The Progressive-era stands out as a time when reformers sought to address social ills brought about by a rapidly changing society. Debates surrounded issues such as political corruption, the regulation of business practices, racial equality, women’s suffrage, and the living conditions of impoverished immigrants overcrowded into urban slums.
When it came to the issue of suffrage, did all women agree? Explain.
Sample Solution
No, not all women agreed on the issue of suffrage during the Progressive-era. While some women, such as Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony, were passionate advocates for the right to vote, many others felt that the cause was too radical or thought it would be an embarrassment to their families. Even within those who supported suffrage, there were divisions among them – African American women pushed for a more inclusive view than what was being proposed by white activists, while other minority groups also sought representation in political debates.
Sample Solution
No, not all women agreed on the issue of suffrage during the Progressive-era. While some women, such as Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony, were passionate advocates for the right to vote, many others felt that the cause was too radical or thought it would be an embarrassment to their families. Even within those who supported suffrage, there were divisions among them – African American women pushed for a more inclusive view than what was being proposed by white activists, while other minority groups also sought representation in political debates.
The National American Woman Suffrage Association (NAWSA) was founded in 1890 with a primary focus on state-level campaigns to gain voting rights from legislatures rather than pushing for a federal amendment. The NAWSA leadership excluded people of color from participating and refused to consider resolutions condemning lynching and segregation at its annual conventions until 1920. This caused great contention between white suffragists who wanted equal rights for all regardless of race and black suffragists like Mary McLeod Bethune who believed racial equality should be central to any reform efforts during this period.
In addition to disagreement over tactics or inclusion of certain groups in the movement, there were also divided views amongst some prominent female leaders themselves regarding whether they should align with progressive causes or remain independent from them entirely. Alice Paul famously opposed working within existing organizations like the NAWSA because she felt they were too moderate while Carrie Chapman Catt argued that cooperation with larger progressive reformers provided needed resources and energy toward achieving their goals faster.
Ultimately, due to these disagreements about tactics and strategies among advocates for women’s rights during this time period along with exclusionary policies implemented by some leading figures in the movement against members of different races and classes meant that not everyone agreed on how best achieve complete suffrage for all Americans regardless of gender identity or background when it came down to such matters during this historically significant time period known as Progressivism
