Biography of: Lucretia Mott
Author: Ted Crenshaw
Timeline
Leadership Style
Political Philosophy
Timeline
- 1793- Mott was born on Nantucket Island
- 1821- Mott joined the Society of Friends
- 1833- helped organize the American Anti-Slavery Society and a women's anti-slavery society.
- 1848- organized the first women's rights convention in Seneca Falls, New York
- 1850- helped to harbor runaway slaves after the passage of the Fugitive Slave Act
- 1880- died
Leadership Style
I think that Lucretia Mott's leadership style would probably be democratic. She shared her power with others and kept everyone that shared her views happy. One example that shows she shared responsibilities and power is the fact that she and Elizabeth Cady Stanton organized the Seneca Falls Conference. Many consider this one of the earliest gatherings for women's rights in America. She did not try to do everything herself. She shared many of the responsibilities. She kept the members very happy as well. She meet and became friends with Elizabeth Pease, Richard and Hannah Webb, all Quakers, and many more. Many of these people showed support for American women delegates. These friends exchanged ideas regularly and shared information on reforms. These people did not follow her around, they talked and exchanged ideas as well. This helps to keep everyone happy and feeling like they actually belong to something. Mott was very good at the democratic style that she used.
Political Philosophy
I think that Lucretia Mott was definitely a radicalist. The fact that she was anti-slave and very committed to women's rights during this early time period shows this. She was very dissatisfied with the existing order and wanted to reform. She was also very peaceful and patient in her beliefs. This constitutes her being a radical. This was an extremely different way of thinking in the early 1800's. The rhetorical strategy at the spoke of the wheel that I believe she is on is innovational. She wanted change in society, for both women and slaves. Innovative argument seeks change in the norms, values, and institutions in society without using violence. Mott said, "The world has never yet seen a truly great and virtuous nation because in the degradation of women the very fountains of life are poisoned at their source" (21st Century Dictionary of Quotations). Women were not seen as equals to men in this era. This was a very bold statement to make in criticizing the nation. Motts also alludes to more women rights when she says, "I would therefore urge, that women be placed in such a situation in society, by the yielding of her rights, and have such opportunities for growth and development, as shall raise her from this low, enervated and paralyzed condition, to a full appreciation of the blessing of entire freedom of mind" (Discourse on Women). This is a very radical statement and way of thinking in this time period. She supports the values of which the country was founded on, just not the practices. This makes it innovational.
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