Suffragists Demonstrate Against Woodrow Wilson
Social Movements
On October 20, 1916, the National Women's Party (NWP) organized a suffrage demonstration outside of an auditorium in Chicago where President Woodrow Wilson was giving a campaign speech. Wilson, a Democrat, was running for his second term as President. The NWP wanted to put pressure on political candidates to help push through a constitutional amendment guaranteeing women the right to vote. These demonstrators were attacked by a mob.
Burke & Atwell, Chicago
Records of the National Woman's Party Records, Manuscript Division, Library of Congress; Digital ID: http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.mss/mnwp.276016
1916
Modern America (1914-1929)
"Jailed for Freedom" Pin
Gender and Sexuality
Social Movements
In 1916, the National Women’s Party (NWP) began picketing the White House. NWP members criticized President Woodrow Wilson for going to war “to make the world safe for democracy†in World War I, while in the United States women were denied the right to vote. Police arrested the picketers for blocking traffic, and a judge sentenced them to seven months in prison. To recognize their sacrifice and heroism for the cause of suffrage, the NWP presented the women with small silver pins in the shape of a locked prison door.
National Women's Party
"The Object of History, National Museum of American History, http://objectofhistory.org/objects/extendedtour/votingmachine/?order=10
1917
Modern America (1914-1929)
Analysis Worksheet: The Declaration of Sentiments
Gender and Sexuality
This worksheet helps students analyze the 1848 Declaration of Sentiments.
American Social History Project/Center for Media and Learning
American Social History Project/Center for Media and Learning
American Social History Project / Center for Media and Learning
2010
Copyright American Social History Project/Center for Media and Learning <a rel="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/"><img style="border-width:0" src="http://i.creativecommons.org/l/by-nc-nd/3.0/88x31.png" alt="Creative Commons License" /></a><br />This work is licensed under a <a rel="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/">Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License</a>.
1155, 1690, 1691
English
Antebellum America (1816-1860)
John Adams Explains Why Men Without Property Should Not Be Able to Vote (with text supports)
James Sullivan, a state court judge in Massachusetts and colleague of John Adams, was often sympathetic to those who thought women and non-elite men should have a voice in the new nation’s government. Adams disagreed, explaining to Sullivan why men without property and women should be excluded. Some spelling changes and edits have been made to improve clarity.
John Adams
John Adams to James Sullivan, 26 May 1776; from Charles Francis Adams, ed.,<em> The Works of John Adams, Second President of the United States</em> (Boston: Little, Brown, and Company, 1854).
American Social History Project / Center for Media and Learning
1776
1673, 1645
English
Revolution and New Nation (1751-1815)
John Adams Explains Why Women Should Not Be Able to Vote (with text supports)
Gender and Sexuality
James Sullivan, a state court judge in Massachusetts and colleague of John Adams, was often sympathetic to those who thought women and non-elite men should have a voice in the new nation’s government. Adams disagreed, explaining to Sullivan why women and the poor should be excluded. Some spelling changes and edits have been made to improve clarity.
John Adams
John Adams to James Sullivan, 26 May 1776; from Charles Francis Adams, ed., <em>The Works of John Adams, Second President of the United States </em>(Boston: Little, Brown, and Company, 1854).
American Social History Project / Center for Media and Learning
1776
1673, 1646
English
Revolution and New Nation (1751-1815)
The 14th and 15th Amendments
Civil Rights and Citizenship
Following the Civil War and abolition of slavery, Republicans in Congress passed reconstruction laws meant to guarantee full citizenship and suffrage to African Americans. The 14th amendment required states to guarantee the rights of all citizens, including the right to vote for male inhabitants over the age of 21. The 14th amendment also contained provisions meant to prevent Confederate leaders from regaining political power or receiving economic benefits from the emancipation of slaves. The 15th amendment was passed to further protect African American enfranchisement. Despite the intent of northern lawmakers, the amendments––and the strong opposition to them by white southerners-- signified the beginning of a long struggle for black equality.
U.S. Congress
National Archives
American Social History Project / Center for Media and Learning
1866 - 1870
English
Civil War and Reconstruction (1861-1877)
Analysis Worksheets: "Social Movements and Constitutional Change: Women's Suffrage"
Social Movements
These worksheets are designed to help students analyze nine primary sources in the activity "Social Movements and Constitutional Change: Women's Suffrage." Also included here are the answer keys for the worksheets.
American Social History Project/Center for Media and Learning
American Social History Project/Center for Media and Learning, 2010.
American Social History Project / Center for Media and Learning
2010
Copyright American Social History Project/Center for Media and Learning
<div><a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/"></a><br />This work is licensed under a <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/">Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License</a>.</div>
1696
English
Social Movements and Constitutional Change: Women's Suffrage
Gender and Sexuality
Social Movements
In this activity, students analyze documents to arrange events on a timeline of women's suffrage. The timeline and documents will help students understand the intersection of social movements and constitutional change. This activity can be modified by reducing the number of documents. An optional Smartboard Notebook file is included to facilitate the activity.
American Social History Project/Center for Media and Learning
American Social History Projects/Center for Media and Learning, 2010.
American Social History Project / Center for Media and Learning
2010
Copyright American Social History Project/Center for Media and Learning
<div><br />This work is licensed under a <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/">Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License</a>.</div>
English
Modern America (1914-1929)
The National Women's Party Pickets the White House
Gender and Sexuality
Social Movements
In 1916, a new militant suffrage group, the National Women’s Party (NWP), was formed. Led by Alice Paul, the NWP began picketing the White House. NWP members criticized President Woodrow Wilson for going to war “to make the world safe for democracy†in World War I, while in the United States women were denied the right to vote. Police arrested the picketers for blocking traffic and a judge sentenced them to seven months in prison. Paul and other prisoners went on a hunger strike to protest the harsh treatment they received there. The willingness of the picketers to be arrested, their campaign for recognition as political prisoners rather than as criminals, and their acts of civil disobedience in jail shocked the nation and brought attention and support to their cause.
Unknown and Harris & Ewing (photographers)
“Helena Hill Weed, Norwalk, Conn. Serving 3 day sentence in D.C. prison for carrying banner, ‘Governments derive their just powers from the consent of the governed.’†1917, photograph, Library of Congress, Records of the National Woman's Party collection, http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.mss/mnwp.275034. Harris & Ewing, Washington D.C., “Photograph of fourteen suffragists in overcoats on picket line, holding suffrage banners in front of the White House. One banner reads: ‘Mr. President How Long Must Women Wait For Liberty’. White House visible in background.†1917, photograph, Library of Congress, Records of the National Woman's Party collection, http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.mss/mnwp.160022.
American Social History Project / Center for Media and Learning
1917
1800, 1696
English
Modern America (1914-1929)
Maps of Women's Suffrage Prior to the 19th Amendment
Gender and Sexuality
Civil Rights and Citizenship
Although early suffragists were not successful in passing a federal constitutional amendment to give women the right to vote, activists worked hard at the local and state levels throughout the late 19th and early 20th centuries. They formed local organizations, proposed new state laws, and campaigned for state-wide referenda that gave women the right to vote in some elections, often those relating to education (for example, school board elections). In 1869, the Wyoming territory granted women the right to vote in all elections, a right they kept when Wyoming was admitted as a state in 1890. Many other western territories and states did the same.
American Social History Project/Center for Media and Learning
American Social History Project/Center for Media and Learning, 2010.
American Social History Project / Center for Media and Learning
1880 - 1910
Copyright American Social History Project/Center for Media and Learning
<div><a rel="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/"><img style="border-width:0" src="http://i.creativecommons.org/l/by-nc-nd/3.0/88x31.png" alt="Creative Commons License" /></a><br />This work is licensed under a <a rel="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/">Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License</a>.</div>
1806, 1696
English
Industrialization and Expansion (1877-1913)