History Brief: Women Gain Suffrage

Summary

During President Wilson's tenure, determined women fought for the right to vote, culminating in the Nineteenth Amendment in 1920. Women, who had been active in the Progressive Era, expanded their movement through grassroots efforts and various strategies, including bold tactics learned from British suffragists. This activism faced opposition, especially during WWI, but women's significant contributions to the war effort bolstered support. The movement split over tactics, with leaders like Carrie Chapman Catt advocating for lobbying and Alice Paul pushing for more radical measures. Persistent efforts led to women's suffrage becoming a reality.

Takeaways

• 🗳️ Women's suffrage was a major goal during the Progressive Era, with women playing an active role in various reforms.
• 📊 Prior to President Wilson's inauguration, women could only vote in federal elections in nine western states.
• 🎓 The movement gained momentum with the involvement of college-educated women, broadening its base beyond the wealthy class.
• 🚪 Grassroots efforts included door-to-door campaigning to recruit supporters for women's suffrage.
• 📢 Public speeches, parades, and protests became common tactics to spread the message of women's suffrage.
• 🌍 American suffragists were inspired by the British movement, adopting bold tactics such as hunger strikes and public heckling.
• 🔄 A debate over tactics led to a split in the movement, with some advocating for radical approaches versus more cautious lobbying.
• 🏢 The National Woman’s Party was founded to directly pressure the federal government for women's rights.
• 🕊️ 'Silent Sentinels' picketed outside the White House to pressure President Wilson to support federal suffrage, despite initial hesitance.
• 🛑 US entry into WWI led to criticism and violence against the picketers, who were seen as unpatriotic.
• 🏆 Women's contributions during the war significantly increased public support for suffrage, leading to the passage of the Nineteenth Amendment.
• 📜 The Nineteenth Amendment was ratified in 1920, granting women the right to vote 72 years after the Seneca Falls Convention.

Q & A

What was President Wilson's stance on trusts, banking, and the tariff system?

President Wilson fought to reform trusts, banking, and America's tariff system during his presidency.

What was the significance of women's suffrage during the Progressive Era?

Women's suffrage was considered the crowning achievement for many women who played an active role in the advancements made during the Progressive Era.

In how many states could women vote in federal elections prior to President Wilson's inauguration?

Prior to Wilson’s inauguration, women could vote in federal elections in only nine western states.

What was the impact of college-educated women on the women's suffrage movement?

A growing number of college-educated women breathed new life into the national movement, spreading the message of women's suffrage.

What strategies were used by local groups to support women's suffrage?

Grassroots (local) groups employed the tactic of going door-to-door to recruit potential supporters for women's suffrage.

How did the women's suffrage movement expand its reach to include poor and working-class women?

The movement gained momentum and interest among poor and working-class women as it expanded beyond its initial base of educated and wealthy women.

What tactics did British suffragists use that influenced American suffragists?

British suffragists, known for using exceptionally bold tactics such as hunger strikes and heckling politicians, influenced some American suffragists to consider similar approaches.

How did the Women's Suffrage Movement split over tactics?

The movement split between those like Carrie Chapman Catt, who emphasized cautious lobbying and 'ladylike behavior', and radicals like Lucy Burns and Alice Paul, who believed a more aggressive approach was needed.

What was the purpose of the 'Silent Sentinels' picketing outside the White House?

The 'Silent Sentinels' aimed to force President Wilson to publicly call for Congress to act on women's suffrage through their constant presence outside the White House gates.

How did World War I impact the perception of the Silent Sentinels?

With the US entry into WWI, the actions of the Silent Sentinels were seen as unpatriotic, leading to strong criticism and frequent clashes with the police.

What role did women play during World War I that contributed to the eventual support for women's suffrage?

During the war, women filled positions vacated by men, worked in factories, sold war bonds, and contributed significantly to the war effort, which helped swell support for women's suffrage after the war.

When was the Nineteenth Amendment passed, and when did it become law?

The Nineteenth Amendment was passed by Congress in 1919 and became law in August 1920 after being ratified by the necessary 36 states, with Tennessee being the decisive one.

Outlines

00:00

🗳️ Women's Fight for Suffrage

The script details the struggle for women's suffrage during President Wilson's era, a time when women were actively involved in Progressive Era reforms. Initially, women's voting rights were limited to only nine western states. The movement expanded with the involvement of college-educated women, using grassroots tactics and public demonstrations to gain support from various social classes. The movement was influenced by British suffragists' bold tactics, leading to a division in the American movement between those advocating for cautious lobbying and those pushing for more radical actions. The National Woman’s Party, led by Alice Paul and Lucy Burns, initiated a picket line outside the White House, known as the 'Silent Sentinels,' which endured criticism and violence during WWI but ultimately contributed to the growing support for women's suffrage.

Keywords

💡Progressive Era

The Progressive Era was a period of widespread social activism and political reform across the United States spanning from the 1890s to the 1920s. It involved various movements aimed at improving society and addressing various social, political, and economic issues. In the video, the term is used to describe the backdrop against which women's suffrage was actively pursued, highlighting the broader context of societal change during this time.

💡Women's Suffrage

Women's suffrage refers to the movement for women's right to vote and participate in political decision-making. It is the central theme of the video, illustrating the struggle and achievements of women in gaining the right to vote. The script mentions the efforts of various women and groups that contributed to this cause, culminating in the passage of the Nineteenth Amendment.

💡Grassroots Movement

A grassroots movement is one that is initiated and driven by the local population, rather than by centralized or hierarchical organizations. In the context of the video, grassroots groups played a significant role in the women's suffrage movement by going door-to-door to recruit supporters, which helped to expand the movement beyond educated and wealthy women to include those from poor and working-class backgrounds.

💡Suffragists

Suffragists are individuals, typically women, who advocated for women's right to vote. The term is used in the video to refer to the women who were part of the women's suffrage movement. They used various tactics, from public speeches to protests, to advance their cause and gain public attention and support.

💡National American Woman Suffrage Association (NAWSA)

The National American Woman Suffrage Association was a prominent organization in the United States that played a significant role in the women's suffrage movement. In the video, it is mentioned in relation to Susan B. Anthony and her successor, Carrie Chapman Catt, who emphasized cautious lobbying and 'ladylike behavior' as part of their strategy for achieving women's right to vote.

💡National Woman’s Party

The National Woman’s Party was founded by Alice Paul and Lucy Burns as a more radical faction within the women's suffrage movement. The video describes how they pressured the federal government directly, differing from the approach of NAWSA. They are known for their round-the-clock picket line outside the White House, which they maintained to influence President Wilson's stance on federal suffrage.

💡Silent Sentinels

The Silent Sentinels were a group of suffragists who picketed outside the White House to advocate for women's suffrage. The term is used in the video to describe the women who maintained a constant presence to pressure President Wilson to support the cause. Their actions, initially tolerated, later faced criticism and violence as the United States entered World War I.

💡Nineteenth Amendment

The Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution granted women the right to vote and is the legal milestone that the women's suffrage movement sought to achieve. The video describes the passage of this amendment by Congress in 1919 and its ratification by the states, with Tennessee being the decisive 36th state to ratify it in August 1920.

💡Seneca Falls Convention

The Seneca Falls Convention was the first women's rights convention held in the United States in 1848. It is significant as it marked the beginning of the organized women's rights movement in the country. The video refers to this event as the starting point of the long struggle for women's suffrage, which culminated 72 years later with the passage of the Nineteenth Amendment.

💡World War I

World War I, also known as the Great War, was a global war that lasted from 1914 to 1918. The video mentions the impact of World War I on the women's suffrage movement, noting that women's contributions to the war effort, such as working in factories and selling war bonds, helped to sway public opinion in favor of women's right to vote after the war.

💡Force-feeding

Force-feeding is a medical procedure where food or liquid is administered to a person who is unable or unwilling to eat. In the context of the video, it is mentioned as a consequence for suffragists like Alice Paul who went on hunger strikes while in jail. This extreme measure taken by authorities highlights the severity of the suffragists' commitment to their cause and the lengths they were willing to go to achieve their goals.

Highlights

Women played an active role in the Progressive Era and fought for suffrage as their crowning achievement.

Prior to President Wilson's inauguration, women could only vote in federal elections in nine western states.

The suffrage movement gained momentum with the involvement of college-educated women and the use of various local strategies.

Grassroots groups went door-to-door to recruit supporters, expanding the movement to include poor and working-class women.

Parades, protests, and public speeches became common tactics to spread the message of women's suffrage.

The British suffragists' bold tactics, such as hunger strikes and heckling politicians, influenced some American suffragists.

A split occurred within the Women's Suffrage Movement over whether to use cautious lobbying or more radical approaches.

Carrie Chapman Catt emphasized 'ladylike behavior' and cautious lobbying as president of the National American Woman Suffrage Association.

Lucy Burns and Alice Paul founded the National Woman's Party, advocating for a more radical approach to pressure the federal government.

Alice Paul led a round-the-clock picket line outside the White House, known as the 'Silent Sentinels,' to force President Wilson to call for congressional action on suffrage.

President Wilson hesitated to push for federal suffrage out of fear of dividing his party, despite favoring it at the state level.

US entry into WWI brought strong criticism and accusations of unpatriotism against the Silent Sentinels.

Suffragists were frequently arrested and some, like Alice Paul, went on hunger strikes in jail, leading to force-feeding.

The war in Europe hurt public support for the Silent Sentinels but indirectly helped their cause by highlighting women's contributions to the war effort.

Women filled numerous roles during the war, including working in factories, selling war bonds, and supporting soldiers and their families.

Post-war, support for women's suffrage swelled, with many claiming women deserved the ballot as a reward for their war contributions.

Congress passed the Nineteenth Amendment in 1919, and it was ratified by Tennessee in August 1920, making women's suffrage a reality after 72 years since the Seneca Falls Convention.

Transcripts

While President Wilson fought to reform trusts, banking, and America’s tariff system, a

group of determined women fought diligently to get the vote.

Women had played a very active role in the advancements made during the Progressive Era,

and the crowning achievement for many of them would be women’s suffrage.

Prior to Wilson’s inauguration, women could vote in federal elections in only nine western

states.

The movement had enjoyed some recent successes, however, due to efforts focused on building

enthusiasm at local levels.

Across the country, a growing number of college-educated women would breathe new life into the national

movement.

On both the local and national levels, a variety of strategies were used to spread the message

of women’s suffrage.

Grass roots (local) groups employed the tactic of going door-to-door to recruit potential

supports.

In a very short period of time, what had once been a movement made up mostly of educated,

wealthy women found interest amongst poor and working-class women.

As the movement gained momentum, parades, protests, and public speeches became common.

Oftentimes, crowds would gather and listen to suffragists’ arguments, not out of sympathy

or agreement, but because it was such an unusual event to see women speaking in public.

The Women’s Suffrage Movement gained another boost from an outspoken group of women who

had travelled to Europe as part of their education.

While visiting England, many women became involved in the suffrage movement in Britain.

British suffragists were known for using exceptionally bold tactics, such as hunger strikes, heckling

politicians, and spitting on policemen.

Some suffragists began urging American women to use similar approaches.

The argument over tactics caused a split within the Women’s Suffrage Movement.

Carrie Chapman Catt, Susan B. Anthony’s successor as president of the National American

Woman Suffrage Association, emphasized cautious lobbying and good-natured, “ladylike behavior”.

Others, such as Lucy Burns and Alice Paul, believed that a more radical approach was

needed.

Together Burns and Paul founded the National Woman’s Party to pressure the federal government

directly.

While President Wilson occupied the White House, Paul led a group of her followers in

a round-the-clock picket line outside the presidential mansion.

Wilson, who favored suffrage at the state level, hesitated pushing for it federally

out of fear of dividing his party.

Known as the “Silent Sentinels”, the constant presence of suffragists outside the White

House gates was designed to force Wilson to publicly call for Congress to act.

The picketing lasted from January 1917 until June 1919.

While the picketers were tolerated at first, US entry into WWI brought on strong criticism

from government officials and much of the American public.

The actions of the Silent Sentinels were seen as unpatriotic, and clashes with the police

became frequent and sometimes violent.

Picketers were often arrested.

Many, including Alice Paul, went on hunger strikes while in jail.

Paul was force-fed as a consequence.

Ironically, while the war in Europe hurt public support for the Silent Sentinels, it certainly

helped their cause.

During the war, women rushed to work in factories, building weapons and equipment for America’s

soldiers.

Women filled countless positions vacated by men who joined or were drafted into the military.

Women sold war bonds, made uniforms for soldiers, planted Victory Gardens, and raised children

on their own while their husbands were away.

After the war, the support for suffrage swelled to levels never seen before.

A growing number of supporters claimed that women were due the ballot as a reward.

Congress responded by passing the Nineteenth Amendment in 1919.

In August of 1920, Tennessee became the 36th state to ratify the amendment, giving it the

necessary votes needed to become law.

Seventy-two years after the Seneca Falls Convention first called for women’s suffrage, the dream

had finally become a reality.