Why Was Susan B Anthony Important

Jordan R. Murphy
Sally L. Repper
Modern Honor US history 112
30 August 2017
Susan B. Anthony
Susan B. Anthony
Susan B. Anthony, an American woman rights activist, devoted her life to racial, gender, and educational equality. Susan is one of the most famous women in American history. She played major roles in the woman’s suffrage movement and led the way for the 19th amendment, when woman won the right to vote. Sadly, the amendment was not added to the constitution until 14 years after her death. Here are three reasons why Susan B. Anthony is important.
One of the reasons she is famous because she was a suffragist. A suffragist means someone who fought for the right to vote. For example, Susan Anthony was arrested for illegally voting in the
1872 presidential election at her house in Rochester, New York. She was charged a fine of $100, which she refused to pay; still she never pay it. Anyway she played an important role in establishing the American Equal Rights Association in 1866. That Association’s purpose is to grant all rights to all regardless of race or gender. She fought for women to have the right to own property and in 1900, she convinced the University of Rochester to accept woman.
Another reason Susan is important is because she was a leading activist and abolitionist.
She was against slave trade because her family is anti-slavery activists. In 1851, Susan met Elizabeth Cady Stanton during on Anti-Slavery conference; they started working together and formed the New York state woman’s rights committee. In 1852 she began promoted women’s suffrage cause and equal pay. In 1856 she started work in American Anti- Slavery society; Susan gained support from people for the society and helping escaped slaves on the Underground Railroad until the Civil War. During the American Civil war, she supported the Union cause and President Abraham Lincoln by formed the women’s loyal league. The Women National Loyal League was organized by Anthony and Stanton in 1663. This organization was intended to support and petition for the 13th amendment. They continued to campaign the 14th and 15th amendments, for women and African-Americans citizenship. Anthony went on to fight for equal for all Americans and published a newspaper, The Revolution, in 1868, which attacked racial prejudice and lynching.
Anthony was also important because she was active in the temperance movement. In 1852, Anthony established the New York State Temperance Society. She was against drinking alcohol because Susan came from a strict Quaker family who believed drinking liquor was sinful. Susan and Elizabeth gained 28,000 signatures on a petition to limit the sale of liquor. When they brought signatures to New York states Legislature, their petition was rejected because those signatures on it were mainly woman and children. So they were frustrated and resigned from the
society.
Although Anthony was not popular in her own time, her ideas would be very popular today. One of her most famous accomplishments was fighting for women’s right to vote. She died before women got the right to vote. Fourteen years later her efforts were recognized and the 19th amendment gave women the right to vote. Her quote “I declare to you that woman must not depend upon the protection of man, but must be taught to protect herself, and there I take my stand.”