Nicole Moorefield
Macpherson
AP English III
September 5, 2017
Women’s Rights Convention in Seneca Falls
On July 19, 1848, in Seneca Falls, New York, Lucretia Mott and Elizabeth Cady Stanton changed the course of American history forever. Standing before a crowd of almost two hundred women, Stanton read aloud the document she had prepared. The “Declaration of Sentiments and Grievances” or the “Declaration of Sentiments and Resolutions” was structurally based on the Declaration of Independence, but had one key difference: it called for women to be given the same unalienable rights as men. On the steps of Wesleyan Chapel, the first-ever women’s rights convention in the United States was unfolding, creating a movement that would only gain momentum in generations to come (History.com Staff, “Seneca Falls Convention Begins”).
This assembly, known as the Seneca Falls Convention, lasted two days (History.com Staff, “Seneca Falls Convention Begins”). According to an advertisement printed in the Seneca County Courier on July 14, the convention’s purpose was “to discuss the social, civil, and religious condition and rights of woman” (Woman's Rights Convention (1848 : Seneca Falls, N.Y.) et al.). While the first day was exclusively for women, the convention was opened to men on the second; about forty attended (History.com Staff, “Seneca Falls Convention Begins”). The Declaration featured twelve main issues that Stanton and Mott wanted to address. …show more content…
Each issue was given its own section; the sections were called resolutions. These resolutions encouraged women to reject laws rendering them inferior to men, assured listeners that women and men were equals in the eyes of the Creator, and postulated that men should be required to display the same social graces that women were expected to demonstrate at the time (Declaration of Sentiments and Resolutions). The ninth and most controversial resolution stated, “it is the duty of the women of this country to secure to themselves their sacred right to the elective franchise” (Declaration of Sentiments and Resolutions). When it came time to vote, eleven resolutions passed unanimously, but female suffrage was more change than many were comfortable with at the time. Eventually, the ninth resolution passed as well; at the end of the second day, the Declaration was approved by the assembly. However, many denouncers of women’s suffrage, male and female alike, retracted their support of the Declaration (History.com Staff, “Seneca Falls Convention Begins”). Stanton and Mott met in 1840 when they were both barred from the World Anti-Slavery Convention in London because of their gender (History.com Staff, “Seneca Falls Convention Begins”). At the time of the convention, Lucretia Mott was fifty-five (Biography.com Editors, “Lucretia Mott Biography.com”) and Elizabeth Cady Stanton was thirty-three (Biography.com Editors, “Elizabeth Cady Stanton Biography.com”). In addition to being an early suffragette, Mott was a Quaker minister and abolitionist (Biography.com Editors, “Lucretia Mott Biography.com”). Stanton was an abolitionist as well, although she turned her focus to woman suffrage when she founded the National Woman Suffrage Association in 1869 with Susan B. Anthony (Biography.com Editors, “Elizabeth Cady Stanton Biography.com”). Although the convention was led mainly by Stanton and Mott, the women were assisted by Martha Wright, Mary Ann McClintock, and Jane Hunt (History.com Staff, “Seneca Falls Convention Begins”). Two weeks after the Seneca Falls Convention, a larger meeting was held in Rochester, New York. The meetings became annual, and support of
Macpherson
AP English III
September 5, 2017
Women’s Rights Convention in Seneca Falls
On July 19, 1848, in Seneca Falls, New York, Lucretia Mott and Elizabeth Cady Stanton changed the course of American history forever. Standing before a crowd of almost two hundred women, Stanton read aloud the document she had prepared. The “Declaration of Sentiments and Grievances” or the “Declaration of Sentiments and Resolutions” was structurally based on the Declaration of Independence, but had one key difference: it called for women to be given the same unalienable rights as men. On the steps of Wesleyan Chapel, the first-ever women’s rights convention in the United States was unfolding, creating a movement that would only gain momentum in generations to come (History.com Staff, “Seneca Falls Convention Begins”).
This assembly, known as the Seneca Falls Convention, lasted two days (History.com Staff, “Seneca Falls Convention Begins”). According to an advertisement printed in the Seneca County Courier on July 14, the convention’s purpose was “to discuss the social, civil, and religious condition and rights of woman” (Woman's Rights Convention (1848 : Seneca Falls, N.Y.) et al.). While the first day was exclusively for women, the convention was opened to men on the second; about forty attended (History.com Staff, “Seneca Falls Convention Begins”). The Declaration featured twelve main issues that Stanton and Mott wanted to address. …show more content…
Each issue was given its own section; the sections were called resolutions. These resolutions encouraged women to reject laws rendering them inferior to men, assured listeners that women and men were equals in the eyes of the Creator, and postulated that men should be required to display the same social graces that women were expected to demonstrate at the time (Declaration of Sentiments and Resolutions). The ninth and most controversial resolution stated, “it is the duty of the women of this country to secure to themselves their sacred right to the elective franchise” (Declaration of Sentiments and Resolutions). When it came time to vote, eleven resolutions passed unanimously, but female suffrage was more change than many were comfortable with at the time. Eventually, the ninth resolution passed as well; at the end of the second day, the Declaration was approved by the assembly. However, many denouncers of women’s suffrage, male and female alike, retracted their support of the Declaration (History.com Staff, “Seneca Falls Convention Begins”). Stanton and Mott met in 1840 when they were both barred from the World Anti-Slavery Convention in London because of their gender (History.com Staff, “Seneca Falls Convention Begins”). At the time of the convention, Lucretia Mott was fifty-five (Biography.com Editors, “Lucretia Mott Biography.com”) and Elizabeth Cady Stanton was thirty-three (Biography.com Editors, “Elizabeth Cady Stanton Biography.com”). In addition to being an early suffragette, Mott was a Quaker minister and abolitionist (Biography.com Editors, “Lucretia Mott Biography.com”). Stanton was an abolitionist as well, although she turned her focus to woman suffrage when she founded the National Woman Suffrage Association in 1869 with Susan B. Anthony (Biography.com Editors, “Elizabeth Cady Stanton Biography.com”). Although the convention was led mainly by Stanton and Mott, the women were assisted by Martha Wright, Mary Ann McClintock, and Jane Hunt (History.com Staff, “Seneca Falls Convention Begins”). Two weeks after the Seneca Falls Convention, a larger meeting was held in Rochester, New York. The meetings became annual, and support of