Women's Suffrage In The 19th Century

Women have been at an unfair disadvantage in society dating all the way back to the early 19th century. In the 19th century, women did not have suffrage and could not own property if they were married. Nevertheless, single women could own property, but were seen as mistresses or not pure. Divorce also could not be achieved by women without their husbands. Married women that wanted a divorce had to be divorced by their husbands not the other way around. When women married, they were stripped of independent legal status. Furthermore, only men could make testaments, sign contracts, and have custody of their children after a divorce. Moreover, women could not have a job outside their home and were denied education. In present-day America; women have suffrage, are able to own property if they are married or not, and are not seen as mistresses or not pure if they are not married. Women can also divorce their husbands, have independent legal status when they are married, and make testaments. Furthermore, women can sign contracts, ordinarily have custody of
These three women’s rights activists did not agree with the “Cult of Domesticity” in the 19th century, which basically said that women belonged at home where they could appease their husband and family. Angelina Grimké and her sister Sarah Grimké arranged public meetings to discuss the issue of women’s rights. Sarah Grimké would bring up the topic of unequal pay between men and women in these meetings. Furthermore, the Grimké sisters brought up women’s suffrage. Lucy Stone was a member of the American Women’s Suffrage Association and edited “Woman’s Journal.” Stone also fought for women’s suffrage and other inequalities for women in America like the Grimké sisters. The work of the Grimké sisters and Lucy stone began movements for women’s rights, which are still seen in modern-day