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Lesson Plan: Day 2
Unit Name: WOMEN’S MOVEMENT
School District : Greater Lowell Technical High School
Date: July 2008
Class and Grade: United States History I - Grade 9
State Framework Standard: US1.33 Analyze the Goals and Effect of the Antebellum Women’s Suffrage Movement a. The Seneca Falls Convention b. Susan B. Anthony c. Margaret Fuller d. Lucretia Mott e. Elizabeth Cady Stanton
Seminal Primary Documents to Read: The Seneca Falls Declaration of Sentiments and Resolutions (1848)
Historical Thinking Standard: 5A Identify Problems and Issues of the Past 5B Marshal evidence of antecedent circumstances
Leadership: Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Lucretia Mott and other signers of the Declaration of Sentiments.
Enduring Understanding: The movement towards women’s suffrage and modern-day women’s rights began with the female leaders of the mid-1800s who gained much of their ideas from their work in earlier reform movements such as the abolitionist movement.
Essential Questions:
- Why does the women’s rights movement develop in the antebellum period?
- What challenges do the reformers face and how do they respond?
- In what ways can conflict provide avenues for change?
Activities and Resources:
- Homework Check, Review and Discussion (Elizabeth Cady Stanton).
- Discuss historical significance of Seneca Falls Convention and pass out seminal primary document: The Seneca Falls Declaration of Sentiments and Resolutions (1848). [Attach 4]. Teacher reads aloud. Students answer a few questions for understanding.
- Students are given “Complaints in Declaration” worksheet that asks them to match the grievances written in contemporary English with the grievances written in 1848 English. (Attach 5). They may work with a partner.
- Go over answers as a class when everyone has finished. If students finish early, they may start their homework (Part II of the “Foremother’s” worksheet) in class.
Content: Elizabeth Cady Stanton Seneca Falls Convention Declaration of Sentiments “Ain't I a Woman” Speech
Assignment:
- Complete open-response questions 1-5 (Part II of the “Foremother’s worksheet). To be handed in tomorrow at the start of class.
- Read “Ain’t I a Woman?” speech by Sojourner Truth. (Attach 6). Be ready to discuss in class tomorrow.
Attachment
Having deprived her of this first right as a citizen, the elective franchise, thereby leaving her without representation in the halls of legislation, he has oppressed her on all sides.
He has made her, if married, in the eye of the law, civilly dead.
He has taken from her all right in property, even to the wages she earns.
He has made her morally, an irresponsible being, as she can commit many crimes with impunity, provided they be done in the presence of her husband. In the covenant of marriage, she is compelled to promise obedience to her husband, he becoming, to all intents and purposes, her master - the law giving him power to deprive her of her liberty, and to administer chastisement.
He has so framed the laws of divorce, as to what shall be the proper causes of divorce, in case of separation, to whom the guardianship of the children shall be given; as to be wholly regardless of the happiness of the women - the law, in all cases, going upon a false supposition of the supremacy of man, and giving all power into his hands.
After depriving her of all rights as a married woman, if single and the owner of property, he has taxed her to support a government which recognizes her only when her property can be made profitable to it.
He has monopolized nearly all the profitable employments, and from those she is permitted to follow, she receives but a scanty remuneration.
He closes against her all the avenues to wealth and distinction, which he considers most honorable to himself. As a teacher of theology, medicine, or law, she is not known.
He has denied her the facilities for obtaining a thorough education - all colleges being closed against her.
He allows her in church, as well as State, but a subordinate position, claiming Apostolic authority for her exclusion from the ministry, and, with some exceptions, from any public participation in the affairs of the Church.
He has created a false public sentiment by giving to the world a different code of morals for men and women, by which moral
delinquencies which exclude women from society, are not only tolerated but deemed of little account in man.
He has usurped the prerogative of Jehovah himself, claiming it as his right to assign for her a sphere of action, when that belongs to her conscience and her God.
He has endeavored, in every way that he could to destroy her confidence in her own powers, to lessen her self-respect, and to make her willing to lead a dependent and abject life.
Now, in view of this entire disfranchisement of one-half the people of this country, their social and religious degradation, - in view of the unjust laws above mentioned, and because women do feel themselves aggrieved, oppressed, and fraudulently deprived of their most sacred rights, we insist that they have immediate admission to all the rights and privileges which belong to them as citizens of these United States.
In entering upon the great work before us, we anticipate no small amount of misconception, misrepresentation, and ridicule; but we shall use every instrumentality within our power to affect our object. We shall employ agents, circulate tracts, petition the State and national Legislatures, and endeavor to enlist the pulpit and the press in our behalf. We hope this Convention will be followed by a series of Conventions, embracing every part of the country.
Firmly relying upon the final triumph of the Right and the True, we do this day affix our signatures to this declaration.
Questions to answer:
1. What document does the Declaration of Sentiments, especially its **introduction, resemble?
- What are three specific examples of how the documents are similar?
- What are two specific examples of how the documents differ?
- Who was the audience for this document?
- What are four specific grievances listed in the Declaration of Sentiments?** **Put these in your own words.
- Are the frustrations expressed in this document justified? In other words,** did women have a right to be angry about their place in society during this period? Why or why not?
Stanton’s Original Complaints:
_____ He has never permitted her to exercise her inalienable right to the
elective franchise.
_____ He has compelled her to submit to law in the formation of which she
had no voice.
_____ He has withheld from her rights which are given to the most
ignorant and degraded men, both natives and foreigners.
_____ Having deprived her of this first right as a citizen, the elective
franchise, thereby leaving her without representation in the halls of
legislation, he has oppressed her on all sides.
_____ He has made her, if married, in the eye of the law, civilly dead.
_____ He has taken from her all right in property, even to the wages she
earns.
______ He has made her morally, an irresponsible being, as she can
commit many crimes with impunity, provided they be done in the presence
of her husband. In the covenant of marriage, she is compelled to promise
obedience to her husband, he becoming, to all intents and purposes, her
master — the law giving him power to deprive her of her liberty and to
administer chastisement.
______ He has so framed the laws of divorce, as to what shall be the
proper causes and, in case of separation, to whom the guardianship of the
children shall be given, as to be wholly regardless of the happiness of the
women — the law, in all cases, going upon a false supposition of the
supremacy of man and giving all power into his hands.
_______ After depriving her of all rights as a married woman, if single and
the owner of property, he has taxed her to support a government which
recognizes her only when her property can be made profitable to it.
_____ He has monopolized nearly all the profitable employments, and
from those she is permitted to follow, she receives but a scanty
remuneration. He closes against her all the avenues to wealth and
distinction which he considers most honorable to himself. As
a teacher of theology, medicine, or law, she is not known.
_____ He has denied her the facilities for obtaining a thorough education,
all colleges being closed against her.
_____ He allows her in church, as well as state, but a subordinate position,
claiming apostolic authority for her exclusion from the ministry, and, with
some exceptions, from any public participation in the affairs of the church.
_____ He has created a false public sentiment by giving to the world a
different code of morals for men and women, by which moral delinquencies
which exclude women from society are not only tolerated but deemed of
little account in man.
_____ He has usurped the prerogative of Jehovah himself, claiming it as
his right to assign for her a sphere of action, when that belongs to her
conscience and to her God.
_____ He has endeavored, in every way that he could, to destroy her
confidence in her own powers, to lessen her self-respect, and to make her
willing to lead a dependent and abject life.
II. Questions (Use the numbers above to identify complaints) :
1. Which complaint(s) would you consider the most serious?
2. Which complaint(s) most resemble complaints of colonists prior to the
Revolutionary War?
3. Which complaint(s) relate more to entrenched attitudes about women
than they do to legal obstacles to equality?
4. Which—if any—of the problems referred to in the complaints do you
regard as still problematic today?
5. Which problem(s) referred to in the complaints, once solved, likely led to
an improvement in society for everyone?
After reading, answer the following questions.
- Who is the audience for this speech? Were there likely more men or women? Black or white? Why do you think?
- Is this speech about women’s rights or slavery, or both?
- How do Sojourner Truth’s words make you feel as you read/listen to them? What emotions was she feeling? What do these words tell you about her character? Can you imagine her giving this speech? What kind qualities must a woman have had to give a speech like this?
- Look for historical clues in her poem/speech. What does she say about white men? What does she tell you about her life as a slave?
