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July 13. 1848: Afternoon Tea Sparks Controversy
Elizabeth Cady Stanton and four of her friends sat down to have afternoon tea when they began talking about women’s rights. Their talk sparked controversy among them, and the decision was made to create the first Women’s Rights Convention. -
Seneca Falls Convention (Declaration of Sentiments)
• The four women wrote the announcement that was published in the Seneca County Courier on July 14 read, “A Convention to discuss the social, civil, and religious condition and rights of women will be held in the Wesleyan Chapel, at Seneca Falls, N.Y., on Wednesday and Thursday, the 19th and 20th of July current; commencing at 10 o’clock A.M. During the first day the meeting will be exclusively for women, who are earnestly invited to attend. The public generally are invited to be present on the -
1908 Court Case: Muller vs. Oregon
• Court case fighting for longer work hours (more than 10) for women. At the time it was a law that women were to work no longer than 10 hours for “their protection.” It did bring attention to the issue but was not pursued further. The final decision was made February 24th. -
19th Amendment signed into constitution
• The 19th amendment guaranteed women the right to vote. One section read: “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” and “Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.” -
Adkins vs. Children’s Hospital
• Established that a minimum wage for women was unconstitutional. Decided April 9th 1923. -
Equal Rights Amendment
• Although the ERA did not make itself into the Constitution, it did guarantee equal treatment for men and women. It read: “Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of sex.” -
June 10. 1963: JFK signs The Equal Pay Act
• This was signed by JFK, saying that men and women should be paid the same amount for the same job (although this didn’t work out so well considering we still aren’t. Shade thrown). The wording was changing several times, first stating “comparable work.” Meaning, different jobs but same amount. -
Griswold vs. Connecticut
• Connecticut banned contraception and women rallied together to fight against it. However it was decided to only legalizes contraceptives within the privacy of married couples. Decision made June 7th. -
National Organization for Women founded
• Women appointed to organization. “The conference decided on a structure that “gives the basic power to the membership as a whole, in annual national conferences… [and] between such conferences, the national board of 35, including the five national officers, will be free to act, meeting every three months; between its meetings, the five officers will be free to execute agreed policy.” Virtually the same structure continues today.” -
Phillips vs. Martin Marietta Corp.
• Prohibits discrimination of any sort. States: an employer may not, in the absence of business necessity, refuse to hire women with pre-school-age children while hiring men with such children. It was the first sex discrimination case under Title VII to reach the Court.Decided December 25th. -
Abortion Debate takes place for the first time
This is where the issue facing Roe vs. Wade first surfaced, it will be argued once more before it is passed. -
ERA continued
March 22, 1972: Equal Rights Amendment passed by Congress, sent for ratification -
Roe vs. Wade coninuted
Re- debated issue -
Roe vs. Wade Passed
Passed: Under Due Process Clause of the 14th amendment, a woman has the constitutional right to have an abortion or carry child to term. -
Lily Ledbetter Fair Pay Act signed into law
• Allows women to sue for unfair wage payment after the 180 days has already passed -
January 2013: Ban on Women serving in combat lifted
Military leaders lift the ban on women serving in combat, but it is still not made legal. -
All Combat Jobs Open to Women in Military
• Women allowed to serve in any job in military forces if they meet gender neutral standards.
