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The Declaration of Independance
The Declaration of independence declared independence from Great Britain for the American colonies. It also declared that "We the people" are created equal, and have unalienable rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. The Declaration of independence influenced woman's rights movements with the discussions of rights and equality in the text. -
The First Women's Right's Convention (The Seneca Falls Convention)
The first women's rights convention was held on July 19-20, 1848 in New York. There were 300 attendees. Important people such as organizers Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and Lucretia Mott attended. Frederick Douglass, 68 women, and 32 men signed the "Declaration of Sentiments" which started many years of activism and progress. That is why it's important to the women's rights movement, because it eventually led to many women's victories, such as the 19th amendment being ratified. -
Elizabeth Cady Stanton
She was one of the first and founding members of the women's suffrage movement.She was the president of "the National American Woman Suffrage Association". She was one of the organizers of the Seneca Falls Convention, and she's significant to the women's rights and suffrage movement because she signed the "Declaration of sentiments", which was a big turning point in these movements because it started progress with these movements. -
Ain't I A Woman?
This speech was given by Sojourner Truth. She talks about how black women should be treated equally as white women and that all women should be equal to men. She advocates for civil rights movements, and women's rights and suffrage movements. She became important in these movements because of this speech. -
The 1913 Women's Suffrage Parade
Thousands of women got together in Washington D.C to "call for a constitutional amendment guaranteeing women the right to vote." They held this parade a day before the inauguration of President-elect Woodrow Wilson. Many spectators saw them, and some were very violent. This parade was important because it gave the movement for woman's suffrage inspiration, and eventually led women to achieving their goal for the Nineteenth Amendment being ratified. -
Margaret Sanger
Margaret Sanger was an advocate for women's reproductive rights. She led the birth control movement in the U.S and later opened the first birth control clinic in the country. The clinic was however raided, and she had to close it due to legal threats because she fought against the "Cornstock laws". She later founded the American Birth Control League, which is the precursor of Planned Parenthood. Through her efforts, contraceptives became legal and widely used in the U.S. -
19th Amendment Ratification
The 19th Amendment was ratified on August 18, 1920. The ratification of this Amendment granted women the right to vote legally. This was a big milestone, and it was very important to the women's rights and suffrage movement because it is a victory in woman suffrage. All the protesting, struggle, and fighting for this suffrage led to this victory. -
Frida Kahlo
She was born in Mexico. She was a painter whose paintings often focused on female issues and experiences. These issues included abortion, miscarriage, breastfeeding, birth, etc. By doing this, she gave women the courage to speak about any difficulties that they faced. AN example of this would be Salma Hayek, who was inspired because of Frida Kahlo. She impacted the women's rights movement in this way. -
Simone de Beauvoir
She was a philosopher, writer, and activist born in Paris. Her book, "The Second Sex" (1949), had a global impact and helped make groundbreaking ideas about modern feminism. It "marked the second wave of feminism" across the world, criticized the patriarchy, explains her disagreement with ideas that women are "inferior" to men, and that women should only have a "passive role in society". She fought for personal freedoms and she was important in "the global movement for the empowerment of women." -
Equal Pay Act
President Kennedy signed the Equal Pay Act on June 10, 1963. This act "prohibits arbitrary discrimination against women in the payment of wages." This was an important step for women because even though economic equality isn't fully achieved, it protected women by letting them work and be paid fairly, and it increased wages for women and the amount of women in poverty decreased. This act was signed because of all the efforts of women in fighting for their rights. -
Testimony Before the Senate Hearings on the Equal Rights Amendment
This speech was given by Gloria Steinem. She talks about the myths that are made about women, and also explains how they're harmful to women. She gives multiple examples of the myths made about women, and she explains how and why they're wrong. This speech is important for the women's rights movement and it supports the Equal Rights Amendment because it gives everyone a look into how a lot of the issues women face stem from "the same sex-based" myths. -
Shirley Chilsom’s Presidential Announcement Speech
She was the first black woman elected in the United States Congress in 1968, and the first woman and black person to run for the Democratic party’s presidential nomination in 1972. This speech is about changing American politics, and bringing a divided nation together. Another big reason for this speech is giving women/women of color a voice in politics. It's important for the women's rights movement because she showed a powerful statement that women could be leaders, and it inspired many women. -
Title IX Is Signed
Title IX is of the Education Amendments. This title states, "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." It was signed into law by President Richard Nixon. This was important because it gave women more opportunity and participation, while protecting them from discrimination. -
Audre Lorde
An important revolutionary, poet, and feminist. Considered legally blind, and grew up with a speech impediment, and wrote many important writings. “The Master's Tools Will Never Dismantle the Master's House,” explained how feminists need to recognize differences among women, and use it as a source of power, not division. She made arguments on how women need to bring all of themselves to the movement, that diversity, difference and inclusion "should be the lifeblood of the feminist movement." -
Harvey Weinstein is my monster too
An article written by Salma Hayek. She opens up about her experience with Harvey Weinstein and how he sexually harassed, and abused her. She says how opening up about this story was difficult/painful because she thought her voice wouldn't make a difference, and that it was not important. She saw how so many women were opening up about an experience similar to hers, so she tried to "confront her cowardice" and finally speak up. She gave women the courage to speak up, and believe in their voice. -
The Gendered History of Human Computers
This text is about women's accomplishments, and how they evolved software and other technology, but didn't receive credit for it. Also on how these jobs would be given to women because it was seen as “dull”, and people don't take women seriously and respect them much in the workplace. It's important for the women's rights movement because it shows how women have accomplished many things before and how they also faced challenges of gendered stereotypes, and it inspires for the effort of equality. -
Gloria's (America Ferrera's) monologue in Barbie
Gloria describes the struggles that come with being a woman by using words that explain how impossible it is to be a woman, because it always seems like we're doing it wrong. She uses many sentences that contradict each other to prove this such as "be thin, but not too thin". This monologue supports the women's rights movement because it explains how hard being a woman is because of the system, and how we always feel like we have to be extraordinary.