Choice 3: Everything discussed in this week can be connected in some way to current events and issues. Think about your life – potential or current career field, daily activities and interests, freedoms and rights etc. Discuss at least two issues or events we studied this week and explain how they have impacted and/or continue to impact your life today.
RESPONSE
Week 4 Discussion
Please respond to ONE of the following questions in a post of no fewer than 200 words. Make sure to cite your sources. Remember that you must also respond in a substantive way to a minimum of one other person, although I encourage you to respond to more.
Choice 2: Women have had the right to vote in the United States for not quite 100 years – since 1920. It took suffragists many years to finally achieve a constitutional amendment giving women this right. Why did men resist the idea of women voting for so long? What issues finally helped the movement gain momentum and succeed?
Looking at the issue of Women’s suffrage through the prism of today’s society, it is difficult to imagine a time when woman were invisible with respect to American Politics. Slavery had been resolved (in Law) before the issue of voting rights for Women became a forefront issue.
When asking how this could have been permitted it must be considered the belief system which America was founded. If you explore accepted gender roles within the Christian/Judeo principles women are considered to be subordinate to men. According to the prevailing religious belief of the time women are a “help-mate” to men. Their role is in the home, decisions outside the home were to be handled by men. It was believed women were not experienced enough worldly affairs to make decisions required to voice a vote.
Even today many main-stream religions have codified the role of women by reserving leadership positions to male exclusive ordinations. Things are changing within in many religious groups after hundreds of years or women being defined as non-clergy.
It may be over simplistic to consider, “can women be trusted with equal rights and voting privileges when even GOD sees women as subordinate?”
Regardless of such beliefs the role of women in society could not be denied and the constitution was amended to reflect women’s right to vote.
Part B: How did giving women the right to vote influence civil rights and politics in the United States? How might politics today be different if women were not involved?
The role of women in American politics is huge. Women traditionally are interested in what is referred to as “bread basket” or “bread and butter” issues. Women look at the economy and security as major considerations with whom they support politically. There was even a term created, several years ago, referring to “Soccer Moms” as being a major political block.
Work Sited:
“woman suffrage”. 2016. Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Retrieved 27 July, 2016,
from <https://www.britannica.com/topic/woman-suffrage>