OCR textbook - campaign for political rights (2) 1900-1930 Flashcards
who was the leader of NAWSA that insisted the promise of suffrage would induce women to support the war effort - agreed by president wilson
carrie chapman catt
carrie chapman catt
- teacher from iowa
- led woman suffrage association in 1890s
- addressed congress on women’s rights
- became susan b. anthonys successor as president of NAWSA in 1900
- effective at gaining support for women’s suffrage at state level
- her support for the war (1917) helped persuade congress to pass the 19th amendment
which states gave women the right to vote in 1917
illinois & new york
which states gave women the right to vote in 1918
south dakota, michigan & omaha
1920
nineteenth amendment passed
was the nineteenth amendment final ratification in 1920 a major turning point
could be seen as:
- reward for work
- symbolic extension of US democracy
- extension of movements towards giving women political rights, seen in some states before war
- major move towards using women’s particular interests/abilities on a national scale
what was society like after the 19th amendment
- remained male-dominated
- many women voted in the way their husbands favoured
- much economic/social change of war was short-lived
- women still faced discrimination in terms of wages, social attitudes & ability to exercise their rights
women’s suffrage organisations
- NAWSA changed into league of the women votes (LWV)
- conservative associations were popular (non radical) - eg. daughters of the american revolution
how did the league of women voters become divided
- veteran campaigner (jane addams) wanted women to campaign on women’s issues
- carrie chapman catt wanted women to integrate into national political life & develop into equal citizens/participants
what percentage of NAWSA members joined the LWV
5-10%
what did women also become interested in
non-party political issues eg. womens international league for peace
who campaigned for the prevention of lynching
association of southern women
daughters of the american revolution
- openly patriotic society open to women who can show their ancestors played a role in achieving US independence
- formed in 1890 by descendant of george washington
- now has 180,000 members
- aimed to commemorate/celebrate key elements of US history
continuing opposition
- suffragists = ‘unwomanly’
- the national association opposed to women’s suffrage = outlook similar to daughters of the american revolution/conservative women
- ^later opposed new feminism & the ERA
how did the suffrage movement revive - despite the opposition
- merging of AWSA & NWSA in 1890
- however, divides within the group were present
- eg. some wanted universal suffrage & others wanted solely white elite
continuity or change? - 1865-1920
- political activity centred around certain issues to women, not national concerns, eg.
- right to own land
- right to run for public office
- right to register as voters in some states
- right to have access to all posts in civil service
- right to serve on juries
= political activity became fragmented
- inequalities remained even with the right to vote
- men dominated public life
- US society didn’t accept women’s social/economic equality
the equal rights amendment (ERA)
- the national women’s party appealed for an ERA to confirm move towards equality (not achieved by 1920)
- divided opinion within women’s groups
- some feared it would remove protection women had gained eg. working hours
- radical acivists believed equal rights would mean protection would be extended to both men/women
- some felt equal pay wou;d be distastrous for women as employers wouldn’t be able to afford female workers & enemployment would rise
how many states had regulations for female working hours by 1900 - and what were they
36% of states
–> 8-10 hours
what caused 75%+ of states (by 1920) to pass legislations restricting women’s hours of work
a decision by the supreme court in 1912 to declare state regulation legal
which state passed equal rights legislation in 1921
wisconsin
what problems did women face when voting
- women often followed lead of husbands/families
- rise to problems for many women eg.
- registration wasn’t always easy –> married women had to re-
register as individuals - problems in meeting some local residency requirements
- registration wasn’t always easy –> married women had to re-
- difficult for women looking after children, who’s husbands were away, to travel to the voting stations
- some states were slow to amend legislation allowing women to be candidates for public office
how many women were in state legislatures by 1933 vs. 1945
1933 = 146
1945 = 234
how many female governors of state were there for the 20 years following the 19th amendment
2 - standing in for husbands
restrictions for AA women voting in the south
- literacy tests
- threat of phyiscal/veral abuse/harassment
