"Remember the Ladies, and be more generous and favorable to them than your ancestors....Remember all men would be tyrants if they could. If particular care and attention is not paid to the Ladies we are determined to format a Rebellion, and will not hold ourselves bound by any laws in which we have no voice or representation." ~Abigail Adams writing to John Adams (Women's suffrage 12)
Social: Before the civil war, women were expected to stay home and take care of domestic duties. However, by the late 19th century many families couldn't afford to do this anymore so it became a necessity that women also worked. Public education for women had a slow development but as it came along, private institutions taught women. After the private institutions, women started to teach themselves how to read, if they did not already know. By teaching themselves they were able to accomplish much more. For instance, by making clubs or groups to teach themselves they were also able to sew and accomplish other domestic tasks, as well as studying and learning useful books. These groups also discussed issues and topics of that time. Since women's rights became a popular topic within these groups, it became a goal for the women of America to achieve equal rights rather than just a dream.
Seneca Falls Convention
Elizabeth Stanton and Lucretia Mott met and began to come up with ideas for a Declaration of Sentiments, that was based off of the Declaration of Independence, for the Seneca Falls convention. They thought that if they based it off of the Declaration of Independence, then it would be given more credibility and acknowledgement since it is similar to the document that started this country. "We hold these truths to be self evident: that all men and women are created equal"(Declaration of Sentiments and Resolutions, Seneca Falls:Stanton and Anthony Papers Online). The document listed all of women's grievances and how they were treated inferentially to men. It also listed all of the rights that women should be getting in order to achieve equality amongst all people.
The document consisted of political, social, and economic rights: Economic: for women to be able to hold property Social: women were aloud to speak their minds, seek higher education, and be treated equally Political (most controversial): the right to vote Many people thought that the idea of women's suffrage was too risky and that it would "derail" the entire convention because people wouldn't want to fight for such an obscure request.
Economic: Working in the Industry became a much more popular field, even though men's labor unions excluded them from working. Between one and five American women held jobs at the turn of the century and 25% of those women worked in manufacturing. The garment trade was one of the most popular and about half of all women working in industries worked in that field. Although it didn't require as much skill, they only got paid half of what men did because people assumed the working women were single and only had to provide for themselves, whereas men needed to provide for their whole family. Many non-educated women worked on the farms doing domestic tasks or went to cities in search for jobs there such as maids or dish washers. One of the greatest influences leading to the vocal demands for change was the economic success in the country in this time. This created a bigger need for more educated women so that they could work. As industrial factories started to expand all around America, so did job opportunities for women. There also started to become a higher demand for teachers which was one of the few jobs that women could do. Due to this demand, women needed to be well educated so that they could be educated enough to teach the future generations.
Political: Although women did not have any political rights, they still became actively involved in the abolitionist movement. Women became frustrated that they did not have any political say nor the right to vote. In May, 1838 the Anti-Slavery Convention of Women, started much controversy because many people felt strongly that women shouldn't have a political say. People were so angered that women were trying to have a say in society that people created angry mobs and burned down the building. Also, at the World Anti-Slavery Conference in 1840, women were not allowed to sit with men and debate over the issues discussed because of their gender. This caused a huge amount of frustration for women because they knew it was unfair that they were not allowed to fight for what they believed in because of their sex. "Every high and every holy motive urges us forward, and we dare not refuse to obey"(Women's Suffrage 41). In Susan T. Smith's address at the convention, she counteracts all of the doubts and concerns of what that meeting had to accomplish. She clears up what women are actually trying to accomplish, which is just to be treated equally next to their fellow male citizens. Not to be considered superior. At the convention, there was some doubt about what the women were actually trying to fight for. Some thought that that they were trying to be seen as superior to men. However, all they really wanted was to be considered equal to men.
Analysis
Throughout the many efforts towards achieving equal rights with men, women had trouble being taken seriously since they had always been viewed as weaker and less intelligent to men. Also, when women first started trying to make a difference, they had to start out rather small, such as making small discussion groups that would eventually lead into larger groups which eventually lead into conventions. In both movements, actions towards creating an equal nation had to start off with the small things like conventions, speeches, etc. to then increase as time went on, in order to gradually get people accustomed to this idea of equal rights.