Robin Hobbins once stated “Women do two-thirds of the world’s work, receive 10 percent of the world’s income and own 1 percent of the means of production.” From the past til now this quote, by Mr. Hobbins still hold validity in today's society.
Before the Civil War, and even in our modern society. Women still struggle with being equal with men. For decades women have made progress in achieving what is due them, but still has a little way to go. Before the Civil War, the voice of women were silent and unheard. Although the political figures voted by men still affected the lives of women, they had no say in who was elected to official positions. In 1848, Elizabeth Cady stanton, Lucretia Mott, and some men gathered together to start a movement known as the Women's Suffrage movement which was geared towards achieving equal voting rights for women. The very well known case of Minor vs Happersett dealt with a woman named Virgina Minor who alleged she was denied the right to register to vote by a Missouri state registrar named Resse Happersett. Minor said that this was an infringement of her Civil Rights under the Fourteenth Amendment. Although Minor did not get the decision she wanted, she paved the way for progress to be made for women in the area of voting rights.
After a long uphill battle, millions of American women exercised their right to vote on the election day of 1920. Over a span of 100 years of struggle and persistence, the sweat and tears were well worth it. On August 16, 1920, the nineteenth amendment to the Constitution became law and allowed women to participate in the fall elections of that year including the Presidential election. As I sit back and look at how this all unfolded, I can't help but ask myself what the big deal was with allowing women to vote. The most I could think of was that maybe women would vote with emotions and feelings instead of the knowledge and facts. Others could argue that some men probably would vote the same way. If you ask me, there is no valid argument in the discussion of giving women the right to vote because at the end of the day, they are citizens just as much as men are. My question to some are, how do you think politics would play out in today's age if women were still not allowed to vote? I also would like to know what qualities do women bring to politics today?
http://womenshistory.about.com/od/suffrage1900/a/august_26_wed.htm (Another link to add to the page)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3dPF0SGh_PQ (School house rocks video)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1hBd1HN7WJM (Invest in women: Do you see the opportunity video)
http://www.globalissues.org/article/166/womens-rights
I am very impressed with the closing questions that you have provided us. I think women are very much important to the American way of life. As we see in the upcoming elections more and more women are commanding notice and respect as equal if not potentially very powerful force and voice in the government process. The uphill climb women have had to made is not complete but the upcoming election might just be a preview to what important role women will have.
ReplyDeleteWithout women voting rights, voting would not make as much sense. There would not be an accurate display of how America feels as a whole if only men were still allowed to vote. Women bring a more feminine but still commanding point of view to politics today.
ReplyDeleteGiving women the right to vote was a big step in America. The beginning of a long journey for women to show that they are able to do more than be a housewife. This allowed to people to see the great abilities that women have and show that men are not the only ones with power.
ReplyDeleteWomen have struggled for their rightst since the begining of time. For them to get the right to vote it was a big thing.
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