Elizabeth Cady Stanton (1815-1902)
Womens Rights Activist, Abolitionist.
Early Life and Education
Elizabeth was born on November 12, 1815. In Johnston New York, She was the eighth of eleven children. Her father never hid the fact that he would much rather have a son than another daughter, that gave Elizabeth motivation for her beliefs on Womens Rights.
Unlike most young women, Elizabeth was formally educated at Johnston Academy, and graduated from Emmal Willards Troy Female smeiniary.
Elizabeth Cady Stanton
Elizabeth Cady Stanton
Elizabeth and her children
Henry Brewster Stanton
Elizabeth and Two of Her Sons
Elizabeth and Her Child
What was wrong with society before?
Although Elizabeth was not the first and only Feminist of her time, she fought for rights that other women didn't care to fight for. She also fought slavery and temperence. Womens rights were being recognized but not enough, women were fighting but nothing was happening, they needed more women! People nodded and clapped along, speech after speech, but nooone dared to do anything, Women were still abused, divorces were unfair by favoring the husbands, equal pay was unheard of, Women were known just for sitting at home and fixing the food, cleaning and taking care of the children, just letting the husbands take charge.
How Did She Get Involved In Womens Rights? And Why?
She became involved in he community, which had several feminist supporters, some too quiet to speak out. She also became very close friends with Lucretia Mott, a quaker, feminist, and abolitionist. They met at the World Anit-Slavery Convention, where they were both told to sit in the balcony because they were women. Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth also became a prominient duo, Elizabeth wrote speeches on Womens Rights, Susan spoke them to crowds. Elizabeth was also motivated by her father who thought men were better than women, and never cared to hid the fact he thought they were almost useless, unless they wanted to cook or clean. He would've rather had a son than another daughter, sadly Elizabeth knew this. Elizabeth's husband Henry, wasn't as supportive as Elizabeth would've liked, he didn't entirely agree with her views and thoughts on Women Suffrage.
(Above) World Anti-Slavery Convention in London
Marriage and family
Elizabeth and Henry Brewster Stanton met through her earlier involvment in the temperance and abolition movements. Henry was a journalist, reformer and later a lawyer. They had seven children together: Danial, Henry, Gerrit, Margaret, Theodore, Harriot and Robert. Henry and Elizabeth's marriage had tension and diagreement. Like Elizabeth's father, Henry did not entirely agree with womens suffrage, his lack of support caused some issues but they remained married. Elizabeth became a widow in 1887 when Henry died from Pneumonia.
What Did Elizabeth Do To Make Change
Elizabeth teamed up with other feminist's, they needed a team, just a few wasn't going to do it. They wanted to change things. Stanton and Susan B. Anthony were known mostly for working together. But, Elizabeth also worked with Lucretia Mott. Elizabeth and Susans newspaper: Revolution, attracted other women to get involved. Such as, Alice Cary and Phoebe Cary. For a short time Phoebe Cary was the editor of the newspaper. Most of all they all worked together, all struggling and fighting for the same topic, it brought them together. Elizabeth and Susan made the newspaper, and Elizabeth wrote The Declaration Of Sentiments. She went to every convention she could and held every conventiom she could.
Elizabeth and Susan's Newspaper : Revolution (Above)
What Did She Accomplish?
In 1864, Elizabeth and Susan collected 400,000 signatures for the emancipation of slaves, another topic they both felt strongly about. Elizabeth wrote articles supporting women to go to medical school, have short hair and wear comfortable clothing. To write novels and have a job of their choosing. She advocated for married women too. Also to have the right to equal wage, the right to own property and most of all not be property. Elizabeth wrote the Declaration Of Sentiments, which was modeled after the Declaration Of Independance. It's a list of problems women had to face and how men mistreated them. She held the famous Seneca Falls Convention in Seneca Falls, New York, along with many other women such as Susan B. Anthony and Lucretia Mott.
Death and Remembrance
Elizabeth died on October 26th, 1902 from heart faillure, she is burried at Woodlawn Cemetary in the Bronx, New York. Sadly, Elizabeth died nineteen years before women were given the right to vote. Her legacy lives on, as one of the great powerful women who fought for what we have today. We woldn't have gotten the right to vote without her, and womens suffrage wouldn't have been recognized as much.