The 1960’s was a period brimming with demands for social change. The second feminist movement began to gain momentum and the Indigenous rights movement followed shortly thereafter. In the 1966 NOW Statement of Purpose by Betty Freidan, and 1972 Trail of Broken Treaties 20-Point Proposal by the American Indian Movement, these groups aired their grievances against the injustices they faced and outlined solutions for these governmental issues. These documents addressed the question: in what way does the Declaration of Independence make promises it cannot keep? In one of the most widely quoted passages three promises are made, “we hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with
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This would appear to be an impossible promise; how can the government ensure the contentment of its people? However, at the time of our founding fathers, happiness did not mean joyfulness. The word root “hap,” meaning an occurrence or chance, illuminates the now obsolete definition of the word happiness. As such, the ability to pursue chances and opportunities is what was meant by “pursuit of happiness.” This grievance is addressed more extensively by the women’s rights movement in their demands for job and education equality. More than half of NOW’s address argues about this disparity. First, they tackle the issue of education on page 114, “with higher education increasingly essential in today’s society, too few women are entering and finishing college or going on to graduate or professional school. Today, women earn only one in three of the B.A.’s and M.A.’s granted, and one in ten of the Ph.D.’s.” Without the ability to pursue higher education, women were trapped in lower level jobs, consequently hampering their “pursuit of happiness.” This point is furthered in the evidence that “women comprise less than 1% of federal judges; less than 4% of all lawyers; 7% of doctors. Yet women represent 51% of the U.S. population.” For the American Indians, on the other hand, the issue of jobs and education is less of a focus; this concern occupies little of the document. On page 123, they explain that the “proposed $15,000,000,000 budget for the 1970s remainder could provide… income and tribal revenue-producing jobs on reservations and lay foundation for as many more in years following; …and make education at all levels.” This is a proposed solution for the severe lack of jobs and education that these people deserved. Further, they argued on page 123, “two-thirds of Indian college students [are] having desperate financial need.” The ability to finance their education
This would appear to be an impossible promise; how can the government ensure the contentment of its people? However, at the time of our founding fathers, happiness did not mean joyfulness. The word root “hap,” meaning an occurrence or chance, illuminates the now obsolete definition of the word happiness. As such, the ability to pursue chances and opportunities is what was meant by “pursuit of happiness.” This grievance is addressed more extensively by the women’s rights movement in their demands for job and education equality. More than half of NOW’s address argues about this disparity. First, they tackle the issue of education on page 114, “with higher education increasingly essential in today’s society, too few women are entering and finishing college or going on to graduate or professional school. Today, women earn only one in three of the B.A.’s and M.A.’s granted, and one in ten of the Ph.D.’s.” Without the ability to pursue higher education, women were trapped in lower level jobs, consequently hampering their “pursuit of happiness.” This point is furthered in the evidence that “women comprise less than 1% of federal judges; less than 4% of all lawyers; 7% of doctors. Yet women represent 51% of the U.S. population.” For the American Indians, on the other hand, the issue of jobs and education is less of a focus; this concern occupies little of the document. On page 123, they explain that the “proposed $15,000,000,000 budget for the 1970s remainder could provide… income and tribal revenue-producing jobs on reservations and lay foundation for as many more in years following; …and make education at all levels.” This is a proposed solution for the severe lack of jobs and education that these people deserved. Further, they argued on page 123, “two-thirds of Indian college students [are] having desperate financial need.” The ability to finance their education