Section 3 Women and Reform Women reformers expand their efforts from movements such as abolition and temperance to include women’s rights.

Main Idea After leading reform movements to help others, some American women began to work on behalf of themselves. Reading Focus What limits were placed on women’s lives in the early 1800s? What role did women play in the movements of the Reform Era? Why was the Seneca Falls Convention important?

Legal limits With few exceptions, women could not vote or hold public office. Other than marriage, they could not enter into legal contracts. When married couples with children divorced, the law awarded custody of the children to the father. Economic limits With few exceptions, married women could not own property. More than 60,000 industrial workers were women. –Wages were low. –The wages of married women were legally the property of their husbands. –Single women were expected to turn over their earnings to their families.

 Widely held views  Women were inferior to men.  Women should attend only to household and family duties—and to their husbands.  Matters of business, government, and politics should be handled by men.  “A woman’s place is in the home” became a more widespread belief during the Industrial Revolution.  Family life was threatened by taking women out of the household to work.  Cult of domesticity: This movement urged women to remain in the home environment. Books and magazines praised the virtues of women staying at home, caring for their families, and obeying their husbands.

Women’s Roles in the Mid-1800s Cultural and Legal Limits on Women Cult of domesticity—only housework, child care for married women Single white women earn half of men’s pay for doing same job Women have few legal rights; cannot vote, sit on juries - do not have guardianship of own children A married woman’s property, earnings belong to her husband Women delegates at World’s Anti-Slavery Convention rejected Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Lucretia Mott form women’s rights society Women and Reform

Women formed church societies that served as extensions of their church work. Some of these groups evolved into reform societies—groups that were organized to promote social reforms. Society members would visit poor neighborhoods, almshouses, jails, and other places to provide religious instruction and encouragement. Some members established homes for girls and women in need. The New York Female Reform Society was formed in 1834 to promote moral reform or good behavior. Many similar groups were formed throughout the Northeast.

Women Mobilize for Reform Women Abolitionists Middle-class white women inspired by religion join reform movements Sarah and Angelina Grimké— work for abolition - daughters of Southern slave owner Some men support women reformers; others denounce them Working for Temperance Many women in temperance movement—prohibit drinking alcohol Widespread use of alcohol in early 19 th century American Temperance Society founded 1826; 6,000 local groups by 1833 Continued...

 Women led the movement to reform education.  Catharine Beecher ran a school for women, the Hartford Female Seminary, in Massachusetts. Later, she opened the Western Female Institute in Cincinnati, Ohio Beecher worked to create normal schools and to send teachers west to educate frontier children. Oberlin College in Ohio became the first American college to welcome women as well as men in In 1837 Mary Lyon established the first women’s college in the United States, Mount Holyoke College in Massachusetts. Many women became teachers during the Reform Era. This gave them a fundamental role in shaping American life.

Education for Women Until 1820s, few opportunities for girls past elementary school Academic schools for women become available: , Emma Willard opens Troy Female Seminary , Mary Lyon founds Mount Holyoke Female Seminary , Oberlin College admits 4 women; first coeducational college African-American girls have few opportunities to get good education continued Women Mobilize for Reform Continued...

Urban reforms during the Reform Era were implemented largely by female reform societies. Many participants in the temperance movement were women. Because women were economically dependent on men, they and their children were often the victims of men’s excessive alcohol consumption. Women’s contributions to the labor movement arose from their firsthand experiences as workers. Some of the earliest labor strikes were held by women who were trying to improve their working conditions.

continued Women Mobilize for Reform Women and Health Reform Elizabeth Blackwell, doctor, opens clinic for women, children Catharine Beecher’s national survey finds most women unhealthy Amelia Bloomer rebels, designs loose pants; popular with other women

The Seneca Falls Convention was held in July 1848 in Seneca Falls, New York. It was the first women’s rights convention held in America. Many historians mark it as the beginning of the modern American women’s movement.

Political power Many women wanted to obtain political power in order to advance their reforms. Other women thought that political power should be available to women because it was fair and reasonable. The time was right for women—who had long worked to improve the lives of others—to fight to improve their own lives.

 Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucretia Mott organized the Seneca Falls Convention.  Mott was a prominent abolitionist.  Stanton, like Mott, was also a dedicated and experienced abolitionist.  Mott and Stanton were motivated by their experiences of discrimination at the World’s Anti-Slavery Convention in London in 1840.

Seneca Falls Reform encourages women’s movement, give opportunities outside home 1848, Stanton, Mott hold Seneca Falls Convention for women’s rights “Declaration of Sentiments” modeled on Declaration of Independence Attendees approve all but one resolution of Declaration unanimously: - men and women are equal - urge women to participate in public issues - narrowly pass women’s suffrage Women’s Rights Movement Emerges Continued...

 Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucretia Mott called a convention on behalf of women’s rights.  Held in 1848 in Seneca Falls, New York  Attended by about 300 people Produced the Declaration of Sentiments Written by Stanton and signed by 100 participants—68 women and 32 men It publicly stated their belief that “all men and women are created equal.”

NEXT continued Women’s Rights Movement Emerges Sojourner Truth Former Northern slave Sojourner Truth travels country preaching Later argues for abolition, women’s rights Ain’t I a Woman? = 1851 in Cleveland