Susan B. Anthony and the Fight For Equality

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Susan was born in 1820 in New England, she was born into a Quaker family, which Cenegage learning states that her religious background and upbringing played a crucial role in her impact on woman's suffrage, and her eventual discontent with christianity in America. The Quakers, who believe in equality and an “inner light” within everyone, instilled the idea into Susan that equality was essential, which could predict her future role in things such as the women’s rights movement, abolitionist movement, and the temperance movement. As Susan moved through her life she partook in many movements, but also switched religions three times, from Quaker, Unitarianism, and eventually and agonistic.

Before becoming involved with reform, Anthony was a teacher in New York State, being one of the only professions open to women at this time. Inequality between men and women at this time, Susan received one-fifth of the weekly salary of males, sparked Anthony’s interest in women’s rights.(Gale-Cenegage) It was during this time when she moved to New York State and became disconnected from the Quakers, due to alcoholism among the preachers, and began attending the Unitarian church. Although Susan abandoned her Quaker faith, she still believed in the equality principles from her Quaker upbringing. From an early age she was taught inequality was wrong, when a teacher refused to teach girls long division, her father immediately pulled her and her sisters out of school to be home schooled. (New World Encyclopedia) So as an adult, when women were extremely deprived of their rights as citizens, she decided after ten years of teaching, to become involved in social improvements, and joins the local temperance society.

Even there she experienced inequal...

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...persistence and complete faith in one’s cause or religion, leads to success. Anthony was able to bring people together, and motivate them to join the movement through her speeches and organizations. Just like the period of revivalism, preachers used camp meetings, vivid and engaging sermons, and hope for a better to gain followers, I believe Anthony did the same, giving not only hope to women, but changing the minds of men and political forces to see this cause as necessary change to American life, culture and politics.

In conclusion, history has proven Susan B. Anthony and her cause right. Women have become more than just child providers, but now go to college, can become any profession they desire, and also can hold a family. Clearly, the equality of women has brought only positive change to our country and without Susan, this change might not have happened.

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