Fighting for Women’s Suffrage E-Book

• Herausgeber: Charles River Editors
• Kategorie: Sachliteratur, Reportagen, Biografien
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 93

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2025

Beschreibung

Elizabeth Cady Stanton is something of an unsung hero in the history of the feminist movement. Though she is still primarily known as an advocate of women’s suffrage and is closely linked to the better known Susan B. Anthony, Stanton was shunned by many of her fellow suffragists because her ideas seem too radical and because many were disturbed by her barely Deist view of religion.  Over a century after her death, modern feminists tend to overlook Stanton in favor of Anthony, while remembering that Stanton enjoyed taking on the traditional 19th century gender roles of being the mother of a large family and remaining devoted to her husband throughout her life. And while Anthony’s comments about abortion are still fiercely debated by pro-life and pro-choice crowds, Stanton held conservative views toward abortion. It’s clear that Elizabeth Cady Stanton was very much her own woman, certainly a fitting description that she would not have wanted any other way.

Though she is not as well known or fondly remembered as her closest counterpart, Stanton preceded Anthony as an advocate of women’s rights. It was Stanton who issued the Declaration of Sentiments at the first women's rights convention in Seneca Falls, New York in 1848, touching off the organized movement that worked toward suffrage and equality. At the same time, Stanton was an ardent abolitionist, and she focused on progressive issues like custody rights, divorce, women’s property rights, employment issues, and even birth control.

During the last 100 years, Susan B. Anthony has been one of the most venerated women in American history, but in the 80 years before that, she was one of the most hated women in American history. Anthony took note of her contemporaries’ distaste for her but remained defiant, asserting, “I have encountered riotous mobs and have been hung in effigy, but my motto is: Men's rights are nothing more. Women's rights are nothing less.”

Today, of course, every American is taught about their nation’s most famous suffragist, who tirelessly advocated and lobbied for women to be granted the right to vote. Though it wouldn’t become legal until 14 years after Anthony’s death, Anthony took it upon herself to illegally vote in 1872, which initiated one of the late 19th century’s most famous political court cases. Anthony was able to publicize women’s plight and her cause even as she was subjected to a kangaroo court in which the judge ordered the jury to find her guilty, but she managed to embarrass authorities so much that they released her from jail instead of allowing her to appeal the conviction and continue to bring attention to her case. 

Though Anthony is best remembered today for working towards women’s suffrage with other women like Elizabeth Cady Stanton, she was an active and progressive advocate for all of the leading human rights issues of her time. Anthony was an ardent abolitionist from day one, and she spent much of the first 40 years of her life championing the cause of African-Americans, even befriending men like Frederick Douglass and William Lloyd Garrison along the way. She also championed “radical” ideas as 8 hour work days, minimum wage laws, and equal pay for women.

Leseprobe

Fighting for Women’s Suffrage: The Lives and Legacies of Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton

By Charles River Editors

Elizabeth Cady Stanton with daughter Harriot, 1856

About Charles River Editors

Charles River Editors was founded by Harvard and MIT alumni to provide superior editing and original writing services, with the expertise to create digital content for publishers across a vast range of subject matter. In addition to providing original digital content for third party publishers, Charles River Editors republishes civilization’s greatest literary works, bringing them to a new generation via ebooks.

Introduction

Elizabeth Cady Stanton (1815-1902)

"The moment we begin to fear the opinions of others and hesitate to tell the truth that is in us, and from motives of policy are silent when we should speak, the divine floods of light and life no longer flow into our souls." – Elizabeth Cady Stanton

Elizabeth Cady Stanton is something of an unsung hero in the history of the feminist movement. Though she is still primarily known as an advocate of women’s suffrage and is closely linked to the better known Susan B. Anthony, Stanton was shunned by many of her fellow suffragists because her ideas seem too radical and because many were disturbed by her barely Deist view of religion. Over a century after her death, modern feminists tend to overlook Stanton in favor of Anthony, while remembering that Stanton enjoyed taking on the traditional 19th century gender roles of being the mother of a large family and remaining devoted to her husband throughout her life. And while Anthony’s comments about abortion are still fiercely debated by pro-life and pro-choice crowds, Stanton held conservative views toward abortion. It’s clear that Elizabeth Cady Stanton was very much her own woman, certainly a fitting description that she would not have wanted any other way.

Though she is not as well known or fondly remembered as her closest counterpart, Stanton preceded Anthony as an advocate of women’s rights. It was Stanton who issued the Declaration of Sentiments at the first women's rights convention in Seneca Falls, New York in 1848, touching off the organized movement that worked toward suffrage and equality. At the same time, Stanton was an ardent abolitionist, and she focused on progressive issues like custody rights, divorce, women’s property rights, employment issues, and even birth control.

Fighting for Women’s Suffrage chronicles the amazing life and work of one of America’s best known suffragists, examining her ideology and the controversies she generated. Along with pictures, you will learn about Elizabeth Cady Stanton like you never have before, in no time at all.

Susan B. Anthony (1820-1906)

"The true woman will not be exponent of another, or allow another to be such for her. She will be her own individual self... Stand or fall by her own individual wisdom and strength... She will proclaim the ‘glad tidings of good news’ to all women, that woman equally with man was made for her own individual happiness, to develop... every talent given to her by God, in the great work of life.” – Susan B. Anthony

During the last 100 years, Susan B. Anthony has been one of the most venerated women in American history, but in the 80 years before that, she was one of the most hated women in American history. Anthony took note of her contemporaries’ distaste for her but remained defiant, asserting, “I have encountered riotous mobs and have been hung in effigy, but my motto is: Men's rights are nothing more. Women's rights are nothing less.”

Today, of course, every American is taught about their nation’s most famous suffragist, who tirelessly advocated and lobbied for women to be granted the right to vote. Though it wouldn’t become legal until 14 years after Anthony’s death, Anthony took it upon herself to illegally vote in 1872, which initiated one of the late 19th century’s most famous political court cases. Anthony was able to publicize women’s plight and her cause even as she was subjected to a kangaroo court in which the judge ordered the jury to find her guilty, but she managed to embarrass authorities so much that they released her from jail instead of allowing her to appeal the conviction and continue to bring attention to her case.

Though Anthony is best remembered today for working towards women’s suffrage with other women like Elizabeth Cady Stanton, she was an active and progressive advocate for all of the leading human rights issues of her time. Anthony was an ardent abolitionist from day one, and she spent much of the first 40 years of her life championing the cause of African-Americans, even befriending men like Frederick Douglass and William Lloyd Garrison along the way. She also championed “radical” ideas as 8 hour work days, minimum wage laws, and equal pay for women.

Fighting for Women’s Suffrage chronicles the life of America’s greatest human rights champion, examining her writings and her work across the political spectrum. Along with pictures, you will learn about Susan B. Anthony like you never have before, in no time at all.

Fighting for Women’s Suffrage: The Lives and Legacies of Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton

About Charles River Editors

Introduction

Chapter 1: Elizabeth Cady Stanton’s Early Years

Chapter 2: Susan B. Anthony’s Early Years

Abolitionists

Chapter 3: Becoming Advocates

Chapter 4: Seneca Falls

Chapter 5: Stanton and Anthony Join Forces

Chapter 6: Abolition and the Civil War

Chapter 7: The Revolution

Chapter 8: United States v. Susan B. Anthony

Chapter 9: Later Years

Chapter 10: The Women’s Legacies

Susan B. Anthony Bibliography

Elizabeth Cady Stanton Bibliography

Chapter 1: Elizabeth Cady Stanton’s Early Years

"I often saw weary little women coming to the table after most exhausting labors, and large, bumptious husbands spreading out their hands and thanking the Lord for the meals that the dear women had prepared, as if the whole came down like manna from heaven. So I preached a sermon in the blessing I gave. You will notice that it has three heresies in it: Heavenly Father and Mother, make us thankful for all the blessings of this life, and make us ever mindful of the patient hands that oft in weariness spread our tables and prepare our daily food. For humanity's sake, Amen."

Elizabeth Cady was born the eighth child of Daniel and Margaret Cady in Johnstown, New York, on November 12, 1815. Her father was a well-known attorney in Johnstown and had also served a term in the United States Congress. He would finish out his career as a judge. Meanwhile, by the time Elizabeth was born, Daniel’s wife Margaret had already given birth to seven children and buried five of them. Though she would go on to have three more children after Elizabeth, these earlier losses would lead her into a deep depression that would last for most of Elizabeth’s childhood. Elizabeth’s daughter Harriot would remember Margaret as being fun and full of life, traits Elizabeth did not experience as a youngster herself. As a result, Elizabeth and her younger sisters would spend much of their lives under the care of their older sister Tryphena and her husband Edward Baynard.

Portrait of Daniel Cady

Interestingly, though his daughter would become one of her country’s most famous abolitionists, Daniel Cady was a slave owner. One particular slave who was later freed, Peter Teabout, took extra care of Elizabeth and Margaret, and the girls were too young to understand race relations at the time. Elizabeth would later remember entering her segregated church and staying in the back with Peter, not knowing any better. Elizabeth would remember him fondly in her autobiography, Eighty Years and More:

“In all these escapades we were followed by Peter, black as coal and six feet in height. It seems to me now that his chief business was to discover our whereabouts, get us home to dinner, and take us back to school. Fortunately he was overflowing with curiosity and not averse to lingering a while where anything of interest was to be seen or heard, and, as we were deemed perfectly safe under his care, no questions were asked when we got to the house, if we had been with him…through his diplomacy, we escaped much disagreeable surveillance. …wherever Peter went, the three little girls in his charge went, too.

Unlike many men of his day, Daniel Cady believed in formal education for female children. With her sisters, Elizabeth was enrolled in Johnstown Academy, where her older brother Eleazar had gone. There she studied Greek, Latin and advanced mathematics in co-ed classes, confidently competing with both boys and girl for prizes and awards. She also fell under the influence of her Greek teacher, the Reverend Simon Hosack, who encouraged her to pursue learning past her graduation at 16. He would eventually leave her his Greek lexicon and numerous other books from his personal library. All of this would provide Elizabeth with perspective when she confronted the issue of gender inequality in education, and she would later note, “It would be ridiculous to talk of male and female atmospheres, male and female springs or rains, male and female sunshine... how much more ridiculous is it in relation to mind, to soul, to thought, where there is as undeniably no such thing as sex, to talk of male and female education and of male and female schools."

In 1826, when Elizabeth was still a young teen, the Cady family suffered a terrible blow when their only living son, Eleazar, died at the tender age of 20, just after graduating from Union College. Elizabeth would note:

“A young man of great talent and promise, he was the pride of my father's heart. We early felt that this son filled a larger place in our father's affections and future plans than the five daughters together. …As he took no notice of me, after standing a long while, I climbed upon his knee, when he mechanically put his arm about me and, with my head resting against his beating heart, we both sat in silence….At length he heaved a deep sigh and said: ‘Oh, my daughter, I wish you were a boy!’ Throwing my arms about his neck, I replied: ‘I will try to be all my brother was.’”

This promise would shape Elizabeth’s life as she began to spend more and more time with her father. As she had four other sisters at home, her presence in the domestic sphere was not always needed, so she would find her father in his library or his judge’s chambers and ask him questions about the law, cases he was working on and political issues. She also read many of his law books and studied records of rulings on past cases.

What she read there shocked her. In the 1820s, married women in America had no right to personal property. When they married, any land or materials goods that they brought with them into their marriage automatically became the property of their husbands. Should they divorce for any reason, the man would most likely be granted full custody of the children, and would not be legally bound in any way to care provide for his wife.