Biography of: Elizabeth Cady Stanton
Author: Kristin Hollingsworth
Timeline
Leadership Style
Political Philosophy
Timeline
- Nov. 12th, 1875: She was born in Jonestown, NY to a former war hero.
- 1832: She graduated from Troy Female Seminary (The only female higher education facility at this time)
- 1840: She married Henry Brewster Stanton (a lawyer and abolitionist)
- July 19th-20th, 1848: She organized the first women suffrage group that met in Seneca Falls, NY. This group compiled the ideas for the "Declaration of Sentiments" along with 11 resolutions for equal rights for women. 68 women and 32 men signed it.
- 1850: Stanton began associating with Susan B. Anthony after both were rejected to be listened to by Congress.
- 1868-1870: Stanton and Anthony edited a woman's right Newspaper called, "The Revolution"
- 1881-1922: Matilda, Stanton and Anthony edited the first 3 volumes of the History of Women Suffrage.
- Nov. 16th, 1883: A reception in honor of Stanton and Anthony was held in Liverpool, the movement then became global because they were joined by England, Scotland, Ireland, and France.
- 1887: Stanton is widowed
- 1895: Stanton published the first volume of "The Women's Bible" which revised degrading passages.
- 1898: Stanton published the second volume of "The Women's Bible"
- Dec. 1902: Stanton died of heart failure.
- Aug. 26th, 1920: Women gained the right to vote.
The information from above was taken from the Encyclopedia Britannica taken from www.omega23.com; Detailed Timeline (www.legact98.org/timeline.html)
Leadership Style
Elizabeth Cady Stanton always knew that there was a problem with the legal issues of equality. She remembered from childhood that she was a disappointment to her father just because she was a girl. Her father had always wanted a son that survived childhood because none of his did (Brennan). She could not live up to what her father wanted her to be because it was out of her control. She did however strive to be the best by becoming highly educated and passionate in her beliefs.
Later on in life, Her and her husband went to an Anti-Slavery convention in London. The British excluded the American Women delegates (Huth). Stanton was outraged and knew that there had to be something done about this. One of the other women, Mott whom had been turned away also, resolved to hold a women's right meeting.
One afternoon, Stanton met a few of her friends for tea. They discussed their discontent with the limitations placed on women. All of the women were passionate in the fact that they opposed being suppressed for being women. They arranged a plan and carried to a large-scale program (Eisenburg, Ruthsdotter).
In 1848 Stanton held a Women's Suffrage meeting. There she drafted the "Declaration of Sentiments" modeled after the "Declaration of Independents". This would call attention to the fact that women are not equals and it is shown through wages, education, person, children, and lack of voting power and other legal situations. This document bares the names of 68 women and 32 men that believed in the cause for change (Huth).
Stanton tried to speak to congress, but she was turned away. She learned she was not the only woman that had been rejected to speak. She decided to discuss this issue with the other woman that was rejected. From this point on Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton formed their historic friendship and partnership. Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton formed a team. Stanton wrote the majority of the speeches that her and Susan B. Anthony presented, but was highly over-looked. Anthony took care of most of the business aspects, which made her more in the public eye. (Brennan).
Political Philosophy
Stanton took the innovational aspect of trying to achieve change. She did not resort to violence, yet she wanted change. She pointed out how the values of America were not the consistent with the practices of Americans. Modeling her "Declaration of Sentiments" the "Declaration of Independence" proved that this was not consistent with the American practices. She also recommended ideas that would innovationally change society to be an equal and better place to live.
Stanton and Anthony would arrange conferences and speeches to pump up other women and men to follow their quest to receive equal rights for men and women. Both of them spent their entire life struggling for the limitations upon them to be lifted. Unfortunately, both women passed away before they had a chance to see how much change occurred due to their innovative techniques.
Stanton was not passive, but would unleash the shroud truth through her speeches. Although most Americans did know that inequality existed between genders, it was just a norm to be followed and not questioned. Stanton dared to unmask the evasion of women suffrage in America. In the Declaration of Sentiments, it was written that, " 'We hold these truths to be self evident that all men and women are created equal and endowed by their creator with certain inalienable rights'" (Samson). Stanton's tactics was through genius and organizational skills. She appeared in front of congress many times in support of her cause to stop women's suffrage. She believed that there was a door through the constitution that would grant women the same rights that men have had for hundreds of years. They found that in the Constitution they term, "persons" was used in the fourteenth amendment. This did not separate genders so both should have equal protection under laws.
Without Stanton, where would we be today? Her speeches inspired so many women throughout the years and gave courage to speak up to those who needed it. She ended the evasive attitude toward equal treatment toward women. Although, she was not there to see it, her beliefs of equality lived on. Maintaining this movement, in which Stanton so passionately believed, took hundreds of other women with the strength to speak out loud and demand equal treatment. Women received the right to vote about seventy years after Stanton first mentioned it in the "Declaration of Sentiments." A hundred and fifty years ago, Stanton demanded equal treatment, finally women for the most part have gained that privilege that our society.
Work Cited
- Brennan, Patricia. Washington Post, "Waging the battle for the Bullet; Burns Gives Voice to Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony." Nov. 7th, 1999, Sunday, Final Edition. Pg. Y06.
- Eisenburg and Ruthsdotter. The National Women's History Project. "Living The Legacy: The Women's Rights Movement 1848-1998." www.legacy98.org/move-hist.html, 1998
- Huth, Mary M. "Biographies of Historic Women." Department of rare books and Special collections, University of Rochester Libraries. www.rochester.edu/SBA/suffrag.html Feb. 1995.
- Samson, Catherine. "Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton." www.rochester.edu/SBA/anthony.html, 1995.
- The National Women's History Project. "Detailed Timeline: The path of the Women's Rights Movements." www.legacy98.org/timeline.html, 1998.
- WWW.Omega23.com. "Elizabeth Cady Stanton and the Suffrage Women's Movement-she really did start it all-before Susan B. Anthony There was Lizzy." In accordance with Britannica, 1999.
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