Women and The Vote
The Story of Women’s Suffrage in the Progressive Era
Women and the Vote
First Western nation to adopt suffrage New Zealand, 1893
First US state to allow women to vote NJ briefly (1776-1807) but really Wyoming 1869
Latest Western nation to adopt suffrage Liechtenstein, 1984
The Vote in the States
Suffrage movement successful in western states Wyoming in 1869 All but three western states by 1920
Reasons varied Women had more influence in frontier Anti-suffragists less organized Well-run grassroots campaigns
Majority of states has have women participating in at least some elections by 1920
Early Suffrage Movement
Seneca Falls, 1848 Elizabeth Cady Stanton Susan B. Anthony
Early work combined suffrage with abolition, temperance and other reforms
Suffragists outraged that 14th and 15th Amendments ignored women
Early Suffrage Movement
1890: National American Woman Suffrage Association (NAWSA) Anna Howard Shaw; Carrie
Chapman Catt Focus on changing state
constitutions Amendment to US Constitution
deemed impossible
Critical Thinking
Why would people be opposed to women having the right to vote?
The Anti-Suffragists
Feared what women would do with vote “Hysterical” nature Changing relations at home
Feared suffrage would lead to full voting rights for blacks Democrats needed South
Since many women active in Temperance movement, feared alcohol would be banned
Alice Paul
Born and raised in NJ
Spent time in UK and witnessed radical suffragists
Began to agitate for change to US Constitution
National Women’s Party (NWP)
March in Washington, 1913
Organized by Paul to coincide with Wilson’s Inauguration
Women marched up Pennsylvania Avenue
Onlookers got violent, shouting names and then attacking suffragists
Wonderful publicity for movement
Critical Thinking
Alice Paul split with NAWSA over goals and tactics. Which approach do you think would be more effective?
National Campaign
Wilson at first opposed to suffrage
Women (mostly western voters) influential in his re-election campaign in 1916
Women expect Wilson to embrace suffrage movement
National Campaign
Wilson still refuses to endorse suffrage
US enters “Great War” in 1917
Alice Paul turns to more radical tactics Pickets “Silent Sentinels” Civil disobedience
National Campaign
Paul and other suffragettes arrested
Mistreated in prison Paul goes on hunger strike Scandal
Wilson endorses suffrage as necessity of wartime 19th Amendment passed in 1920
Critical Thinking
Why do you think the suffrage movement was ultimately successful?
Lessons
Suffrage campaigns well organized and executed
Experience in western states made suffrage less of impossibility
Effective use of civil disobedience and media attention