Sarah Roberts

MWF 1:00PM-1:50PM

Dr. Aley, HIST. 101

The Seneca Falls Convention

Today, Men and Women have equal rights in America. Women can now do virtually all

of the things that men can. For example, Women can work the same jobs, receive the same pay,

and be treated equally at any work atmosphere. Sadly, this wasn’t always true in our country.

Women used to be looked at as inferior to men mentally, physically, and emotionally. Men

actually believed that it was a scientific fact that women’s brains were smaller than theirs and

weren’t capable of rational decisions. We couldn’t vote, hold property, or have a say in

government. Women were looked at as only capable of doing housework and taking care of

children. This unfortunate trend could have likely occurred until the present if it weren’t for the

Women’s Rights Movement. This movement, led by a few prominent women in the early

nineteenth century, changed the role of females today. Because of the courage of the suffragists

in this era, Women are now regarded as equals in American society.

Younger people, for the most part, can hardly believe that life was ever different than it is

today. They take the changes in complete stride, for it is how life has always been for them.

During the early history of the United States, Americans generally believed that there was a

defined point of difference between the male and female species.  Men were generally

considered stronger and women were considered inferior and weak. Men used to have complete

control over their wives and daughters. It was normal, though, in that time, because women were

used to being controlled by the men.  Women were virtually owned by their husbands and were

often regarded as a certain type of property. Women were taught from a very young age that their

main goal in life was to find a suitor and to be a good housewife.  An unmarried woman,

however, could own property while a married woman had no real material possessions other than

what was her “husband’s”. This could be one of the main reasons why so many women ran away

from their spouses. Typical papers would read “Whereas my wife, Mary Oxendine, hath eloped

from me, this is to forewarn all persons from Harboring or entertaining her, day or night, or

crediting her in my name, as I am determined not to pay any debts by her contracted. (Grant de

Paux, 152). If a woman was to remain single, weather by will or by misfortune, she would have

been looked down upon and pitied in her community.  The townsfolk would often poke fun at

women like this, calling them “old maids” and claiming that they were too homely to have found

a suitor.  Women were only truly socially accepted if they were married. Many women tried to

abide by the “Perfect Woman” ideal, being able to cook, clean, teach elementary education and

religion, and obey her husband.  Women were not to think too much, or to use intelligence or

wisdom, and it was considered rude for a woman ever to exert her opinion over one of a man, no

matter what age he was. Women practically went to school to learn the trades of a good

housewife, not to learn anything that would contribute to her thinking there was any better way

of life. Men went to school to learn, and women went to school to become wives of these

educated men. College education and professional careers were not allowed to women (The

American Woman of the Early Nineteenth Century. CPLHM). Also, women were viewed as

incapable of serving in a jury, or even testifying, and speaking in public was considered indecent

as well.  Women were also not involved in politics in any sort of way and many men thought that

women were “incapable” of making educated decisions at all. Some women did not mind this

image that they were being held up to. One lady said in the Ladies Companion, New York, 1838:

“Let the men take care of politics, we will take care of our children.” This just goes to show that

many women did not seek any other place in society than what they were given at birth. It

probably goes without saying that women had no voting abilities in this time era. Only white

males, 21 years of age or older, could vote (Grand de Pauw, 154). Overall, American women in

the nineteenth century lived in an age characterized by gender inequality. At the beginning of the

century, women enjoyed their few rights that they were rewarded, but this was soon to change

with some very influential women who wondered if there was more equality to be achieved for

women.

Although the nineteenth century was a big leap in women’s’ affairs, the seeds of change

had been sewn a long time. In fact, Abigail Adams was one of the first advocates of Women’s’

equal education and women’s’ property rights. Abigail had strong feelings about marriage and

believed women should take more part in decisions rather than simply serve their husbands. She

believed that women should educate themselves and use their own intellect to manage the

household affairs, as well as to be the moral guide for their family, especially their children. In a

letter to her husband, John Adams, March 1776, while he was in Philadelphia writing the U.S.

constitution, she wrote, “Remember the Ladies, and be more generous and favorable to them

than your ancestors. Do not put such unlimited power into the hands of the Husbands. Remember

all Men would be tyrants if they could.” She even anticipated the Women’s Rights Movement

when she wrote, “If particular care and attention is not paid to the Ladies we are determined to

forment a Rebellion and will not hold ourselves bound by any Laws in which we have no voice

or representation” (Butterfield, 120, 121).  Another strong call for equal rights was made by

Mary Wollstonecraft in 1972 with A Vindication of the Right of Women. Her book was the first

to exert a lasting influence because it represented a starting point and a source for its principal

themes for the American woman’s right movement (Gurko, 16,17). Although these women tried

to make a difference, they were hardly heard by the general population. It wouldn’t be until later

on when Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton came into the picture that things would

really start to gain momentum.

Margaret Mead once said “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed

citizens can change the world. Indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has” (Legacy, Online). By

this, she sets forth the goal of the Women’s Rights Movement. She believed that a small group

of women could eventually bring the change that they wanted to see in our nation. This came

true with two very remarkable people, Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony. In order to

understand the Women’s Rights Movement and the importance of the Seneca Falls convention, it

is necessary to learn a little about each of these women’s’ backgrounds.

Elizabeth Cady Stanton was born November 12, 1815 (Damets, Online). During her life,

she observed many unfair practices involving the treatment of women. She believed that

“Woman will always be dependant until she holds a purse of her own” (Ward, pg 38). She

became a strong advocate of women’s rights while studying law under her father. She married a

lawyer and they both became advocates of the Anti-Slavery movement. She not only believed

that slaves should be freed, but that they should also be able to vote and have equal rights. When

Stanton and her friend Lucretia Mott traveled to London as delegates to the World Anti-Slavery

Convention, they were refused the right to speak because they were women (Bruns 178). This

angered both of the women and later led to the Seneca Falls convention. Susan B. Anthony had a

different story. She was born February 15, 1820. She was born to a family of Quakers in upstate

New York and her father was strict but encouraging (Ward, pg 98). The fact that she was raised

as a Quaker had an enormous impact in her life. Part of the Quaker religion teaches equality and

even in church and society, Quaker women were respected. Susan was a very smart child and

was able to read and write by the age of three. Her father enrolled her in a “home-school” sort of

education, where her main teacher was a woman. This had a great impact on Susan because she

saw that her teacher was independent, educated, and had a job that was traditionally given to

young men. It is said that Susan startedSusan attended a boarding school in Philadelphia and

later taught at an all-girls school. It is obvious that the seeds of her future work were sewn during

her adolescence. This is where she first started thinking differently about the role of women. She

had an idea that possibly someday all people could have equal rights. She was a very prolific

woman of her time period and often received criticism from men and women alike. However, if

it wasn’t for forward-thinking women like herself, we might not have the equalities that we do

today.

 The women mentioned above had a prolific impact on the Seneca Falls Convention.

Elizabeth Stanton and her husband attended the Anti-slavery convention in London, England on

their honeymoon. This is where Elizabeth met Lucretia Mott, a Quaker Preacher, who was also

disillusioned by the lack of rights granted for women. In Mott, Cady Stanton found both an ally

and a role model. “When I first heard from her lips that I had the same right to think for myself

that Luther, Calvin, and John Knox had,” She recalled, “and the same right to be guided by my

own convictions… I felt a new born sense of dignity and freedom.” The two women became fast

friends and talked about the need for a convention to discuss women’s emancipation. Organizers

of the event placed the women in a balcony behind a screen, and allowed them only to listen to

the speakers, without any right of getting involved. Mott and Cady Stanton were indignant at the

fact that women were excluded from participating in the convention, simply because of their

gender. During their time together at the Anti-slavery conference, they spoke about fighting for

women’s rights. This might have been the first idea for the convention they later planned. Later

on, in 1848, Mott was visiting her sister, Martha C. Wright, in Waterloo, New York. Elizabeth

Stanton lived nearby in a town called Seneca Falls. A certain event brought together Stanton,

Mott, Wright, Marry McClintock, and Jane Hunt. These women were mostly Quakers, except for

Stanton, and they were all acquainted to Anti-Slavery and Temperance meetings. “The time had

come for women’s wrongs to be laid before the public, and women themselves must shoulder the

responsibility” said Stanton (Burns, 1999).  On July 14th, 1848, the Seneca County Courier

announced that on the following Wednesday and Thursday there would be a convention “to

discuss the social, civil, and religious condition and rights of woman.” It can be argued that this

was the beginning of the Women’s Rights Movement. The doors would be opened only to

women on the first day, but on the second day, anyone was able to appear.

Elizabeth Cady Stanton had the task to organize the convention. This was difficult for her

because she had not really undertaken such a task before. The organization of the committee

really showed her capability and proved that she was just as resourceful and productive as men.

She used the Declaration of Independence as her guide. She claimed that “’All men and women

had been created equal”. The Declaration of Seneca Falls started out by stating the natural

equality of men and women. It then went on to discuss the wrong-doings of men to women,

claiming that men had withheld from women rights that were given to “the most ignorant and

degraded men--both natives and foreigners”. (Legacy ’98, A Short History of the Movement,

NWHP). The convention, to take place in five days' time, on July 19 and 20 at the Wesleyan

Methodist Church in Seneca Falls, was publicized only by a small, unsigned notice placed in the

Seneca County Courier. "The convention will not be so large as it otherwise might be, owing to

the busy time with the farmers," Mott told Stanton, "but it will be a beginning."  This even was

hastily put together but it turned out that about three hundred people came to the convention. It is

estimated that forty men also participated in the event. The women chose Lucretia Mott’s

husband to lead the event. A former slave, Frederick Douglass stood by the women’s sides and

argued for their rights. The assembled group considered and voted on a number of resolutions,

11 of which were passed by a large majority and without much argument. The one point that

received the most debate was weather women would gain the right to vote.  By the conclusion,

over 100 women and men signed the Seneca Falls Declaration, although some later removed

their names due to criticism.

After Seneca Falls, they held a meeting in Rochester. This preceding brought about a lot

of ridicule from the press. Frederick Douglass wrote that “A discussion of the rights of animals

would be regarded with far more complacency by many of what are called the wise and the good

of our land, than would be a discussion of the rights of woman." By this, he was saying that a

meeting about animal rights would have been a better topic to discuss. Other papers, like the

North Star, supported the event and called it “one of the most interesting events of the past

week,” and the speakers, “brilliant talent and excellent disposition.” Or like the Seneca Falls

County Courier, who wrote that the meeting was “respectable in numbers and highly respectable

in character.” Stanton regarded all of the publicity as helpful. After the Declaration of Seneca

Falls was printed in the Newspaper, She stated "Imagine the publicity given to our ideas by thus

appearing in a widely circulated sheet like the Herald. It will start women thinking and men too;

and when men and women think about a new question, the first step in progress is taken."(Maier

3)  Nevertheless, the convention succeeded in bringing women’s’ rights to the political forefront.

            The Seneca Falls Convention was a major turning point in American Women’s History. It

isn’t correct to say that it was the first try at women’s rights, but it was one of the most

influential. The convention became the foundation rock for the Women’s Rights Movement.

Throughout the 1840’s and 1850’s, conventions met all over the country to discuss the issue of

women’s rights. The fight for equal women’s rights was a long, hard battle. After the signing of

The Declaration Sentiments in 1848, it took 72 years of organized struggle before most women

won the right to vote when the nineteenth amendment to the U.S. Constitution was passed in

1920.

            But, in the 160 years since the Seneca Falls convention, women have made clear progress

in the areas addressed by Elizabeth Cady Stanton in her revolutionary Declaration of Sentiments.

Not only have women won the right to vote; we are being elected to public office at all levels of

government. In the world of work, large numbers of women have entered the professions, the

trades, and businesses of every kind. We have opened the ranks of the clergy, the military, and

the newsroom. More than three million women now work in occupations considered “non-

traditional” until very recently. Women and girls today are living the legacy of women’s rights

that seven generations of women before us have given their best to achieve. It is unfortunate,

however, that most of the women who made such an effort for our rights never lived to see the

day that their work would pay off tremendously. I for one, would love to personally thank each

and every one of these women Perhaps the best tribute that we in the present can pay to those in

the past is to continue to ask questions, and continue or struggle for the definite answers. Most of

all, we can recognize, no matter how dramatically the world changes, the ideal that all people are

created equal remains an anchor that defines the Americans (Wellman, 240).