The document discusses the history of women's rights in America prior to the 19th century Women's Rights Movement. It describes how, in early American history, women were seen as inferior to men and had very few legal rights. They could not vote, hold property, or make their own decisions. The Seneca Falls Convention in 1848 marked the start of the Women's Rights Movement, led by Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony, which advocated for increasing women's rights and equality. The movement challenged the traditional roles and legal status of women in American society.

1. Sarah Roberts
MWF 1:00PM-1:50PM
Dr. Aley, HIST. 101
The Seneca Falls Convention
Today, Men and Women have equal rights in America. Women can now do virtually all
of the things that men can. For example, Women can work the same jobs, receive the same pay,
and be treated equally at any work atmosphere. Sadly, this wasn’t always true in our country.
Women used to be looked at as inferior to men mentally, physically, and emotionally. Men
actually believed that it was a scientific fact that women’s brains were smaller than theirs and
weren’t capable of rational decisions. We couldn’t vote, hold property, or have a say in
government. Women were looked at as only capable of doing housework and taking care of
children. This unfortunate trend could have likely occurred until the present if it weren’t for the
Women’s Rights Movement. This movement, led by a few prominent women in the early
nineteenth century, changed the role of females today. Because of the courage of the suffragists
in this era, Women are now regarded as equals in American society.
Younger people, for the most part, can hardly believe that life was ever different than it is
today. They take the changes in complete stride, for it is how life has always been for them.
During the early history of the United States, Americans generally believed that there was a
defined point of difference between the male and female species. Men were generally
considered stronger and women were considered inferior and weak. Men used to have complete
control over their wives and daughters. It was normal, though, in that time, because women were

2. used to being controlled by the men. Women were virtually owned by their husbands and were
often regarded as a certain type of property. Women were taught from a very young age that their
main goal in life was to find a suitor and to be a good housewife. An unmarried woman,
however, could own property while a married woman had no real material possessions other than
what was her “husband’s”. This could be one of the main reasons why so many women ran away
from their spouses. Typical papers would read “Whereas my wife, Mary Oxendine, hath eloped
from me, this is to forewarn all persons from Harboring or entertaining her, day or night, or
crediting her in my name, as I am determined not to pay any debts by her contracted. (Grant de
Paux, 152). If a woman was to remain single, weather by will or by misfortune, she would have
been looked down upon and pitied in her community. The townsfolk would often poke fun at
women like this, calling them “old maids” and claiming that they were too homely to have found
a suitor. Women were only truly socially accepted if they were married. Many women tried to
abide by the “Perfect Woman” ideal, being able to cook, clean, teach elementary education and
religion, and obey her husband. Women were not to think too much, or to use intelligence or
wisdom, and it was considered rude for a woman ever to exert her opinion over one of a man, no
matter what age he was. Women practically went to school to learn the trades of a good
housewife, not to learn anything that would contribute to her thinking there was any better way
of life. Men went to school to learn, and women went to school to become wives of these
educated men. College education and professional careers were not allowed to women (The
American Woman of the Early Nineteenth Century. CPLHM). Also, women were viewed as
incapable of serving in a jury, or even testifying, and speaking in public was considered indecent
as well. Women were also not involved in politics in any sort of way and many men thought that
women were “incapable” of making educated decisions at all. Some women did not mind this

3. image that they were being held up to. One lady said in the Ladies Companion, New York, 1838:
“Let the men take care of politics, we will take care of our children.” This just goes to show that
many women did not seek any other place in society than what they were given at birth. It
probably goes without saying that women had no voting abilities in this time era. Only white
males, 21 years of age or older, could vote (Grand de Pauw, 154). Overall, American women in
the nineteenth century lived in an age characterized by gender inequality. At the beginning of the
century, women enjoyed their few rights that they were rewarded, but this was soon to change
with some very influential women who wondered if there was more equality to be achieved for
women.
Although the nineteenth century was a big leap in women’s’ affairs, the seeds of change
had been sewn a long time. In fact, Abigail Adams was one of the first advocates of Women’s’
equal education and women’s’ property rights. Abigail had strong feelings about marriage and
believed women should take more part in decisions rather than simply serve their husbands. She
believed that women should educate themselves and use their own intellect to manage the
household affairs, as well as to be the moral guide for their family, especially their children. In a
letter to her husband, John Adams, March 1776, while he was in Philadelphia writing the U.S.
constitution, she wrote, “Remember the Ladies, and be more generous and favorable to them
than your ancestors. Do not put such unlimited power into the hands of the Husbands. Remember
all Men would be tyrants if they could.” She even anticipated the Women’s Rights Movement
when she wrote, “If particular care and attention is not paid to the Ladies we are determined to
forment a Rebellion and will not hold ourselves bound by any Laws in which we have no voice
or representation” (Butterfield, 120, 121). Another strong call for equal rights was made by
Mary Wollstonecraft in 1972 with A Vindication of the Right of Women. Her book was the first

4. to exert a lasting influence because it represented a starting point and a source for its principal
themes for the American woman’s right movement (Gurko, 16,17). Although these women tried
to make a difference, they were hardly heard by the general population. It wouldn’t be until later
on when Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton came into the picture that things would
really start to gain momentum.
Margaret Mead once said “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed
citizens can change the world. Indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has” (Legacy, Online). By
this, she sets forth the goal of the Women’s Rights Movement. She believed that a small group
of women could eventually bring the change that they wanted to see in our nation. This came
true with two very remarkable people, Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony. In order to
understand the Women’s Rights Movement and the importance of the Seneca Falls convention, it
is necessary to learn a little about each of these women’s’ backgrounds.
Elizabeth Cady Stanton was born November 12, 1815 (Damets, Online). During her life,
she observed many unfair practices involving the treatment of women. She believed that
“Woman will always be dependant until she holds a purse of her own” (Ward, pg 38). She
became a strong advocate of women’s rights while studying law under her father. She married a
lawyer and they both became advocates of the Anti-Slavery movement. She not only believed
that slaves should be freed, but that they should also be able to vote and have equal rights. When
Stanton and her friend Lucretia Mott traveled to London as delegates to the World Anti-Slavery
Convention, they were refused the right to speak because they were women (Bruns 178). This
angered both of the women and later led to the Seneca Falls convention. Susan B. Anthony had a
different story. She was born February 15, 1820. She was born to a family of Quakers in upstate
New York and her father was strict but encouraging (Ward, pg 98). The fact that she was raised

5. as a Quaker had an enormous impact in her life. Part of the Quaker religion teaches equality and
even in church and society, Quaker women were respected. Susan was a very smart child and
was able to read and write by the age of three. Her father enrolled her in a “home-school” sort of
education, where her main teacher was a woman. This had a great impact on Susan because she
saw that her teacher was independent, educated, and had a job that was traditionally given to
young men. It is said that Susan startedSusan attended a boarding school in Philadelphia and
later taught at an all-girls school. It is obvious that the seeds of her future work were sewn during
her adolescence. This is where she first started thinking differently about the role of women. She
had an idea that possibly someday all people could have equal rights. She was a very prolific
woman of her time period and often received criticism from men and women alike. However, if
it wasn’t for forward-thinking women like herself, we might not have the equalities that we do
today.
The women mentioned above had a prolific impact on the Seneca Falls Convention.
Elizabeth Stanton and her husband attended the Anti-slavery convention in London, England on
their honeymoon. This is where Elizabeth met Lucretia Mott, a Quaker Preacher, who was also
disillusioned by the lack of rights granted for women. In Mott, Cady Stanton found both an ally
and a role model. “When I first heard from her lips that I had the same right to think for myself
that Luther, Calvin, and John Knox had,” She recalled, “and the same right to be guided by my
own convictions… I felt a new born sense of dignity and freedom.” The two women became fast
friends and talked about the need for a convention to discuss women’s emancipation. Organizers
of the event placed the women in a balcony behind a screen, and allowed them only to listen to
the speakers, without any right of getting involved. Mott and Cady Stanton were indignant at the
fact that women were excluded from participating in the convention, simply because of their

6. gender. During their time together at the Anti-slavery conference, they spoke about fighting for
women’s rights. This might have been the first idea for the convention they later planned. Later
on, in 1848, Mott was visiting her sister, Martha C. Wright, in Waterloo, New York. Elizabeth
Stanton lived nearby in a town called Seneca Falls. A certain event brought together Stanton,
Mott, Wright, Marry McClintock, and Jane Hunt. These women were mostly Quakers, except for
Stanton, and they were all acquainted to Anti-Slavery and Temperance meetings. “The time had
come for women’s wrongs to be laid before the public, and women themselves must shoulder the
responsibility” said Stanton (Burns, 1999). On July 14th, 1848, the Seneca County Courier
announced that on the following Wednesday and Thursday there would be a convention “to
discuss the social, civil, and religious condition and rights of woman.” It can be argued that this
was the beginning of the Women’s Rights Movement. The doors would be opened only to
women on the first day, but on the second day, anyone was able to appear.
Elizabeth Cady Stanton had the task to organize the convention. This was difficult for her
because she had not really undertaken such a task before. The organization of the committee
really showed her capability and proved that she was just as resourceful and productive as men.
She used the Declaration of Independence as her guide. She claimed that “’All men and women
had been created equal”. The Declaration of Seneca Falls started out by stating the natural
equality of men and women. It then went on to discuss the wrong-doings of men to women,
claiming that men had withheld from women rights that were given to “the most ignorant and
degraded men--both natives and foreigners”. (Legacy ’98, A Short History of the Movement,
NWHP). The convention, to take place in five days' time, on July 19 and 20 at the Wesleyan
Methodist Church in Seneca Falls, was publicized only by a small, unsigned notice placed in the
Seneca County Courier. "The convention will not be so large as it otherwise might be, owing to

7. the busy time with the farmers," Mott told Stanton, "but it will be a beginning." This even was
hastily put together but it turned out that about three hundred people came to the convention. It is
estimated that forty men also participated in the event. The women chose Lucretia Mott’s
husband to lead the event. A former slave, Frederick Douglass stood by the women’s sides and
argued for their rights. The assembled group considered and voted on a number of resolutions,
11 of which were passed by a large majority and without much argument. The one point that
received the most debate was weather women would gain the right to vote. By the conclusion,
over 100 women and men signed the Seneca Falls Declaration, although some later removed
their names due to criticism.
After Seneca Falls, they held a meeting in Rochester. This preceding brought about a lot
of ridicule from the press. Frederick Douglass wrote that “A discussion of the rights of animals
would be regarded with far more complacency by many of what are called the wise and the good
of our land, than would be a discussion of the rights of woman." By this, he was saying that a
meeting about animal rights would have been a better topic to discuss. Other papers, like the
North Star, supported the event and called it “one of the most interesting events of the past
week,” and the speakers, “brilliant talent and excellent disposition.” Or like the Seneca Falls
County Courier, who wrote that the meeting was “respectable in numbers and highly respectable
in character.” Stanton regarded all of the publicity as helpful. After the Declaration of Seneca
Falls was printed in the Newspaper, She stated "Imagine the publicity given to our ideas by thus
appearing in a widely circulated sheet like the Herald. It will start women thinking and men too;
and when men and women think about a new question, the first step in progress is taken."(Maier
3) Nevertheless, the convention succeeded in bringing women’s’ rights to the political forefront.

8. The Seneca Falls Convention was a major turning point in American Women’s History. It
isn’t correct to say that it was the first try at women’s rights, but it was one of the most
influential. The convention became the foundation rock for the Women’s Rights Movement.
Throughout the 1840’s and 1850’s, conventions met all over the country to discuss the issue of
women’s rights. The fight for equal women’s rights was a long, hard battle. After the signing of
The Declaration Sentiments in 1848, it took 72 years of organized struggle before most women
won the right to vote when the nineteenth amendment to the U.S. Constitution was passed in
1920.
But, in the 160 years since the Seneca Falls convention, women have made clear progress
in the areas addressed by Elizabeth Cady Stanton in her revolutionary Declaration of Sentiments.
Not only have women won the right to vote; we are being elected to public office at all levels of
government. In the world of work, large numbers of women have entered the professions, the
trades, and businesses of every kind. We have opened the ranks of the clergy, the military, and
the newsroom. More than three million women now work in occupations considered “non-
traditional” until very recently. Women and girls today are living the legacy of women’s rights
that seven generations of women before us have given their best to achieve. It is unfortunate,
however, that most of the women who made such an effort for our rights never lived to see the
day that their work would pay off tremendously. I for one, would love to personally thank each
and every one of these women Perhaps the best tribute that we in the present can pay to those in
the past is to continue to ask questions, and continue or struggle for the definite answers. Most of
all, we can recognize, no matter how dramatically the world changes, the ideal that all people are
created equal remains an anchor that defines the Americans (Wellman, 240).