At the start of the 19th century, women had severely limited rights. They had no control of their earnings, could not divorce a husband, had no claim of property, could not speak at public meetings, and could not vote. The women's suffrage movement, a political campaign that sought to address these problems, began around 1800 and culminated in 1920 with the passage of the 19th Amendment, giving women the right to vote. Led by women such as Susan B. Anthony, Lucy Stone, and Elizabeth Cady Stanton, the members of this movement petitioned Congress, marched, and gave speeches in the face of public disapproval in an effort to achieve their goals. Women's Suffrage in America, Updated Edition provides hundreds of firsthand accounts of the women's movement - diary entries, letters, speeches, and newspaper accounts - that illustrate how historical events appeared to those who lived through them. Among the eyewitness testimonies included are those of Susan B. Anthony, Sojourner Truth, Lucretia Mott, Frederick Douglass, Helen Keller, and John Quincy Adams. In addition to firsthand accounts, each chapter provides an introductory essay and a chronology of events.
Critical documents such as the Declaration of Sentiments at Seneca Falls, the Emancipation Address of the Women's National League, the Constitution of the National American Women's Suffrage Association, and the 19th Amendment are paired with capsule biographies of more than 100 key figures, making this reference extremely engaging and easy to use. This updated edition contains a great deal of new material, including additions to each chronology section, new primary source quotations, and an expanded appendix. Women's Suffrage in America, Updated Edition provides new information about individual topics, including court cases and legislation, and more than 20 additional black-and-white photographs.