Sunday, September 18, 2016
A Start Line for Equality?
This week in class, we compared two documents: The Declaration of Independence written by Thomas Jefferson and the The Declaration of Sentiments written by Elizabeth Cady Stanton. Although I was completely lost while analyzing the pieces at home, our in-class discussion helped me to understand some very interesting points about them. The language in the Declaration of Sentiments was an especially intriguing feature. Stanton writes it in an inclusive manner trying to unite women (and the 3 men present) to begin a new movement for equality. The speech is optimistic and looks towards the future. While the DoI (Declaration of Independence) builds on the fact that "all men are created equal", the DoS (Declaration of Sentiments) writes "all men and women are created equal". The women were still dependent on men, and this document shows it. Rather than writing a completely new radical piece, these women copied the structure of the DoI with very similar starting phrases.
At this point in history, women were struggling. They were under the tyranny of men. In fact, over hundred years after this speech was given, there was another Women's Right Movement in the 1960s (#APUSH DBQ :/). The ending of the DoS phrases this fact perfectly: "We hope this Convention will be followed by a series of Conventions". In 1873, Susan B. Anthony, a Women's Rights activist, delivered a rousing speech in which she stands "under indictment for the alleged crime of having voted in the last presidential election". Her radical and bold tone work towards gaining suffrage for women. Not until 1920 did women gain this right. Anthony mocks white men and their right to vote, which is similar to the way Stanton writes her speech. However, Anthony is able to deliver her point much more effectively than Stanton because Anthony's speech is much more powerful with a specific end result.
Women have fought tirelessly and continue to fight to gain the equality they rightfully deserve. In that sense, the Seneca Falls Convention was an important starting point for Women's Rights, but where is the finish?
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Hi Vibhi,
ReplyDeleteI like the clever incorporation of the theme into your post. The last question you asked about where is the finish for women's rights made me think about whether or not there is a finish line. Just like how some people say that perfect racial equality is impossible to achieve because of how ingrained racial beliefs are ingrained in people's minds, does the same hold true for gender equality? I'm not sure, but I think that because the younger generation seems to be more equal in terms of gender and race, maybe the future is bright for gender equality.
HIYA VIBHI,
ReplyDeleteI liked the way you compared Stanton's speech with a later speech of the same topic. It definitely shows how the Declaration of Sentiments paved the way for women's rights. I also like the finishing question to your post. It really makes me appreciate how far America has come in terms of equality. I think we have come a long way and are definitely within the home stretch!
btw nice title :)
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ReplyDeleteI really liked the introduction to the post. I can definitely attest to how helpful our discussions are in delving deeper into literature. Also, I liked how you tied back to the theme in the title and the last sentence. Start with the theme, and end with the theme. Nice!
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading your post thanks to the little side comments and thoughts thrown in (The APUSH one got me). I definitely have to agree that the class discussions are essential and extremely helpful. I, too, was quite lost after reading the two documents and had a hard time trying to dig into a deeper meaning/understanding. I also enjoyed that you ended your post off with a question to signify the continuity of this problem. I look forward to reading future posts!
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