The Seneca Falls Convention of 1848 and its Far Reaching Effects

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"But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same object

evinces a design to reduce them under absolute despotism, it is their duty to throw off

such government, and to provide new guards for their future security. Such has been the

patient sufferance of the women under this government, and such is now the necessity

which constrains them to demand the equal station to which they are entitled." (DOS)

In 1848, a convention was held in Seneca Falls, New York promoting the rights of

women. Believing they were subject to 'a long train of abuses and usurpations,' hundreds

of women gathered to hear Elizabeth Cady Stanton, one of the founding suffragettes, read

the Declaration of Sentiments. Modeled after the United State's Declaration of

Independence, Stanton and other influential suffragettes constructed 'Sentiments' to

announce their intentions to 'demand the equal station to which they were entitled.' (DOS)

In 1848, a convention was held in Seneca Falls, New York promoting the rights of

women. Believing they were subject to 'a long train of abuses and usurpations,' hundreds

of women gathered to hear Elizabeth Cady Stanton, one of the founding suffragettes, read

the Declaration of Sentiments. Modeled after the United State's Declaration of

Independence, Stanton and other influential suffragettes constructed 'Sentiments' to

announce their intentions to 'demand the equal station to which they were entitled.' (DOS)

Their initial goal of equality has spiraled into a movement we now call feminism.

"Sentiments" happened to be a very detailed document, in which women wanted

merely one thing: enfranchisement. What is enfranchisement? Merri...

... middle of paper ...

...her

used or taken advantage of, but is protected, honored, and loved for who she is, not what

she does. When Elizabeth Cady Stanton and her fellow women gathered in 1848 to

declare their rights as women, they had no idea how vastly the world would change

because of it.

Works Cited

Allen, Michael and Schweikart, Larry. A Patriot's History of the United States. New

York: Sentinel, 2004. Print.

DOS. Declaration of Sentiments, nwhm.org, 1848. Web November 19, 2013.

GoodReads.com. Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible. GoodReads, 2013.

Web Nov. 19, 2013

johndclare.net. Arguments against Women's Suffrage: Votes for Women. Johndclare.net,

1988. Web Nov. 19, 2013

m-w.com. "Enfranchisement." merriamwebster.com. 2013. Web Nov. 19, 2013

Sister Suffragette. "Sister Suffragette." disney.wikia.com, n.d. Web, Nov. 19, 2013.

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