Suffrage

Suffrage is the right or ability to cast a vote in an election. Although suffrage may refer to anyone's ability to vote, in the United States, it is usually discussed within the context of women's right to vote. Suffrage was an important and pivotal step in the women's rights movement. Before women gained the right to vote, they had no voice to agree or disagree with the policies and selection of those who governed them. Society expected women to focus on domestic concerns, such as caring for husbands and children, preparing meals, and cleaning. Society did not expect women to concern themselves with the political realm and the impact it had on their lives. Women who fought for this right were called "suffragettes" or "suffragists." These women paved the way for women to have a voice in politics. The Nineteenth Amendment to the US Constitution, which was ratified on August 18, 1920, granted women the right to vote.

Background

The women's suffrage movement in the United States began within the confines of rigid Victorian society. The common societal belief was that women were inferior to men, with some scientists even citing skull size and shape as proof. Many of the women who belonged to the early suffrage movement were well-to-do and had more time to devote to the cause than their working-class counterparts. Nevertheless, working-class women did participate in the suffrage movement.

The Seneca Falls Convention, the first women's rights gathering in the United States, was held in 1848. Many of the women in attendance were involved in the abolitionist movement, too. Susan B. Anthony, one of the most notable figures of the women's suffrage movement, assisted in forming the National Loyal League, which sought to abolish slavery, in 1863. The group hoped to secure the full rights of American citizens for both blacks and women.

Some women refused to be deterred by societal beliefs and tried to vote in elections anyway. Anthony was among these women. Unfortunately, she never saw the fruits of her efforts because she died before women won the right to vote.

A suffrage movement occurred in Europe, too. Surprisingly, women in Britain gained the right to run for office ten years before they received the right to vote. In 1918, the passage of the Eligibility of Women Act permitted women to become members of Parliament. Spain did not give women the right to vote until 1931. France followed in 1944. Some countries in Europe took a long time to make it legal for women to vote. Switzerland did not allow women's suffrage until 1971. Liechtenstein finally followed suit in 1984.

Overview

In 1872, Anthony and a group of other women demanded to register to vote at their voter registration station. They were arrested. Anthony was charged and went to trial for violating the Fourteenth Amendment. At the time, the Fourteenth Amendment of the Constitution guaranteed the right to vote to men only. At her trial, Anthony was not permitted to speak in her defense, and she was convicted. She declined to pay the fine, but the case was not pursued.

In June 1916, suffragettes founded the National Women's Party. One of their first actions was to march on the White House in protest. The protest was peaceful, and President Woodrow Wilson even waved at the marchers in greeting. The mood changed after the United States entered World War I. Women outside the White House became more aggressive and were arrested for offenses such as not discarding their protest banners and obstructing traffic. These women were sometimes sent to jails and workhouses.

Workhouses were places that housed society's "undesirables," including criminals and the poor. Workhouse inmates had to work, sometimes doing hard labor. Often many people were crammed into workhouses. Inmates' hair was shaved or cropped for sanitary reasons. Those in charge employed physical punishments, such as flogging. Inmates could be placed in solitary confinement.

Some suffragettes were placed at the Occoquan Workhouse. While there, the women had to wear gray dresses, like the other inmates. They were not permitted to receive visitors, and managers reviewed any letters before they were sent from the workhouse. Many imprisoned women lost weight during their time at Occoquan because of poor nourishment. Some suffragettes refused to participate in mandatory work, as they said they were "political prisoners." They were threatened with solitary confinement. Other suffragettes went on hunger strikes.

Hunger strikes were a popular form of protest for imprisoned suffragettes. The government responded by force-feeding the women. During forced feedings, a woman was strapped to a bed. A prison employee forced a nasal tube into the woman's body. The tube ran from the nose to the stomach. A funnel was attached to the tube. Liquids were poured into the funnel and traveled to the stomach. Sometimes the tubes were forced into a woman through her mouth. If the woman refused to open her mouth, the prison officials employed gags. These gags could be adjusted, forcing the victim to open her mouth painfully wide. Firsthand accounts state that both types of force-feeding were extremely painful and humiliating. Women sometimes vomited on themselves in front of prison staff, who may have refused to give them clean clothing. Suffragettes often suffered horrific brutalities as they fought for the right to vote.

Despite the risks and setbacks they faced, women persisted in their fight. Finally, on May 21, 1919, the US House of Representatives voted to pass the so-called "Susan B. Anthony Amendment," which would grant suffrage to women. The amendment passed the Senate two weeks later and then went to the states for ratification. A two-thirds majority, or thirty-six states, had to ratify the amendment before it could become an official part of the US Constitution. Although several states approved the amendment rather quickly, the thirty-six-state minimum was not met until the following August. On August 18, 1920, Tennessee became the thirty-sixth state to ratify the amendment. Women's right to vote was enshrined in the Constitution eight days later when the US Secretary of State certified the Nineteenth Amendment.

Bibliography

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