Citations

Imbornoni, Ann-Marie. "Women's Rights Movement in the 
          U.S.: Timeline of Events (1848-1920)." infoplease. 
          Pearson Education (Infoplease). Web. 20 Jan 2013
          <http://www.infoplease.com/spot/womenstimeline1.html>.

"Votes for Women: The National American Women 
          Suffrage Association ." The Library of Congress 
          American Memory. N.p.. Web. 21 Jan 2013. 
          <http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/naw/nawsa.html>.

"Today in History: August 28 Picketing for Suffrage." The 
          Library of Congress American Memory. The 
          Library of Congress, 19 Jan 2011. Web. 21 Jan 
          2013. 
          <http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/today/aug28.html>.

"Passage of the 19th Amendment 1919-1920." Modern History 
          Sourcebook. Internet Modern History 
          Sourcebook, n.d. Web. 21 Jan 2013. 
          <http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/1920womensvote.html>.

May Yi, Lui. "Saving Young Girls from Chinatown: White 
          Slavery and Woman Suffrage, 1910–1920."
          Journey of the History of Sexuality. 18.3 393-
          417. Print.

Brunner, Borgna. "The Wage Gap: A History of Pay 
          Inequity and the Equal Pay Act." infoplease. 
          Pearson Education (Infoplease). Web. 21 Jan 2013. 
          <http://www.infoplease.com/spot/equalpayact1.html>.

Fitzpatrick, Laura. "Why Do Women Still Earn Less Than 
          Men?." Time. Time Inc., 20 Apr 2010. Web. 21 
          Jan 2013. 
          <http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1983185,00.html>.

America's current Identity

So what was this movements effect on America's current identity? 

The Women's Movement of America would open the door for a brighter future - if they could get past the closed minds of so many. Thankfully, many women fought hard and refused to give up, inspiring more women who also did the same. Because of them, women are now able to have a voice as a citizen of the United States of America.

If those women did not do what they did, things would not be the way they are in America today. Without them, women such as Hilary Clinton and Sarah Palin (who are both very successful and famous political figures) would not be where they are today and would not have such a strong say in the way the United States is run. Was the Movement successful? Yes, it was. The goal of the movement was to achieve equal status and rights for women that men have. The Women's Movement also inspired many other rights movements, such as the Women's Health Movement which also became a very important movement in women suffrage history. If this movement did not happen, and was not successful, then perhaps American women would still be considered as housewives and stay at-home moms; not a person who deserves the same rights and opportunities that their male counterparts have.

Second Wave Movement

The Second Wave took place during the 1960's to the 1980's. This movement was focused on gender inequality in laws and culture; it addressed issues of discrimination and expressed a desire to end it.

During 1961, then-President John Kennedy established the President's Commission on the Status of Women. He appointed Eleanor Roosevelt as chairwomen. In the report that was issued by the Commission in 1963 it documented much evidence of discrimination against women in the workplace. It made for specific recommendations for improvement.

In June 1963, Congress passed the Equal Pay Act. This act made it illegal for employers to pay a women less than a man for the same job.(Brunner) It is interesting to note though that today women on average are paid 77% of a man's pay.(Fitzpatrick) Through the next five years, more commissions and expanded orders came out that would investigate workplace complaints, impose penalties, prohibit discrimination based on gender which would enforce that federal agencies and contractors took active measures to ensure that women - and minorities - had the same educational and employment opportunities as white males. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (which came out in 1964) ruled in 1968 that sex-segregated help wanted ads in the newspapers were illegal. Later in 1973 this ruling was upheld by the Supreme Court which opened the way for women to apply for higher-paying jobs which were before only open to men.

First Wave Movement

The very first women's rights convention was held in 1848 in Seneca Falls, New York. 68 women and 32 men signed a Declaration of Sentiments after two days of discussion. The Declaration outlined grievances and a set of 12 resolutions were used in calling for equal treatment of men and women, along with voting rights for women.

The First Wave Movement was focused primarily on women's suffrage. This meant that women were fighting for their right to vote and the right to run for political offices. This wave took place during the 19th Century to the early 20th Century.

In May 1869, two women named Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton formed the National Woman Suffrage Association (NWSA). This organization's goal was to gain women's voting rights through a Congressional amendment to the Constitution. Later that year, in November, the American Woman Suffrage Association was formed by Lucy Stone, Henry Blackwell and others. The AWSA focused on gaining woman's voting rights through amendments to individual state constitutions. In December, Wyoming passed the first woman's suffrage law. The next year women began serving on juries.

Later in 1890 both the NWSA and the AWSA merged to create the National American Woman Suffrage Association("Library of Congress American Memory").

Suffragists also fought against prostitution. Some suffragist activists worked in the Chinatown section of NY and other cities to rescue young white and Chinese girls from forced prostitution. In 1910 they also helped pass the Mann Act, which made interstate sex trafficking a federal crime.

During 1913, Alice Paul and Lucy Burns formed the Congressional Union, which was later renamed the National Women's Party. This group worked for the passage of a federal amendment to give women the vote.

In August 1917, ten suffragists were arrested for picketing the White House. They were there to pressure President Woodrow Wilson to support the "Anthony amendment"; a proposed amendment that if supported by Wilson would be added to the Constitution and would guarantee women the right to vote.("Library of Congress American Memory")

Go to: Bad Romance: Women's Suffrage

Finally in 1920, the Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution was signed into law. This amendment granted women the right to vote.("Modern History Sourcebook")

Who did this movement apply to? What was it's purpose?

This movement applied to the women of America but also applied to the working men of America as well. The entire women's movement took place from the 1800s to the mid-late 1900s. The purpose of the women's movement was to gain equal rights towards men and women. These rights involved women being able to own, work, vote and earn the same pay as men.

Introduction

The Women's Movement is a movement created by women, for women, to fight against unequal rights between men and women and an assumed disposition that women and girls belong in the home, doing housework and not the more "heavy" chores that the men would do.

In this blog, you will learn about the Women's Movement and it's effect on America's current identity.