The History Of American Women: The Domino Effect

RUNNING HEADER: American Women

ANDREA REED
SS360: American Women
Prof: Kevin Muir

[THE HISTORY OF WOMEN:THE DOMINO EFFECT]
KAPLAN UNIVERSITY
October 22, 2013

The History of American Women: The Domino Effect-1

Introduction
The journey of American Women in their struggle for equality has been a long and hard one, and has depended on the contributions of many women down through history. This paper will examine the events that started in Seneca Falls in 1848 and made its way to the campaign for
President of the United States in 2008. By exploring organizations and the women who were involved in their development and explaining key events and what effect they have had on the women’s movement, we will understand how a domino effect was started,
In 1948 at the Seneca Falls Convention women demanded that their rights as rights bearing citizens be acknowledged and that they be respected. In a message delivered at the Convention by Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Stanton told the convention members that the purpose of the assemblage was to protest women being governed without their permission, and she also stated that women have a right to be free just like men are free, that women should have a right to be represented in the government (Stanton,
1848). In order to gain these rights the US Declaration of Sentiments was presented, debated and finally ratified by the signatures of 100 of those present at the convention (Fordham.edu, 1997).
In 1966 the National Organization for Women was founded and its purpose was to put an end to the discrimination that women faced by challenging sex discrimination in American society especially in the areas of employment (DuBois, 2012). Among the issues that NOW presently deal with by lobbying and litigation are child care, pregnancy leave, and abortion and
The ERA was written in 1923 by Alice Paul and its purpose was to provide equal rights under the Constitution to everyone regardless of sex. After women gained the right to vote guaranteed by the 19th Amendment the ERA was considered to be the next step in confirming equal justice under law for everyone. The ERA was an important step because it would ensure that women’s rights were equal to the rights enjoyed by men; it would also guarantee men the same protection. Although a very important amendment the ERA was introduced to Congress between 1923 and 1972; then in 1972 it was passed and presented for ratification, however, it did not received the number of states needed to be put into the Constitution
(equalrightsamendment.org).
Along with the demand for rights in the arena of politics, women began to awaken to other rights that were due them. The women’s movement brought about a new awareness of sexuality in women. Women begin to think of themselves in other ways besides appealing to men. There was a rise in lesbianism and more and more women decided to keep their names when married. Racial and ethnic differences were a result of the civil rights movement. There was still a lack of mixing of the races within women’s liberation. Feminism of other women