The Equal Rights Amendment:
Why Did it Fail?
The Idea of Equality
• How would you describe the idea of equality?
– Are all people truly created equal?
– How does the state attempt to ensure equal rights for
its citizens?
– Is there a difference between social equality and legal
equality?
• Now… let’s take a look at the Equal Rights
Amendment that was sent out for ratification in
1972
Equal Rights Amendment
 What problems
would an equal
rights amendment
address?
•
•
How many states failed to ratify the amendment?
How many states must ratify an amendment in order for it to go into effect?
What the Constitution States…
Slide # 1
• Why did some
women oppose an
equal rights
amendment?
Slide # 2
• Play the video by
clicking on the above
button.
– What are Mrs.
Schlafly’s objections
to the ERA?
– Summarize Dr.
Scott’s reaction to
Mrs. Schlafly’s
comments.
Slide # 3
• How could the ERA
potentially affect
government in a
negative way?
Slide # 4
• Which groups of
Americans were
most likely to
support the ERA?
• Which groups were
least likely to
support the ERA?
Slide # 5
• In what ways would the ERA violate socially
accepted/understood norms of the times?
Slide # 6
• According to Reese, why did the E.R.A. fail?
Slide # 7
Why might
some states
ratify and later
rescind
their ratification
votes?
Slide # 8
• Click the above button to find a brochure authored
by the National Council of Catholic Women:
– Summarize the arguments made against the ERA in this
brochure.
THE SUMMARY
1: Identify the potential social problems that would be created by the Equal Rights
Amendment
2: List evidence of the social problems using the:
“Viewing Worksheets”
LINKS
DEFINE THE SOCIAL PROBLEM
GATHER EVIDENCE FOR THE SOCIAL PROBLEM
Student Assignments
After defining the problem and gathering the evidence, form a
team of 3-4. Then, use your skills of collaboration to:
1. Draft a new Equal Rights Amendment to be sent out to
the states for ratification
–
–
Goal: Improve upon the original text of the amendment
drafted in 1923 to hopefully earn ratification of the 38 states
necessary
Take into account the initial concerns that contributed to the
failure to ratify
2. Create materials for a PR campaign sponsored by the
National Organization for Women (NOW) that promotes
the passage of the new and improved ERA.
–
Examples include: Brochures, buttons/pins, editorials, 30second advertisements, etc.