How Elizabeth Cady Stanton Shaped Society and Empowered Women

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Elizabeth Cady Stanton There have been many great feminists throughout history, who have changed and shaped society, all who have worked toward one goal, to empower women all over the world. One of these women, Elizabeth Stanton who fought for women’s suffrage was able to shape the way a nation perceived and fought for the rights of their people, allowing the women of today to benefit from her accomplishments on a substantial scale. Elizabeth Stanton was born on the 12th of November 1815, in Johnstown New York. She was fortunate enough to enjoy a privileged life and grew up among the wealthy. The daughter of Daniel Cady, a prominent judge and Margaret Livingstone, she was the eighth of eleven children. Stanton received the best education available at the time for a young woman, attending Johnstown Academy for girls, where she studied Latin, Greek, mathematics, religion, science, French, and writing until the age of 16. After finishing her degree, Stanton married abolitionist Henry Stanton and gave birth to 7 children between 1842 and 1859. She died on October 26th, 1902. Stanton can be described as an American social activist and leading figure of the early women’s right movement, directing her efforts toward women’s suffrage. Her interests in women’s issues led her to speak on topics concerning maternity, child rearing, divorce law, temperance, and presidential campaigns. Stanton believed that Christianity was inherently sexist; relegating women to an inferior position in society and so took a stand against how women’s roles were portrayed throughout the bible. Her introduction to reform movements from an early age meant she was exposed to many societal issues, including encounters as a young woman with runaway fugitives at ... ... middle of paper ... ...Aug 18th 1920, after decades of struggle, the 19th Amendment was approved bringing a successful end to the U.S. women’s suffrage movement. Furthermore, Stanton was able to challenge the concept of separate spheres for men and women in her speeches and lectures, gaining great support from women trying to break into the public sphere. In anaylsing the validity of this statement, “We are all benefiting from the great feminists who struggled and suffered and worked to give us everything women now enjoy.” it can be concluded that Stanton was a women who was able to reinvent and influence women’s rights all over the world. She was a feminist who encountered many struggles, leading and influencing thousands of women throughout her career. To this day her work is still remembered and recognised by all, as the right to vote becomes increasingly important in today’s world.

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