Susan B. Anthony

Definition

Susan B. Anthony was a prominent American social reformer and women's rights activist who played a crucial role in the women's suffrage movement in the 19th century. She dedicated her life to advocating for women's right to vote and gender equality, becoming a key figure in early feminist writing and reform literature that sought to challenge the societal norms of her time.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Susan B. Anthony was born on February 15, 1820, in Adams, Massachusetts, and was raised in a Quaker family that emphasized equality and social justice.
2. She co-founded the National Woman Suffrage Association (NWSA) in 1869 with Elizabeth Cady Stanton, which focused on achieving voting rights for women through constitutional amendments.
3. In 1872, Anthony was arrested for voting illegally in the presidential election, an act of civil disobedience that highlighted her commitment to women's suffrage.
4. Anthony traveled extensively across the United States to speak on women's rights, giving more than 75 speeches a year at the height of her activism.
5. Her work laid the groundwork for future generations of activists, culminating in the eventual passage of the Nineteenth Amendment in 1920, which was passed fourteen years after her death.

Review Questions

• How did Susan B. Anthony's upbringing influence her commitment to women's rights?
  • Susan B. Anthony was raised in a Quaker family that valued equality and social justice, which greatly influenced her lifelong commitment to women's rights. The principles of her upbringing instilled in her a strong sense of fairness and the belief that women deserved the same rights as men. This foundational belief motivated her activism and dedication to the cause of women's suffrage throughout her life.
• Discuss the strategies Susan B. Anthony used to promote women's suffrage and how they aligned with broader social reform movements.
  • Susan B. Anthony employed various strategies to promote women's suffrage, including organizing conventions, giving speeches, and writing articles advocating for women's rights. Her efforts aligned with broader social reform movements by emphasizing the interconnectedness of issues such as abolitionism and temperance with women's rights. By collaborating with other reformers and using civil disobedience tactics, she was able to garner attention and support for women's suffrage.
• Evaluate Susan B. Anthony's legacy in relation to the advancement of women's rights in America after her death.
  • Susan B. Anthony's legacy significantly impacted the advancement of women's rights in America even after her death in 1906. Her relentless advocacy laid crucial groundwork for future activists who would continue the fight for gender equality. The eventual passage of the Nineteenth Amendment in 1920 is a direct result of the efforts of Anthony and her contemporaries, illustrating how her work influenced not only legal reforms but also societal attitudes towards women’s roles in public life.

Related terms

Women's Suffrage: The movement aimed at securing women’s right to vote, which gained momentum in the 19th and early 20th centuries.

Seneca Falls Convention:

The first women's rights convention held in 1848, where activists, including Anthony, gathered to discuss and promote women's suffrage.

Nineteenth Amendment: The constitutional amendment ratified in 1920 that granted women the right to vote, a goal that Anthony tirelessly fought for throughout her life.