The road to women’s suffrage in America required the contribution of politically sophisticated women from all states. The women had been denied the right to vote with the dominant group (men) from different spheres citing unsatisfactory reasons to limit access to the ballot. Women with lots of experience in politics conducted national campaigns to garner support for the bill. With the thought of it failing and the challenge of their efforts going to waste, the women used all the influence they had to persuade representatives and governors for support. However, their struggle did not end with the passage of the equal rights amendment. Other important issues, such as the wage gap, contribute to equality not handled in the bill. Just like the equal rights bill was delayed towards the 1920 elections, responsible stakeholders have addressed these issues.
Keysser (2009) believes that suffrages are shaped by various events, including rhythms of social change, accidents of historical timing, and dynamics of partisan politics. The efforts of American women to get the right to vote persevered for more than 70 years. According to Davis (2008), the idea carved its path through the political landscape. Women, forming half the adult population, were the country's largest group (Davis, 2008). They needed a platform to participate in the nation’s political arena. During their efforts to gain the right to vote, other groups of people, such as African-American males, gained their right to vote. It encouraged women to continue pursuing their liberty (IOWA state, 2021). Keysser (2009) believes that women suffrage and black suffrage were interlaced both structurally and inherently. Women were not socially segregated. They were rich and poor, black and white, foreign and native. Women were eager to participate in decision-making as men's laws made them feel inferior socially, economically, and even civilly (Keysser, 2009). This was not the right place for women to be placed, mostly since the act's reasons were not satisfying. Keysser (2009) notes that women were treated as members of the family rather than autonomous individuals. They were under the authority of either their fathers or husbands and were considered to lack the independence necessary for participation in electoral politics. The idea of denying women the right to vote was embedded in the culture and politics of the United States.
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Women used public campaigns as the primary tool to gain their liberty. According to Keysser (2009), women carried out 480 campaigns to get legislatures to submit suffrage amendment to voters, 277 campaigns to get state party conventions to incorporate women suffrage planks. Fifty-six movements of referenda to male votes, 47 campaigns to get states to incorporate women suffrage into their constitutions, 30 campaigns for presidential party conventions to adopt women voting. They also needed other 19 campaigns and 19 successive congresses. After the first thirty years of struggling, the National American Women Suffrage Association (NAWSA) grew in size and scope. It was led by Anna Howard Shaw and Carrie Chapman Catt. The two leaders were the national figures of the women's suffrage association. They worked with leaders of other suffrage associations from all states to develop a successful plan of winning the passage of the bill and later its ratification (National Women History Project-nhwp.org, 2020). Catt urged women to be relentless in their fight because she believed no shortcut to their liberty. Only unceasing nationwide, vigilant campaigning would win the ratification (nhwp.org, 2020). NAWSA mainly campaigned in the western states. The National Woman’s Party (NWP), led by Alice Paul, drove the same agenda and campaigned in other states, especially the south's conditions (nhwp.org, 2020). Women supported each other in the campaigns. They set their differences aside since, for a long time, NAWSA had criticized NWP for having a political party-oriented strategy.
Women’s suffrage had many consequences. First of all, women were regarded by law as autonomous individuals. They were no longer considered under men's authority and could cast their votes (Keysser, 2009). They participated in the 1920 elections. The second section of this amendment authorizes Congress to enforce it. This means that the constitution guards the amendment, and it is difficult for anyone to amend, appeal, or ignore it. This means that from that day on, women's right to vote could no longer be neglected. The most significant idea brought about by this amendment was that women could also vie for political positions, even the highest political office, as seen in the 2016 presidential elections.
Women’s suffrage has had an impact on American society. Apart from men slowly accepting women's capabilities in the political arena, there are other impacts that the bill brought about. According to Kose et al. (2016), women’s suffrage has significantly impacted children's education. The writers (Kose et al., 2016) note that women’s political empowerment has increased children's educational attainment, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds. Women’s suffrage increased public expenditures. Hence, schools acquired more resources.
In conclusion, the journey towards women’s suffrage involved many campaigns. Women came together to support each other for this course. It was cumbersome, and the impact of that event is still being felt in American society.
References
Davis, M. F. (2008). The equal rights amendment: Then and now. Colum. J. Gender & L. , 17 , 419.
IOWA Department of Cultural Affairs. (2021). Right to Vote: Women, African Americans, and American Indians. Retrieved on 19 th February from https://iowaculture.gov/history/education/educator-resources/primary-source-sets/right- to-vote-suffrage-women-african
Keyssar, A. (2009). The right to vote: The contested history of democracy in the United States . Basic Books.
Kose, E., Kuka, E., & Shenhav, N. A. (2016). Women's Enfranchisement and Children's Education: The Long-Run Impact of the US Suffrage Movement.
National Women’s History Project. (2020). How Women Won the Vote. Retrieved on 19 th February from https://nationalwomenshistoryalliance.org/wp- content/uploads/vote_2018_sm3.pdf
