1920

19th Amendment

Suffrage: the right to voteFor Against

• Everyone should have equal rights

• Women should have the right to life, liberty, and property

• More voices in government

• Too stupid• Too weak minded to deal with

politics• Would be distracted from

domestic roles• Would become too masculine• Men/Husbands represent

their opinions

Women Activist: Two Opposing ViewsCarrie Chapman Catt Alice Paul

Gain Right Slowly State by State (Conservative)

Already Voting in the west-Wyoming 1st State to grant the right

Older

• Immediately• Constitutional Amendment• Younger

NATIONAL AMERICAN WOMEN SUFFRAGE ASSOCIATION

• Alice Paul joined the National American Woman Suffrage Association (NAWSA) and was appointed Chairwoman of their Congressional Committee in Washington, DC.

• Her job was to organize a parade in DC the day before President Wilson's inauguration.

• Parade was a success, however….

BREAK FROM NAWSA

• Tension soon arose between Paul and Catt. • Alice Paul broke from the NAWSA in 1916 and her own

party with the National Women’s Party (NWP) pushing for a Constitutional amendment (what NAWSA had failed to do)

• This party focused on the early principles of women rights- activists like Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Stanton.

Why is an Amendment so hard to get?

• 2/3 of Congress need to propose the Amendment

• ¾ of the states have to ratify the amendment

19th Amendment• Signed into law on August

26th, 1920• Gave women the right to

vote• “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”

The fight continues for equal rightsAftermath of the 19th Amendment

Changing Rights in the 1960’s

Workplace

• 43% of women work by 1969 compared to 20% 1940

• By 1960 over 30% of married women worked

-up 15% from 1940

The Feminine Mystique

• Author: Betty Friedan

• This book challenged the 1950s image of women as the happy, suburban housewife.

• Lead to the second wave of feminism and helped spark the women’s liberation movement of the 1970s.

National Organization of Women (NOW)

• 1966• Largest organization for

women today• Helped fight for equality in

the workplace, birth control & pregnancy rights, against sexism and discrimination, etc.

• Today has expanded to include rights of homosexuals

Title IXPassed in 1972. Clear up some controversy with Civil Rights Act.Some argued Act did not give enough equal rights

to women.

“No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be

denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance...”

Title IX• Title IX: Law that prohibits gender discrimination in athletics

and other academics for schools or institutions that receive federal funding.

• Must have equal funding for men and women’s sports as well as have equal opportunities to play sports

• Was to help women get into college and increase participation in sports and other activities.

Obama speaks about Title IX

Effect today

WNBA and WPS• Without Title IX these leagues do not exist as they

are an extension of women’s collegiate sports.

• Some argue it is unfair today that men and women’s sports receive the same benefits since men’s sports bring in more revenue.

Equal Rights Amendment• ERA: written by Alice Paul failed to pass as an

amendment guaranteeing equal rights to women under law.

• The ERA was passed out of Congress in 1972 and has been ratified by 35 of the necessary 38 states.

• Advocates argue ERA would ensure:– Equal rights on the basis of uniform–Help solve inconsistency with cases of sex

discrimination (IE- the workplace)

Gloria Steinem

• Journalist, feminist and activist

• Spokeswoman for the Women’s Liberation Movement

• Campaigned for the Equal Rights Amendment

Roe v. Wade (1973)

• Roe, a Texas resident, wanted to terminate her pregnancy by abortion. At this time they were not allowed under Texas law except to save the pregnant woman's life.

• Roe argued that the right to privacy through due process of the 14th Amendment should extend to the decision to have an abortion.

• Filed Lawsuit- The Supreme Court had to decide if the Constitution supported a woman's right to terminate her pregnancy by abortion?

Roe v. Wade Decision

• 7 votes for Roe, 2 vote(s) against• During the first Trimester of pregnancy,

abortion was permitted without any interference with the state.

• During the second trimester, a state could regulate them for safety but could not prohibit abortion.

• During the third trimester, an abortion is illegal except if the mother’s life is in danger

Court Case Significance

• Effectively legalized abortions throughout the country

• Allowed women to have freedom over their bodies. This right to an abortion fell within their right to privacy protected by the Fourteenth Amendment.