The 19th Amendment: Equal Rights to Vote

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The 19th amendment states that the United States Constitution prohibits any United States citizen from being denied the right to vote on the basis of sex. The 19th amendment was a significant turning point for many women in America. It gave women freedom that they didn’t have before. Before this amendment was passed many women had no self portrayal, something they couldn’t reach with a male figure ruling next to them. That was until 1920 when the 19th amendment was passed. The amendment let women into power giving them social justice and many political rights. Before 1920 women did not have the right to vote. They were known as “second class citizens”. Women were to stay home to help and organize the family’s necessities. Having any other higher power was said to be way out of their limitations. Mainly because women weren’t fully exposed to the happenings outside of the home, which led to the male figure believing that it was impossible for women to vote if they didn’t know the facts. Men thought that if women were able to vote that they would reach a power, that they could not take away and they didn’t want that. Men wanted to be head of the household and everything else in between. There were many women, who thought the fact of not being able to vote was outrageous. They wanted the same rights as men and nothing was going to stop them. Obtaining the right to vote wasn’t going to be an easy process for women. So the many campaigns, petitions, pickets and organizations in the mid 1800’s to the early 1900’s were a start to many rights. This lengthy process began on July 19, 1848. On this day the Seneca Falls Convention took place in New York, New York. Over 200 men and women came in participated and gave their opinions on votin... ... middle of paper ... ...yone voted they only needed one more vote to pass the amendment. Harry Burn a legislature was a perfect example for this. He was the last person to vote. He wore a red rose, but ended up voting for the amendment. This finally ratified the amendment. On August 18, 1920 the nineteenth amendment was fully ratified. It was now legal for women to vote on Election Day in the United States. When Election Day came around in 1920 women across the nation filled the voting booths. They finally had a chance to vote for what they thought was best. Not only did they get the right to vote but they also got many other social and economic rights. They were more highly thought of. Some people may still have not agreed with this but they couldn’t do anything about it now. Now that they had the right to vote women did not rush into anything they took their time of the right they had.

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