Now we can begin
By: Alicia Reynolds
The historical background
• The historical background of the speech
“Now we can begin” deals with the
nineteenth amendment. The nineteenth
amendment states that The right of citizens
of the United States to vote shall not be
denied or abridged by the United States or
by any State on account of sex.
• Before this had got established Women was
salves to men and could not vote. All they
where saw as was housekeepers, children,
and for the men’s pleasure
Summary
• In the speech “Now we can begin” Crystal
Eastman stated that in the 1920’s the
Tennessee legislature finally enacted the
Federal suffrage amendment aka the
nineteenth amendment. This amendment
was to give freedom to women and give us
the right to vote. The freedom where they
don’t have to be slaves to their men. They
could work and do as they please as long as
they followed the law.
• In the speech Crystal Eastman ask what is
wrong with us woman and our freedom?
And her answer was they don’t know how to
arrange the world so that women can be
human beings, with a chance to exercise their
infinitely varied gifts in infinitely varied ways.
• The point of view of this speech is first
person
• Appeal to emotion- Crystal Eastman
was trying to explain to everyone
that woman can be more than house
keepers, and mother.
• Testimonial-In the speech she makes
a point that woman and men can
make a better house hold if both of
them work together and not let the
man overpower.
• My reaction to this speech was it was
shameful to know that back then us woman
was nothing. This speech was effected by me
because it made me think how lucky we are
today to be able to do as we please, be what
we want, and to vote.
Why I think this speech was so
effective.
In the speech crystal Eastman’s friends that
protested with her said ”Woman does not live
by bread alone. What she needs first of all is a
free soul And I can agree that women will
never be great until they achieve a certain
emotional freedom, a strong healthy
egotism” This words right here I believe had
the most effect on me.
• I support crystal Eastman opinion about the
freedom and rights of woman. The reason
why I support her opinion because I put my
self in her spot and I couldn’t imagine how
horrible it had to be to slave for her husband
and just have kids and be housekeeper.
My thoughts on this topic.
• My thoughts over this topic is I’m proud
of this woman and all the other woman
for helping us get out of slavery and
making a point that we need to have
rights as well.
• I hope this presentation
helps all the woman that
didn’t know about the
suffrage and show them
how things use to be before
this woman and the others
helped us get out.
• http://womenshistory.about.com/lib
rary/etext/bl_eastman_crystal_1920.
htm