An Attack on the Programme of the Congressional Union.” [June 12, 1916]
“Mississippi Rejects Suffrage
Amendment, Opposed to Negro
Women Voting.” [February 7,
1920]
Vote No To Amendment Eight.
Fourth Place on Ballot. [October
1911]
Texts




Copy of preamble and protest ... Brooklyn Auxiliary, New York State
association opposed to the extension of suffrage to women. [1894]
The Remonstrance [January 1909]
Are women people? A book of rhymes for suffrage times, by Alice Duer Miller
[1915]
Woman’s Suffrage by Constitutional Amendment. [1916]
Election Day! [ca. 1909]
National Anti-Suffrage Association. [1911?]
“For Some Odd Reason The Wholesale Liquor Dealer's Association Doesn't Happen to Like the Idea of Female Suffrage,” How it
Feels to be the Husband of a Suffragette, by Him. [1915]
State-by-State Efforts
Woman suffrage headquarters in Upper Euclid Avenue,
Cleveland... [1912]
Margaret Whittemore campaigning in Oregon in white on
platform. [1914] [detail]
“The Awakening.” [February 20, 1915].
Woman suffrage in Wyoming Territory. -- Scene
at the polls in Cheyenne. [November 24, 1888]
Constitution of the American Woman Suffrage Association and the
History of its Formation.... [1881]
“Part of the Vast Billboard Campaign of the Woman's Party. Putting up billboard in Denver-1916.” [1916].
1913
Distributing hand bills advertising Inaugural Suffrage Parade and
inviting everyone to participate.... [January 1913]
Official program - Woman suffrage procession, Washington,
D.C. March 3, 1913. [1913]. To view the whole program,
click here.
Suffragettes - March to Wash. D.C. [1913]
The Times Dispatch. Richmond, VA.
[newspaper] [March 2, 1913]
Suffrage march line--How thousands of
women parade today at Capitol. [1913
March 4]
Woman suffrage parade, Wash., D.C. [1913]
Picketing and Prison
Lincoln's birthday. On the banners during Congressional debate
on whether we should enter the war. [February 12, 1917]
Sailors attacking pickets, 1917, while policemen
look casually on. [1917] [detail]
Police arresting party demonstrators outside Senate Office Building, Oct. 1918.
Party watchfires burn outside White
House, Jan. 1919.
Lucy Branham in Occoquan prison dress.
[1919]
Vida Milholland [in jail cell] [ca.
July 4, 1917]
Evening Public Ledger.
Philadelphia, PA.
[newspaper] [October
22, 1917]
“Marching seven times around the walls of
Jericho” Mar. 4, 1917.
Victory
[National Woman's Party activists watch
Alice Paul sew a star onto the NWP Ratification Flag, representing another state's
ratification of the 19th Amendment]. [ca.
1919-1920].
When Tennessee the 36th state ratified, Aug 18, 1920, Alice Paul, National Chairman of the Woman's
Party, unfurled the ratification banner from Suffrage headquarters.
[August 18, 1920]
Republican [National] Convention, [Chicago,
Illinois,] 1920. [June 8-12, 1920]
Alice Paul, Elizabeth Kalb, mailing invitations to conference to decide if [National
Woman's] party will continue [JanuaryFebruary? 1921]
Speaker Gillette, Jane Addams and Sarah Bard
Field ... standing in Front of the Memorial
Statue, which represents Susan B. Anthony,
Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucretia Mott.
[February 15, 1921]
Left to right: Adelaide Johnston, sculptor, Mrs. Lawrence [Dora] Lewis, Phila., Jane Addams. At time statue was
placed in capitol. [February 15, 1921]
“Mrs. Warburton
Votes Her Choice,”
Evening Public Ledger.
[November 02, 1920]
“Even Baby Goes to the
Polls,” Evening Public Ledger. [November 02, 1920]
Citations
Teachers: Providing these primary source replicas without source clues may enhance the inquiry experience for students. This list of citations
(Chicago Manual of Style) is supplied for reference purposes to you and your students.
“Women suffragettes visit TR at Sagamore [1917].” Film. United States: [s.n.], 1917. From the Library of Congress: Motion
Picture, Broadcasting and Recording Sound Division. http://www.loc.gov/item/mp76000037.
Gretter Studio. Governor Edwin P. Morrow signing the Anthony Amendment--Ky. was the twenty-fourth state to ratify, January 6, 1920. Photograph. Frankfort, KY. January 6, 1920. From the Library of Congress: By Popular Demand: "Votes for
Women" Suffrage Pictures, 1850-1920. http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/suffrg:@field(NUMBER+@band
(cph+3b25775)).
“Susan B. Anthony's Fine. A Woman's Indignation Meeting in Apollo Hall.” Newspaper. The Sun. New York, NY. June 21,
1873. From the Library of Congress: Chronicling America. http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83030272/1873-0621/ed-1/seq-1/.
Lucy Stone, head-and-shoulders portrait, facing right. Photograph. ca. 1840-1860. From the Library of Congress: Miscellaneous Items in High Demand. http://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/97500092/.
Elizabeth Cady Stanton, seated, and Susan B. Anthony, standing, three-quarter length portrait. Photograph. ca. 1880-1902.
From the Library of Congress: Miscellaneous Items in High Demand. http://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/97500087/.
Gutekunst, F. Lucretia Mott. Photograph. Philadelphia, PA, ca. 1870-1880. From the Library of Congress: Women of Protest:
Photographs from the Records of the National Woman's Party. http://www.loc.gov/item/mnwp000037.
“First Convention Ever Called to Discuss the Civil and Political Rights of Women, Seneca Falls, New York, July 19, 20, 1848.”
New York: 1848. From the Library of Congress: Miller NAWSA Suffrage Scrapbooks, 1897-1911. http://memory.loc.gov/
cgi-bin/query/h?ammem/rbcmillerbib:@field(DOCID+@lit(rbcmiller001107)).
“Proceedings of the first anniversary of the American equal rights association, held at the Church of the Puritans, New York,
May 9 and 10, 1867. Phonographic report by H.M. Parkhurst.” New York: R. J. Johnston, 1867. From the Library of Congress: Votes for Women: Selections from the National American Woman Suffrage Association Collection, 1848-1921. http://
memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/nawbib:@field(NUMBER+@od1(rbnawsa+n3542))
Anthony, Susan B. An Account of the Proceedings on the Trial of Susan B. Anthony, on the Charge of Illegal Voting, at the Presidential Election in Nov. 1872, and on the Trial of Beverly W. Jones, Edwin T. Marsh and William B. Hall, the Inspectors of Election by Whom Her Vote
was Received. Rochester, NY: Daily Democrat and Chronicle Book Print, 1874. From the Library of Congress: Votes for Women: Selections from the National American Woman Suffrage Association Collection, 1848-1921. http://memory.loc.gov/cgibin/query/r?ammem/nawbib:@field(NUMBER+@od1(rbnawsa+n2152)).
Terrell, Mary Church. The Progress of Colored Women: An Address Delivered Before the National American Women’s Suffrage Association at
the Columbia Theater, Washington, D.C., February 18, 1889, on the Occasion of its Fiftieth Anniversary. Washington, D.C.: Smith
Brothers, Printers, 1898. From the Library of Congress: From Slavery to Freedom: The African-American Pamphlet Collection, 1824-1909. http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/rbaapcbib:@field(NUMBER+@od1(rbaapc+29101)).
Coffin, George Yost, artist. “The Apotheosis of Suffrage.” Drawing. Washington Post. January 26, 1896. From the Library of
Congress: By Popular Demand: “Votes for Women” Suffrage Pictures, 1850-1920. http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?
ammem/suffrg:@field(NUMBER+@band(cph+3a13267)).
Maynard, Mary Adams. “Women’s Votes. An Attack on the Programme of the Congressional Union.” Letter to the editor. The
Sun. New York, NY. June 12, 1916. From the Library of Congress: Chronicling America. http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/
lccn/sn83030272/1916-06-12/ed-1/seq-6/.
“Mississippi Rejects Suffrage Amendment, Opposed to Negro Women Voting.” Ohio State Monitor. Columbus, OH. February 7,
1920. From the Library of Congress: The African-American Experience in Ohio, 1850-1920. http://memory.loc.gov/cgibin/query/r?ammem/aaeo:@field(DOCID+@lit(o2866).
Vote No To Amendment Eight. Fourth Place on Ballot. Poster. San Francisco: Louis Roesch Co., October 1911. From the
Library of Congress: Women of Protest: Photographs from the Records of the National Woman's Party. http://www.loc.gov/
item/mnwp000333.
Gustin, E. W. Election Day! Print. ca. 1909. From the Library of Congress: Miscellaneous Items in High Demand. http://
www.loc.gov/pictures/item/97500226/.
“Copy of preamble and protest ... Brooklyn Auxiliary, New York State association opposed to the extension of suffrage to
women. [1894].” New York, 1894. From the Library of Congress: An American Time Capsule: Three Centuries of Broadsides
and Other Printed Ephemera. http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/rbpebib:@field(NUMBER+@band
(rbpe+1300130a)).
“The Remonstrance, Quarterly publication of Massachusetts Association Opposed to the Further Extension of Suffrage to Women.” The Remonstrance. Boston, MA. January 1909. From the Library of Congress: Miller NAWSA Suffrage Scrapbooks, 18971911. http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/h?ammem/rbcmillerbib:@field(DOCID+@lit(rbcmiller001235)).
Miller, Alice Duer. Are Women People? A Book of Rhymes for Suffrage Times. New York: George H. Doran Company, 1915. From
the Library of Congress: Votes for Women: Selections from the National American Woman Suffrage Association Collection,
1848-1921. http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/nawbib:@field(NUMBER+@od1(rbnawsa+n3348)).
Tucker, Henry St. George. Woman’s Suffrage by Constitutional Amendment. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1916. From the
Library of Congress: Votes for Women: Selections from the National American Woman Suffrage Association Collection, 18481921. http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/nawbib:@field(NUMBER+@od1(rbnawsa+n0450)).
Harris & Ewing. National Anti-Suffrage Association. Photograph. [1911?] From the Library of Congress: Miscellaneous Items in
High Demand. http://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/97500067/.
Preston, May Wilson, illustrator. How it Feels to be the Husband of a Suffragette, by Him. New York: George H. Doran Company,
1915. From the Library of Congress: National American Woman Suffrage Association Collection. http://memory.loc.gov/cgi
-bin/query/r?ammem/nawbib:@field(NUMBER+@od1(rbnawsa+n5726)).
Woman suffrage headquarters in Upper Euclid Avenue, Cleveland--A. (at extreme right) is Miss Belle Sherwin, President, National League of Women Voters; B. is Judge Florence E. Allen (holding the flag); C. is Mrs. Malcolm McBride. Photograph.
1912. From the Library of Congress: Miscellaneous Items in High Demand. http://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/97500065/.
Kirkland. “Woman suffrage in Wyoming Territory. -- Scene at the polls in Cheyenne. From a photo by Kirkland.” Frank Leslie’s
Illustrated Newspaper. New York. November 24, 1888. From the Library of Congress: Miscellaneous Items in High Demand.
http://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/92516129/. http://lcweb2.loc.gov/service/pnp/
cph/3c00000/3c06000/3c06100/3c06109v.jpg.
Margaret Whittemore campaigning in Oregon in white on platform. Photograph. 1914. From the Library of Congress: Women
of Protest: Photographs from the Records of the National Woman's Party. http://www.loc.gov/item/mnwp000343.
American Woman Suffrage Association. Constitution of the American Woman Suffrage Association and the History of its Formation: With
the Times and Places in which the Association has held Meetings up to 1880. Boston: G. H. Ellis, 1881. From the Library of Congress:
Votes for Women: Selections from the National American Woman Suffrage Association Collection, 1848-1921. http://
memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/nawbib:@field(NUMBER+@od1(rbnawsa+n8291)).
Mayer, Henry, artist. “The Awakening.” Print. February 20, 1915. From the Library of Congress: Miscellaneous Items in High
Demand. http://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/98502844/.
Part of the Vast Billboard Campaign of the Woman's Party. Putting up billboard in Denver-- 1916. Photograph. 1916. From
the Library of Congress: Women of Protest: Photographs from the Records of the National Woman's Party. http://
www.loc.gov/item/mnwp000345.
Harris & Ewing. Distributing hand bills advertising Inaugural Suffrage Parade and inviting everyone to participate Jan. [19]13.
Mrs. Wm Kent talking to ? [man not identified]. Photograph. Washington, D.C., January 1913. From the Library of Congress:
Records of the National Woman's Party. http://www.loc.gov/item/mnwp000336.
The Times Dispatch. “Colored Women in Suffrage Parade.” Richmond, VA. March 2, 1913. From Library of Congress: Chronicling America. http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn85038615/1913-03-02/ed-1/seq-2/.
Official program - Woman suffrage procession, Washington, D.C. March 3, 1913. Print. 1913. From the Library of Congress:
Miscellaneous Items in High Demand. http://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/94507639/.
Official program woman suffrage procession. Washington, D. C. March 13, 1913. Program. Washington, D.C., 1913. From
the Library of Congress: An American Time Capsule: Three Centuries of Broadsides and Other Printed Ephemera. http://
memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/rbpebib:@field(NUMBER+@band(rbpe+20801600)).
McCay, Winsor, artist. “Suffrage march line--How thousands of women parade today at Capitol.” Illustration. New York Evening
Journal. New York, NY. March 4, 1913. From the Library of Congress: Miscellaneous Items in High Demand. http://
www.loc.gov/pictures/item/2002716780/.
“Suffragettes - March to Wash. D.C. 1913.” Photograph. 1913. From the Library of Congress: George Grantham Bain Collection. http://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/2001704312/.
Buck, G. V. “Woman suffrage parade, Wash., D.C.” Photograph. 1913. From the Library of Congress: Miscellaneous Items in
High Demand. http://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/2013648100/.
Harris & Ewing. “Lincoln's birthday. On the banners during Congressional debate on whether we should enter the war.” Photograph. Washington, D.C., February 12, 1917. From the Library of Congress: Women of Protest: Photographs from the Records of the National Woman's Party. http://www.loc.gov/item/mnwp000226.
Harris & Ewing. “Sailors attacking pickets, 1917, while policemen look casually on-- (Two policemen leaning against fence at
left of street lamp pole on right).” Photograph. Washington, D.C., 1917. From the Library of Congress: Women of Protest:
Photographs from the Records of the National Woman's Party. http://www.loc.gov/item/mnwp000210.
Harris & Ewing. Police arresting party demonstrators outside Senate Office Building, Oct. 1918. Photograph. Washington,
D.C., October 1918. From the Library of Congress: Women of Protest: Photographs from the Records of the National Woman's Party. http://www.loc.gov/item/mnwp000302.
Evening Public Ledger. “Alice Paul Faces Six Months in Jail.” Philadelphia, PA. October 22, 1917. From Library of Congress:
Chronicling America. http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83045211/1917-10-22/ed-1/seq-1/.
Harris & Ewing. Vida Milholland [in jail cell]. Photograph. Washington, D.C., ca. July 4, 1917. From the Library of Congress:
Women of Protest: Photographs from the Records of the National Woman's Party. http://www.loc.gov/item/mnwp000252.
Harris & Ewing. Party watchfires burn outside White House, Jan. 1919. Photograph. Washington, D.C., January 1919. From
the Library of Congress: Women of Protest: Photographs from the Records of the National Woman's Party. http://
www.loc.gov/item/mnwp000303.
“Lucy Branham in Occoquan prison dress.” Photograph. 1919. From the Library of Congress: Women of Protest: Photographs
from the Records of the National Woman's Party. http://www.loc.gov/item/mnwp000304.
“Marching seven times around the walls of Jericho” Mar. 4, 1917. Photograph. Washington, D.C., March 4, 1917. From the
Library of Congress: Women of Protest: Photographs from the Records of the National Woman's Party. http://www.loc.gov/
item/mnwp000430.
National Photo Co. “[National Woman's Party activists watch Alice Paul sew a star onto the NWP Ratification Flag, representing another state's ratification of the 19th Amendment].” Photograph. Washington, D.C., ca. 1919-1920. From the Library of
Congress: Women of Protest: Photographs from the Records of the National Woman's Party. http://www.loc.gov/item/
mnwp000263.
National Photo Co. Republican [National] Convention, [Chicago, Illinois,] 1920. Photograph. Washington, D.C., June 8-12,
1920. From the Library of Congress: Women of Protest: Photographs from the Records of the National Woman's Party.
http://www.loc.gov/item/mnwp000260.
Evening Public Ledger. “Mrs. Warburton Votes Her Choice.” Philadelphia, PA. November 2, 1920. From Library of Congress:
Chronicling America. http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83045211/1920-11-02/ed-1/seq-2/.
National Photo Co. When Tennessee the 36th state ratified, Aug 18, 1920, Alice Paul, National Chairman of the Woman's
Party, unfurled the ratification banner from Suffrage headquarters. Photograph. Washington, D.C., August 18, 1920. From
the Library of Congress: Women of Protest: Photographs from the Records of the National Woman's Party. http://
www.loc.gov/item/mnwp000256.
Harris & Ewing. Alice Paul, Elizabeth Kalb, mailing invitations to conference to decide if [National Woman's] party will continue. Photograph. Washington, D.C., January-Feburary? 1921. From the Library of Congress: Women of Protest: Photographs from the Records of the National Woman's Party. http://www.loc.gov/item/mnwp000261.
Evening Public Ledger. “Even Baby Goes to the Polls.” Philadelphia, PA. November 2, 1920. From Library of Congress: Chronicling America. http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83045211/1920-11-02/ed-1/seq-1/.
Underwood & Underwood. Speaker Gillette, Jane Addams and Sarah Bard Field, the three Speakers at the Woman's Memorial Services in the Capitol on Tuesday evening, February 15, standing in Front of the Memorial Statue, which represents Susan
B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucretia Mott. Photograph. Washington, D.C., February 15, 1921. From the Library
of Congress: Women of Protest: Photographs from the Records of the National Woman's Party. http://www.loc.gov/item/
mnwp000246.
National Photo Co. Left to right: Adelaide Johnston, sculptor, Mrs. Lawrence [Dora] Lewis, Phila., Jane Addams. At time
statue was placed in capitol. Photograph. Washington, D.C., February 15,1921. From the Library of Congress: Women of
Protest: Photographs from the Records of the National Woman's Party. http://www.loc.gov/item/mnwp000245.