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Katrina Barclay HIS 200: Applied History Southern New Hampshire University October 25 th , 2023 Final Draft Despite the clear separation between men and women, there was still motivation to continuously fight for freedoms and rights. The Seneca Falls Convention was the turning point for women to rally and protest for change which sparked the continuation of those efforts in future generations. History has shown to often become a lesson learned for our societal growth and change, unfortunately it occurs after constant demoralization of a group of people. In the 19 th century, women started speaking out against their unequal treatment and unfair representation claiming it was unconstitutional causing women to feel they need their rights to be declared and defined by the government. This movement lasted for decades through generations of women and continue to be a topic of debate in present day. The pivotal moment for this movement was inevitably the Seneca Falls Convention in Seneca Falls, New York in 1848. An event where exclusively women were invited to attend to discuss current social, civil and religious conditions and the rights women currently held. It was here they created a list of demands called the Declaration of Sentiments, modeling the Declaration of Independence. This document demanded more educational and professional opportunities for women and the rights of a married women to have control of their own wages and property. After this convention, the women’s rights movement

was officially launched as more attention and support was being given to the issues raised in the debate. In the Exeter Hall of London in June 1840, there was an event organized by the British and Foreign Anti-Slavery Society. On behalf of English Quaker Joseph Sturge, the World Anti- Slavery Convention was held for the first time to universally end slavery and support protection of the rights of African Americans (History.com Editors (2022, March 9)). This convention was largely attended by both men and women, although women delegates were excluded from the convention and denied access to the overall discussion. Included in those women were Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucretia Mott, who were active participants throughout the abolitionist movement. After the World Anti-Slavery Convention, the two women joined together to hold a women’s rights convention of their own. Since the 1830’s, women in America had been speaking out on moral and political issues surrounding their rights and freedoms. In New York, there was serious debate on reforming laws that challenged equality for women dealing with owning property considered as a married woman (History.com Editors (2022, March 9)). The topic of women’s rights was a controversial one by 1848, with women frustrated and exhausted with their routine roles of stay-at-home mothers raising children and taking care of the family home. This animosity towards the clear inequality between the genders was felt nationwide among majority of women at the time (Parker, A. M. (2008)). In preparation for the Seneca Falls Convention of 1848, Stanton recruited and convinced four other women to help organize the convention and write the main manifesto, the Declaration of Sentiments. Stanton alongside Lucretia Mott convinced three other women to help them execute this plan: Mary M’Clintock, Martha Coffin Wright and Jane Hunt. Elizabeth Cady Stanton became invested in women’s rights after studying the topic with her law professor father

and his students, foreshadowing her leading role as a women’s rights advocate and the driving organizer of the Seneca Falls Convention. Lucretia Mott was a Quaker preacher who was known for her support in anti-slavery movements alongside her sister, Martha Coffin Wright, who was a lifelong proponent for women’s rights and an active abolitionist who ran a station for the Underground Railroad from her Auburn, New York home. Mary M’Clintock was a Quaker who was raised on beliefs on anti-slavery, temperance and women’s rights and became an activist in all settings, she was also appointed as secretary during the Seneca Falls Convention. Jane Hunt was a member of M’Clintocks extended family making her a Quaker as well as an abolitionist and was raised on the same vales as Mary (Parker, A. M. (2008)). Together, these five women drafted a notice to announce their intentions to hold a convention to discuss “the social, civic and religious conditions and rights of Women” and created the Declaration of Sentiments, a manifesto that described women’s grievances and demands (History.com Editors (2022, March 9)). Up until this point in history, women were perceived as property to their husbands or fathers, used for sexual gratification, made to perform all house duties daily and were denied access to education and simple social rights like owning property. Women were denied the right to vote, forcing them to submit to laws and regulations they did not consent to, also given an inferior position in the church. Furthermore, women were required to be obedient to their husbands whether the situation was abusive or not and were restricted from gaining their own earned wages. Those who did earn wages received unequal pay that eventually went to their husbands (Abbot, F., & Brady, H. (n.d.)). The efforts made to revise this social and political norm of America were ultimately ignored until the drafting of the Declaration of Sentiments. From July 19 th till July 20 th of 1848, the Seneca Falls Convention was help at the Wesleyan Chapel in Seneca Falls, New York with about 300 people who attended. At first, only women were allowed

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to join, but the next day they opened to the men attempting to support the cause. Elizabeth Cady Stanton was quoted saying, “We are assembled to protest against a form of government, existing without the consent of the governed—to declare our right to be free as man is free, to be represented in the government which we are taxed to support, to have such disgraceful laws as give man the power to chastise and imprison his wife, to take the wages which she earns, the property which she inherits, and, in case of separation, the children of her love.” ( Parker, A. M. 2008). This statement defines the inequality among men and women and explains the purpose and goals of the convention. The drafting of the Declaration of Sentiments instilled importance into the convention, giving women a reason and a start to a fight for their constitutionally guaranteed and respected rights as an equal citizen of the United States. The document stated, “We hold these truths to be self- evident; that all men and women are created equal,” which is inspired by the Declaration of Independence, asserts the need for women’s equality in politics, family, education, the workforce, religious and moral workings. This Declaration began with nineteen “abuses and usurpations” that were believed to be used to lessen a women’s confidence in her own self and was proven to decline herself respect making her willing to lead a dependent and unjust life. Then, there were eleven resolutions that demanded women be referred to as a man’s equal which put men in a potion to hold no type of authority over women ( History.com Editors (2022, March 9)) . The most controversial resolution that was demanded was the right to vote. Specifically, because it was a secure way to obtain representation in elected positions of politics, this resolution led to many supporters to withdraw from the movement. However, it was this demand that became the cornerstone of the women’s suffrage movement, even gaining traction as

Fredrick Douglass, an African American abolitionist. Who gave many speeches in defense of women’s right to vote believing rights are universal regardless of race or gender, helping to eventually lead the rights to become passed ( Abbot, F., & Brady, H. (n.d.)) . Although it was an effort made by a small group, it went on to create a mass discussion on the rights women were deserved to have. Two weeks after the Seneca Falls Convention on August 2 nd , 1848, they reconvened in Rochester, New York to reaffirm the goals of the movement with a larger audience to gain the attention of more leaders and create a new perspective for more people to take on. Over the next few decades other historically influential events took place with the National Women’s Rights Convention taking place in 1850 and the establishment of the National Council of Women and the National American Woman Suffrage Association (History.com Editors (2022, March 9)) . The Seneca Falls Convention was the steppingstone event to the larger historical movement for Women’s Rights and gave women a guide to fight for their rights. This event sparked controversy and support alike across the nation and continued to remain a struggle for decades until its ultimate resolution in 1920 when the Nineteenth Amendment was finally ratified (Abbot, F., & Brady, H. (n.d.)) . The Women’s Suffrage Movement was a monumental, organized movement that defined how women were allowed to live. If not for the Seneca Falls Convention, the movement may not have gained the traction it needed. The Suffrage Movement is the reason women today can live peacefully knowing their rights are protected, able to study for careers and get married and divorced if they feel inclined. Some things we may take for granted like the ability to speak out against a wrongful husband, or the opportunity to own your own home as a single or married woman. As a woman myself, these topics are important as women like all people deserve rights. However, the Women’s Rights Movement gives new insight into the true battle women endured

for their right to be human and citizens as well as a view into those who felt otherwise. I was able to gain a better understanding for the origins of the movement and in turn a better understanding for the driving force behind the passion held during this time. Being this research was done on the beginning of the Suffrage Movement, there’s plenty to explore from in pursuing further studies on the movement. Although the movement altogether was a struggle nonetheless, it was the pure desire and want for something more that gave these women the power to make it happen. I believe nothing would have stopped them, even if we were still fighting today. (Parker, A. M. (2008)) (Abbot, F., & Brady, H. (n.d.)) (History.com Editors (2022, March 9))

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Refrences  Abbot, F., & Brady, H. (n.d.). Women’s Suffrage: Campaign for the Nineteenth Amendment . https://dp.la/primary-source-sets/women-s-suffrage-the-campaign-for-the-nineteenth- amendment  History.com Editors (2022, March 9). Seneca Falls Convention. HISTORY. https://www.history.com/topics/womens-history/seneca-falls-convention#  Parker, A. M. (2008). The Seneca Falls Convention of 1848: A Pivotal Moment in Nineteenth-Century America. Reviews in American History, 36(3), 341–348. https://doi- org.ezproxy.snhu.edu/10.1353/rah.0.0037  Seneca County (NY) Courier. (1999). Seneca Falls Convention (1848). In American Journey . Women in America . Primary Source Media. https://link-gale- com.ezproxy.snhu.edu/apps/doc/EJ2161000039/UHIC?u=nhc_main&sid=bookmark- UHIC&xid=7f2b8cd7  Women’s Suffrage and the 19th Amendment. (2021, June 2). https://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/woman-suffrage