Asma Sajid
HIST330
Professor Feely
October 29, 2020
Women Between 1848-1920
Race, ethnicity, economic class, or region impacted women’s concerns in the period 1848-1920 in various ways. These are all evident from the following primary source; Susan B. Anthony “Trial” (Reader/Module 6 Readings) and Nannie Burroughs “Black Women and the Suffrage” (TWE 459). The following analysis briefly summarizes all the challenges that women faced in that period and how they rose against the male domination against them. The analysis puts across the work of females in different regions with the class or without, white or even black. All the women united for their legal rights to be heard and for women to be considered of importance in society too.
The second unit was between 1848-1920. In this period, women do seek their right to vote and later on being granted this civil right (Linder). How did these women get their right to be able to vote? All these were struggles that the women faced. 1920 was a very important year for the women because they were able to achieve the right to vote this way in the 19th amendment. All these began in the upstate New York town of Seneca Falls. This is because the Women’s Rights Movement did begin there. Two very important women are the main contributors or founders of this movement and do their best to enable the rights of women to be achieved and that is Susan B Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton. These two women were leaders and were behind the Seneca Fall convention.
After Cady was married and started her journey in the new life, she found it not quite pleasing she “felt like a caged lion who had domestic chores to perform and duties that came along with it since she also had kids.” She felt like she had a mental hunger this made her plan the convention at Seneca Falls. In her declaration of the truth, women are created equal and that women would not submit to any. She chose the Declaration of Independence because of how known it is to the people but especially for the way it speaks of the rights in it and the revolutions it has undergone.
In this document that Stanton proposes that women would one day oppose the reign of men and be able to be by themselves. She had hoped that one day women would be able to resist the male regime on them. Stanton expressed her grievances to society and how women can fight for women’s rights. Stanton said and quoted that men have prevented women from exercising their elective rights. She was concerned about how women were undergoing suffrage and that women had no voice in politics. In the system that they were undergoing, the husband was given much power over the woman. The husband was able to beat the wife and was legally allowed. If the woman was to divorce the husband, then the dire consequences that would follow were the wife would leave the custody of her children. Since divorce was quite difficult and hard to come to go through especially for the women making them stay in such marriages for the love of their children and some because justice was hard to come by.
Women were not able to get good jobs because of the poor wages being given to them unfairly. Women could not be lawyers and doctors either which is underestimating what the women could do and it was truly unfair. They could not either go to college because they were women. Stanton was very much affected by this since she considered herself highly intelligent to be able to attend college.
There was also a different code of morals for men and women which were biased. A good example is when men engage in prostitution or cheat on their wives it would be considered a normal deed. They will not be judged unlike if women engage in such acts it will be like breaking a law (TWE 399-401). All that she ever wanted was for women to live in political, social, and economic equality. They knew that people would not take kindly to what they were planning to do. So, they would employ agents, hand out petitions, and use the press for their benefit. Public opinion was very much important and needed all the participants that they could acquire.
Susan B. Anthony then heard of all the convention by Stanton and so looked for she never got married because in her opinion if she got married, she would be the maid or a pet. All these depended on whether she would marry poor or rich.
The conflict in 1850 was so much threatening. This was affected by everyone. Several soldiers died and some due to infections that they had acquired and transmitted to each other. They were limited to medical resources and that was when Dorothea Dix steeped in. She was a nurse and was to help those unwell and injured during the war since she was a nurse. Clara Barton is known to have founded the Red Cross Foundation which was to assist during the war when she gathered all the food and supply for the wars.
Women are seen to be of help during the war period in many ways. They used clean bandages and collect them roll straps too. This did reduce the rate of infections. The women’s efforts get to be noticed and they are praised since they supported their soldiers. They even get noticed and praised by the president. This gives them an upper hand to be able to collect more petitions which will help them end slavery. 1860s women also underwent restrictive dressing. They were not allowed to dress as men either and for Waksman, she did feel free as a hog on ice wearing pants. Slave women served as spies during the war. Slaves are then allowed to participate in the military that was in 1863.
Former slaves were given access to education to be able to read and write. This enables the slaves to be given more opportunities even freedom of their religion. President Lincoln died and the next president did not completely embrace such changes of freedom of slaves and women. Blacks are being mistreated and the rights not being protected. The 14th Amendment states that those born in America will acquire American citizenship naturally by birth. They would have privileges for those other citizens. “But since this amendment was not unifying at all and satisfying, they then amended the 15th one which emphasizes votes”. This meant that even the black people could vote they did not include women. Susan and her sisters dared to vote following their privileges from the 14th amendment and voted. They broke the law apparently and is sentenced.
People believe that most opportunities are found in the West this is hoped to be the same for women there. Women were captured and held against their own as a prostitute. This act was known as white slavery. The diversity in class and race was evident. Racism was practiced that even the Chinese individuals were to be but in separate schools from the Americans and this was not taken likely. Mary Tape being a brave and boldfaced legal way to get equal treatment for her child in school. Women had to obey their fathers, husbands, and first elders son. Race, class, and gender were extremely critical topics. Blacks and whites were racially discriminated against and treated unfairly too.
The industrialization has come along and greatly expanded also has been warmly embraced. The lame idea of women still being domestic workers has not changed yet. This change will, later, be noticed when economic challenges force them to work in them. The women will engage in this work, which is hazardous, dangerous, and deadly. The class was distinguished here there were the haves and the have nots. These wealthy people owned lots of property and the laborers and those working were treated like slaves. They would work all day without rest inequality to them was a good thing during this period while other people strived to be like them. Women formed labor unions though in many cases were not warmly welcomed. The women advocated for better working conditions. This was mainly for women themselves. They wanted an end of working at night for the mothers to have time for their families. They wanted pregnant women to be regularly be checked by doctors.
“The women then united further to form the clubwomen” (Lecture 14, Women and the West). After the civil war, the women realized they were bound together more in groups thus forming so many of them. They cared for the poor, education, and morality. In the progressive era is the time when …. Jane Addams was fascinated with living with the poor and opened such houses. Wealthy women would then teach and offer various support to the poor. They reduced the social classes in America. Addams was the garbage inspector and inspired several women to do the same. She maintained hygiene in the streets of the poor. The racial uplift was headed there since schools were created even for the blacks. They acquired education and skills. Madam C.J Walker discouraged racism.
Finally, women are allowed to vote, and the dream of Stanton is achieved. Women have become brave and vocal in society and have taken over most especially the non-organizations. The women get to understand the importance of their rights. In this era, several female graduates motivate feminists’ groups. A lot of challenges were faced for women to be treated equally. Racism and the rise of classes were abolished. Inequality among women also reduced. Women proved themselves worthy by fighting for their physical rights. They have even been hired to work in military ranks. The 19th amendment states how women have achieved their goals which were initiated by Stanton.
Work Cited
DuBois, Ellen Carol, and Lynn Dumenil. Through Women’s Eyes: an American History: with Documents. Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2019.
Linder, D. (2007). The Trial of Susan B. Anthony for Illegal Voting. SSRN Electronic Journal. DOI: 10.2139/ssrn.1022997
Lecture 14, Women and the West; https://www.youtu.be/SJBawSuIe70