by Cody Ryder

Created on: January 30, 2009

Susan B. Anthony and American Suffrage Organizations

Suffrage in America has a long history that goes back to colonial times. But, most people only look at the part of the movement which last from the late 19th century up to the passing of the 19th
Amendment in 1920. By the time Susan B. Anthony entered the movement in 1868 it had been going on for nearly a century. She had a history of social activism and in 1868, she began her long crusade for women's rights. Her work as a suffragist has created a legacy that is still apparent in America over a hundred years after her death.

The movement had many goals regarding what they wanted for women. The primary goal was to have a constitutional amendment passed that would give women the right to vote. A goal early on was gaining property rights for women. Another goal of the movement (which some may argue has yet to be accomplished) was securing equal pay for women. Many suffragists shared the ideals of abolitionists and some, including Susan B. Anthony, started out working as abolitionists.

The suffrage movement has its origins back in the time of the American Revolution. When the colonists first came to America, they brought with them the social constraints of Great Britain. This included the superiority of men and limited rights for women. When her husband was drafting the Declaration of Independence, Abigail Adams reminded him to "Remember the Ladies." This was the first step in what would be a long and arduous journey for the suffrage movement.

Although the movement never truly died out, there wasn't much heard about it until the abolitionist movement became more prominent in the 1840's. In 1848, the first women's rights convention was held. Here suffragists signed what became known as the Declaration of Sentiments. This declaration stated what rights suffragists wanted for women. Elizabeth Cady Stanton, who would later become a close associate of Susan B. Anthony, wrote it. As the abolitionist movement picked up speed, so did the suffrage movement. It is around this time, when the suffrage movement was coming to its peak, that Susan B. Anthony joined the fight for women's rights.

Susan B. Anthony was born into a family of Quakers on February 15, 1820 in Adams, Massachusetts. Her father was a stern abolitionist whose Quaker beliefs influenced the way he raised Anthony. Her mother was also very progressive for the time. Her parents taught Susan to stand up for herself and defend her beliefs. Between the Quaker ideals

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