A Women’s Rights Movement

By JohnBohls

  • Relevant Laws: 1769

    The US Colonies adopt the English system decreeing women cannot own property in their own name or keep their own earnings.

  • Relevant Laws: 1777

    All States pass laws which revokes women’s right to vote.

  • Relevant Laws: 1809

    Mary Kies, the first women in the US to receive a federal patent.

  • Purpose/Focus 1820s through 1920

    Main focus of women’s rights was for women having the ability to vote in the US. Before the 1920s there was no large push for women’s suffrage in America.

  • Relevant Laws: 1839

    Mississippi grants women the rights to own property under their own name. However, with husband’s permission.

  • Significance of the Movement/Legacy: 1840

    Catherine Brewer is the first woman to graduate college. Today there are more women than men enrolled in colleges nationwide.

  • Leaders Elizabeth Cady Stanton

    She was one of the most famous women’s-rights activists and philosophers of the 19th century.

  • Historical Context/Parallel Events

    Elizabeth Cady Stanton has tea with some friends. Women hadn’t achieved any rights yet, despite years of service through the revolution. It led to the first to planned and carried out program.

  • Historical Context/Parallel Events

    Stanton and her group called “A convention to discuss the social, civil, and religious condition and rights of woman.” It occurred at the Wesleyan Chapel in Seneca Falls (now known as the Seneca Falls Convention). Stanton used the Declaration of Independence as a basis for writing what she titled a “Declaration of Sentiments.”
    Backlash was severe as newspapers attacked the Declaration of Sentiments, which even led to some women withdrawing their signatures.

  • Leaders Amelia Bloomer

    Amelia Bloomer became the editor of the first woman's newspaper, The Lily. Bloomer lived in Seneca Falls, New York and became an outspoken advocate of women's rights, dress reform, and temperance. She was inspired by Elizabeth Smith Miller.

  • Major Events/Issues

    Sojourner Truth delivered her “Ain’t I a Woman” speech. She first gained her freedom in 1827, and then became a very well known anti-slavery speaker. The “Ain’t I a Woman” speech left a huge historical impact on the equal rights movement in the United States.

  • Groups: National Woman Suffrage Association

    Founded by Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B Anthony in 1869. Their main goal was to secure women the right to vote.

  • Relevant Laws: 1869-

    First woman lawyer Arabella Mansfield get permission to practice in Iowa

  • Leaders Lucy Stone

    She was a pioneering abolitionist and women’s-rights activist, but well known for not changing her last name when she got married. She thought that women who changed their last name after marriage were not acting as independent.

  • Relevant Laws: 1873

    Supreme Court says it’s up to states to decide whether married women can practice law

  • Groups: Women's Christian Temperance Union

    Organized on December 23, 1873 in Hillsboro, ohio. Was an international group that oreated in the context of religion and reform. This included women's suffrage and missionary work.

  • Leaders Alice Paul

    She was the leader of the most militant wing of the woman suffrage movement. She helped raised awareness to the idea that all female citizens should have the right to vote.

  • Relevant Laws: 1887

    First woman mayor, Susanna Salter, elected in Kansas

  • Leaders Ida B. Wells

    Is well known for her work as a crusading journalist and anti-lynching activist. She wrote for the city’s black newspaper in Memphis and was trying to expose the corruption with the Jim Crow laws.

  • Relevant Laws: 1890

    First legal votes for women in Wyoming

  • Leaders Susan B. Anthony

    One of the most well-known women’s rights activist in history. She helped pave the way for the 19th amendment to be passed which was the right to vote for women.

  • Relevant Laws: 1900

    States grants married women to keep their wages and to own property under their own name

  • Court Cases: Muller v. Oregon

    In a unanimous decision, the Supreme Court upheld an Oregon state law limiting women to working no more than ten hours a day.

  • Significance of the Movement/Legacy: 1914-1918 & 1939-1945

    WWI and WWII. Wartime led to an increased need for labor and an increase of women in the workforce. Women found themselves breaking gender stereotypes in the workforce and spending less time in the home.

  • Relevant Laws:1916

    First woman, Jeannette Rankin, to be elected into the US House

  • Purpose/Focus: 1920 through 1963

    Women were pushing to be treated the same as men in the workforce. This came about in the Equal Pay Act.

  • Significance of the Movement/Legacy: 1920

    Women gain the right to vote. A higher percentage of women voted in the last election than men.

  • Historical Context/Parallel Events

    The 19th amendment is passed, and women have gained the right to vote. A majority of women saw this as their endgame, but a minority of women, like Alice Paul who was the leader of the National Women’s party, continued to look toward the future.

  • Major Events/Issues

    After fighting for more than 72 years, the 19th amendment is finally passed. Women’s suffrage was finally ratified, giving all women the right to vote.The bill passed the House 304 to 89. This was 42 votes above the required number for two-thirds majority. Tennessee was the state to tip the scale.

  • Relevant Laws: 1923

    Equal Rights Amendment is introduced

  • Historical Context/Parallel Events

    Paul drafts the Equal Rights amendment to be federal law. After 50 years of lingering within congress, it would not be passed until 1972. Turning the clock back to the Seneca Falls Convention, Stanton said, “anticipate no small amount of misconception, misrepresentation, and ridicule.” This prediction proved to be true as the ERA was staunchly opposed by many like Phyllis Schlafly. It never received enough votes to be ratified by the states.

  • Significance of the Movement/Legacy: 1920-1933

    Prohibition. This movement was largely brought about and lobbied for by women. While it is not still in effect, women still play a vital role in politics and legislation.

  • Jacob- Relevant Laws: 1932

    First woman, Frances Perkins, to be elected to the US Senate.

  • Purpose/Focus: 1963 through Today

    Women are still focusing as being seen as equals in the modern day society. Women still receive less money per hour and are still labelled throughout their lives.

  • Relevant Laws: 1963

    Equal Pay Act is passed. Giving women the “same pay for the same work”

  • Significance of the Movement/Legacy: 1963

    Equal pay act is passed. Since its passing, the pay gap has closed from 60% to upwards of 80%.

  • Major Events/Issues

    JFK signed the Equal Pay Act. This act abolished wage discrimination against women. Prior to this act employers were still legally allowed to pay a woman less than a man for doing the same job.

  • Relevant Laws: 1964

    Title VII of Civil Rights Act prohibits sexual discrimination in the workplace.

  • Court Cases: Phillips v. Martin Marietta Corp.

    The Court ruled that employers could not refuse to hire women with pre-school children while hiring men with such children.

  • Groups: National Women’s Political Caucus

    Founded by Gloria Steinem, Bella Abzug, and Betty Friedan on July 10, 1971. It was founded to improve the status of women by giving them a voice in the government. They supported, recruited, and trained women who were running for office.

  • Court Cases: Roe vs Wade 1973

    The Supreme Court states that the constitutional right to privacy protects a woman’s decision whether or not to terminate her pregnancy, characterizing this right to choose abortion

  • Relevant Laws: 1973-

    Roe v. Wade makes abortions legal.

  • Significance of the Movement/Legacy 1973

    Roe v. Wade. Women still fight for their right to an abortion and laws that may prevent them from doing so even after this court case.

  • Relevant Laws: 1978

    Pregnancy Discrimination Act bans employment discrimination against women who are pregnant

  • Relevant Laws: 1994

    Violence Against Women Act funds services for victims of rape and domestic violence

  • Court Cases: Jackson v. Birmingham Board of Education

    In a 5-4 decision, the Supreme Court rules that Title IX, which prohibits discrimination based on sex, also inherently prohibits disciplining someone for complaining about sex-based discrimination.

  • Relevant Laws: 2007

    First woman, Nancy Pelosi, becomes the speaker of the house.

  • Relevant Laws: 2013

    Women are allowed to be in military combat positions.

  • Significance of the Movement/Legacy: Today

    Women are still fighting against stereotypes and for fair treatment like equal pay.