"He has compelled her to submit to laws, in the formation of which she had no voice."
-"The Declaration of Sentiments"
Historical Background
In the early years of the United States, a majority of women did not have rights equal to men. Although women were allowed some rights in a few states, they were expected to get married, raise a family, and tend the house. In a general sense, women were treated like property. They belonged in the house, doing the housework, teaching their daughters to follow in their footsteps. They did not have the right to vote, and few attended college. When a woman married, all of her money and belongings became her husband's, leaving nothing for the woman. Eventually, women, such as Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucretia Mott, wanted to do more and became interested in joining the abolition movement against slavery. However, when Stanton and Mott went to attend the World Anti-Slavery Convention in London in 1840, the Convention did not accept women delegates (Wellman). Stanton's and Mott's frustration with this treatment led to the idea of a women's rights convention.
"In fact, wives were the property of their husbands, entitled, by law, to her wages and her body." (Elizabeth Cady Stanton; pt. 1)
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"No where in America, no where in the world, did women have the right to vote." (Elizabeth Cady Stanton; pt. 1)
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Home | Historical Background | Important Women | The Convention | Turning Point | Long-Term Impact | Timeline | Process Paper | Annotated Bibliography
Elizabeth Cady Stanton | Lucretia Mott | Martha C. Wright | Mary Ann McClintock | Jane Hunt | July 19, 1848 | July 20, 1848