Womens Rights Early movement for gender equality Antebellum

Women’s Rights Early movement for gender equality Antebellum Period 1800 – 1850 Time Period 4

Republican Motherhood women helped “birth” the nation. 1776 - 1800

Republican Motherhood • Elevated status of women as keepers of Republican virtue.

Republican Motherhood • Women are the primary moral and intellectual educators of future responsible citizens. • Led to opportunities in …. . education leadership economic opportunity social status

Despite this, women lacked many legal rights during this time; they lack property rights, voting rights, the right to serve on juries, etc. The early Women’s Move. sought expanded rights in the law and the workplace.

Cult of Domesticity • Status of women (and rights) began to shrink after the Revolutionary Period had passed. • The sphere of womanhood shrank to that of her husband’s house. • Why? What changes were occurring in America around that time?

Lowell factories A rare opportunity for young women was in the Lowell factories of Waltham, Mass.

The Second Great Awakening “Spiritual Reform From Within” [Religious Revivalism] Social Reforms & Redefining the Ideal of Equality Temperance Education Abolitionism Asylum & Penal Reform Women’s Rights

Cult of Domesticity = Slavery The 2 nd Great Awakening inspired women to improve society. Angelina Grimké Sarah Grimké Ø Southern Abolitionists R 2 -9 Lucy Stone Ø American Women’s Suffrage Assoc. Ø edited Woman’s Journal

Early 19 c Women Legal status of a child. a. Unable to vote/hold office. b. No control over property or children. c. Could not initiate divorce. d. Couldn‘t make wills, sign a contract, or bring suit in court without her husband’s permission.

“Separate Spheres” Concept Republican Motherhood evolved into the “Cult of Domesticity” A woman’s “sphere” was in the home. (Home was a refuge from the cruel world outside). Her role was to “civilize” her husband children. (Keep the house. )

1830’s to 1850’s • Closely tied to Abolition and Temperance. Elizabeth Cady Stanton Susan B. Anthony • Women’s rights issues • citizenship • right to vote • education Picture/Anthony & Stanton

Women’s Rights 1840 --> split in the abolitionist movement over women’s role in it. London --> World Anti-Slavery Convention Lucretia Mott Elizabeth Cady Stanton 1848 --> Seneca Falls Declaration of Sentiments

Women’s Rights Movement 1848: Feminist reform led to Seneca Falls Convention (upstate NY) Significance: launched modern women’s rights movement Established the arguments and the program for the women’s rights movement for the remainder of the century.

The first Woman’s rights movement was in Seneca Falls, New York in 1848…… • Educational and professional opportunities • Property rights • Legal equality • Suffrage rights • Child custody rights.

• The following is an excerpt from the Seneca Falls Declaration written by Elizabeth Cady Stanton.

We hold these truths to be selfevident that all men and women are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness; that to secure these rights governments are instituted, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed……

The history of mankind is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations on the part of man toward woman, having in direct object the establishment of an absolute tyranny over her. To prove this, let facts be submitted to a candid world…. • He has made her, if married, in the eye of the law, civilly dead. • He has taken from all right in property, even to the wages she earns.

He has made her, morally, an irresponsible being, as she can commit many crimes with impunity, provided they be done in the presence of her husband. In the covenant of marriage, she is compelled to promise obedience to her husband, he becoming, to all intents and purposes, her master; the law giving him power to deprive her of her liberty, and to administer chastisement.

Sojourner Truth Abolitionist & women’s rights activist. Born a slave (Isabelle Baumfree 1797 in upstate NY). Ran away. Sued master for son. (first time black woman sued white man & won) 1843 – ordained as Methodist pastor (2 nd. Great Awakening) & changed name.

Sojourner Truth Activist for abolition & women’s rights. “Ain’t I a Woman” speech at women’s rights convention in OH 1851.

Harriet Beecher Stowe Author of Uncle Tom’s Cabin. 1852 – the most popular book for the next decade.

Early Women’s Rights Movement ending • 1853 Suffragists held meeting at World’s Fair in NYC. • “The Mob Convention” due to clash of pro and anti- women’s rights groups.

Women’s Rights • The early rights movement will end in the 1850’s over …. • Abolitionism • Sectional strife and coming of war.