The Seneca Falls Convention

The Seneca Falls Convention was held on July 19 and 20 in 1848 at the small town of Seneca Falls, New York. The purpose of the convention was to stimulate discussion about the "social, civil and religious" (qtd. in Bittner 1) limitations of women and raise the social awareness of the participants. During that era, women's liberties were severely restricted in the following ways: 1) Women were not allowed to vote; 2) They were not permitted to create laws that affected their interests; 3) Their property was taxed by the government; 4) Married women had no legitimate claims to their property and wages, which belonged to their husbands; 5) Divorced women did not possess custody over their children; 6) Women were not permitted to attend institutions of higher education; 7) They were not allowed to work in professional occupations; and 8) Women could not take part in the ministry in positions of authority (Osborn 2).

Furthermore, its primary organizers, Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucretia Mott, also presented an agenda of action to overturn the injustices against women of the era. Stanton's "Declaration of Sentiments," based on the Declaration of Independence, proclaimed the right for women to enjoy legal, social and civil equality with men. In addition, this official called for the undersigned to redress the situation by using available resources and strategies (Osborn 2).

Apart from Stanton and Mott, Mott's sister Martha Wright and Mary Ann McClintock were also involved in o

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Category: History - T