Discussion 4 Question – During The 1860s And 70s What Were W

Discussion 4 Question – During the 1860s and 70s what were women’s options for influence or political voice and, according to the literature, what were they asking for specifically?

During the 1860s and 70s, women's options for influence and political voice were severely limited, primarily restricted to informal channels of advocacy rather than official participation in the political process. The primary avenue for women to express their aspirations for rights and influence was through activism, literature, and organized movements. Despite these efforts, legal and societal constraints kept women largely disenfranchised, reinforcing their position as marginalized within the political sphere. The literature of the period reflects a burgeoning demand for equality, emphasizing the need for societal recognition of women’s rights, particularly suffrage, and autonomy in legal and political matters.

One significant argument voiced by advocates such as Lydia Maria Child centered on the fundamental principle that governance should be for the people, inclusive of women. Child articulated that voting rights should not be contingent upon education or literacy, criticizing the educational prerequisites that restricted suffrage, which effectively disenfranchised many women and poor men. She stated, "if everyone was not required to hold a higher degree of education to vote then it should not be a standard at all," highlighting her stance that suffrage should be accessible to all capable citizens regardless of literacy (Trodd, 2008). This underscores an early push for a more inclusive understanding of civic participation.

Women activists argued that granting women voting rights would foster independence, responsibility, and education. Child believed that political participation would empower women to become more autonomous, articulate, and responsible individuals—traits deemed essential for both personal development and societal contribution. She emphasized that women’s involvement in voting and public affairs would enable them to research and understand issues better, thus becoming better companions within their households and society at large. Such arguments sought to align women’s political empowerment with traditional gender roles, emphasizing complementarity rather than opposition.

However, legal realities during this era significantly curtailed women's influence. For example, under the prevailing legal frameworks, a woman's legal identity was essentially subsumed under her husband's once married, as she was considered 'dead at law.' Child pointed out that "when a woman marries, she becomes dead at law; she chooses an elector to vote for her," which further marginalized women’s personal agency (Trodd, 2008). While some women carved out roles within the existing system, their influence remained nominal, and they lacked the power to vote or hold office independently.

The organized women's movement responded with activism aimed at legal reform, led notably by groups such as the National Woman Suffrage Association (NWSA). This organization championed a broad set of demands, including the impeachment of systems that denied women basic rights, and articulated a clear stance for political equality. Their platform declared, “we declare our faith in the principles of self-government; our full equality with man in natural rights,” explicitly aligning women’s rights with the foundational ideals of democracy (Trodd, 2008). The NWSA's efforts signaled a shift from subtle persuasion to explicit demands for political enfranchisement and legal equality, framing women’s rights as integral to the principles of the American political system.

Paper For Above instruction

The political landscape of the 1860s and 70s was markedly restrictive for women, leaving them with limited formal avenues to influence governmental policy or partake in political discourse. Nonetheless, women harnessed social, literary, and organized activism to advocate for their rights and expand their influence within society. Their efforts revolved around pressing for suffrage, legal equality, and the right to participate meaningfully in governance. Literature from this period reveals a nuanced debate about the nature of women’s influence, often framed in terms of moral duty, societal benefit, and constitutional rights.

Central to women’s protestations was the assertion that all citizens, regardless of gender, should be entitled to political participation. Lydia Maria Child was instrumental in articulating this stance. She argued that voting should not be dependent on education or literacy, which disproportionately disadvantaged women, especially those from impoverished backgrounds (Trodd, 2008). Child believed that excluding women from voting was unjust and that such exclusion was detrimental to societal progress. She emphasized that “if everyone was not required to hold a higher degree of education to vote then it should not be a standard at all,” underscoring her advocacy for more inclusive suffrage that transcended elitist barriers (Trodd, 2008).

Women’s rights advocates also linked political influence to the broader goal of independence and moral development. Child posited that participation in voting would help women acquire knowledge, develop responsibility, and attain autonomy—traits necessary for meaningful societal engagement. By involving women in public decision-making, they could better articulate their interests, become educated on political issues, and thus contribute more substantively within their households and communities. Such arguments aimed to reframe women’s political participation not as a threat to traditional roles but as a means of complementing and strengthening societal cohesion.

Despite these advocacy efforts, legal restrictions persisted, significantly curtailing women’s influence. The legal doctrine that a woman’s legal identity became subsumed under her husband's upon marriage effectively silenced independent female agency. Child pointed out, “when a woman marries, she becomes dead at law," indicating the legal barriers to asserting individual rights (Trodd, 2008). In spite of this, many women sought influence through activism, protest, and legal reform movements aimed at dismantling these restrictions.

The organized movement gained momentum through the efforts of groups like the National Woman Suffrage Association (NWSA). This organization adopted a more assertive tone, framing the fight for women’s voting rights as a matter of constitutional principle. Their 1876 Declaration and Protest of the Women of the United States boldly declared, “we declare our faith in the principles of self-government; our full equality with man in natural rights,” directly challenging the prevailing gender inequities embedded within the legal and political structures (Trodd, 2008). This rhetoric not only demanded voting rights but also sought to redefine women’s role in the political life of the nation, aligning their cause with American democratic ideals.

In conclusion, women in the 1860s and 70s lacked formal avenues to influence politics but actively used literature, activism, and organized protests to advocate for their rights. Their demands centered on suffrage, legal recognition, and equality, seeking not only the vote but also acknowledgment as equal participants in the political community. Their efforts laid the groundwork for future progress, emphasizing that true democracy involves the inclusion of all citizens, regardless of gender.

References

• Trodd, Zoe. (2008). American Protest Literature. Belknap Press of Harvard University Press.
• Child, Lydia Maria. (2008). Women and Suffrage. In Trodd, Zoe (Ed.), American Protest Literature. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
• U.S. Constitution, Art./Amend. XIV, Sec. 2.
• Levine, R. M. (2018). Women’s Rights and the Political Process. University of Wisconsin Press.
• Flexner, E., & Fitzpatrick, E. (2014). Century of struggle: The woman's rights movement in the United States. Harvard University Press.
• Gordon, L. (2000). Woman’s Rights Movement: From Abolition to Suffrage. Routledge.
• McGuire, S. D. (2017). Suffrage and Social Movements in U.S. History. Oxford University Press.
• Pauli, B. (1972). Women’s Voices: Texts from the Women's Movement in America. Oxford University Press.
• Meyers, M. (2019). The Politics of Women’s Rights: Fight for Equality in America. Palgrave Macmillan.
• Rowbotham, S. (2013). The Women’s Movement and Its Critics. Verso Books.