In this activity students will analyze and respond to one 19th century woman's argument for her right to vote. In 1878, Mrs. Amelia Bloomer wrote a letter to the U.S. Congress stating that she should be allowed the right to vote because she was a tax-paying citizen. Students will use her letter and a letter written by the National Association Opposed to Woman's Suffrage to analyze late 19th century arguments for and against woman's suffrage and construct their own response.
Suggested Teaching Instructions
Students will be able to analyze and evaluate a primary source and draw conclusions about the nineteenth-century movement towards women’s suffrage. They will gain factual knowledge about the time period, develop critical thinking skills, and expand literacy skills in the study of historical documents. For grades 6-8. Approximate time needed is 20 minutes.
Use this activity either to introduce discussion of women’s suffrage or to supplement lessons which focus on the evolution of voting rights and women’s rights in the United States. This activity can be used with a full class or as a small group discussion.
This activity is most successful if students have no prior knowledge of the subject matter or content of the document.
Explore: Allow students several minutes to explore the document. Suggest clicking on the arrow and magnifying glass icons in the blue menu bar at the bottom of the document to zoom in and explore the document more closely. Remind students to consider the discussion questions provided.
Brainstorm: After students have completed their own investigation, come back together as a class and discuss the questions together. If you prefer, have students write down answers to these questions individually. Allow students to employ creativity in brainstorming their own ideas and opinions. If needed, provide additional background on women’s rights during the 1870s.
Wrap up: After exploring these initial questions, instruct students to click "When You're Done." Use the suggested activity to guide additional discussion. Encourage students to use their imaginations and put themselves in the place of a senator or congressman reading this letter from one of their citizens. They likely want to maintain the support of their public, yet they must follow the law.
Extension ActivityInspire students to place themselves in the mindset of a late 19th century woman fighting for the right to vote.
Have students write their own letters to their congressperson or senator requesting the right to vote. Amelia Bloomer used evidence to argue that she should be allowed suffrage. Instruct students to devise their own arguments with supporting evidence for women’s right to vote. Use the following questions as a prompt:
- Why do you think women were legally banned from voting to begin with?
- What skills/attributes/qualities do women possess which would make them capable of voting?
- What evidence from historical documents (Declaration of Independence, Constitution, etc.) could be used to support the argument for women’s suffrage?
For additional information about anti-suffrage arguments that suffragists like Amelia Bloomer would have to argue against, read the
Memorial of Alice Wadsworth of the National Association Opposed to Woman Suffrage.
