LAD #12: Seneca Falls Declaration of Sentiments

Summarize:

The Declaration of Sentiments echoes its earlier counterpart, The Declaration of Independence, by stating, "We hold these truths to be self-evident; that all men and women are created equal." However, the Declaration of Sentiments added the inclusion of women's rights and how the democratic principles that apply to all genders. Some of these principles are that all people are born with undeniable rights, the government gains its power from those who are governed, and that if the government abuses these powers, the governed has the right to ask for a new government, or overthrow the existing government. The Declaration of Sentiments also lists the many grievances they signers have with the current society, in regards to the role and treatment of women in this time. Some grievances were: women were not allowed to vote and, therefore, cannot have a voice in politics and the state of the country, the law has also deprived women of their freedom because in marriage women were unable to own property or earn wages, women are also not given the same opportunities as men, whether it be in school or in the jobs that they are able to pursue, additionally, women are forced to comply by laws that they had no voice in constructing, and lastly, women are limited to holding only subordinate positions in the Church, which made up a large part of society in this time. The Declaration of Sentiments finishes with a statement that describes the purpose of the Seneca Falls Convention, which was to request that women receive the rights they deserve as citizens of the United States. Additionally, the Declaration touches upon the obstacles the signers expect will befall them during their fight for women's rights. However, it also conveyed the belief that following this first convention many more of the same nature will follow. Some famous signatures that graced the bottom of the Declaration of Sentiments were: Frederick Douglas, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Lucretia Mott, Mary Ann M'Clintock, and Martha C. Wright. Even though 68 women and 32 men signed the Declaration, one extremely important suffragette was not present at the Seneca Falls Constitution, Susan B. Anthony.

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Statues of the attendees of the Seneca Falls Convention

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A Picture of the 1869 National Convention of Colored Men
Much like women's fight for rights in the nineteenth century, African Americans also fought for equal rights following the abolishment of slavery because of the Civil War. Not only were both of these conventions turning points in the fight for universal rights, both movements shared some of the same influential figures. For example, both Frederick Douglas and Lucretia Mott had strong impacts in the women's and African American's rights movements.

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