Malcolm Rivera
The Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, passed on June 4, 1919, and ratified on August 18, 1920, was a landmark victory for women's suffrage in the United States. The amendment, which legally guarantees American women the right to vote, was the culmination of decades of agitation, protest, and civil disobedience by women's rights activists. While it was a significant milestone, the fight for equal voting rights continued for women of colour and minority women, as discriminatory state voting laws and systemic racism prevented their full participation in elections well into the 20th century.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Year of ratification | 1920 |
| Date of ratification | August 18 |
| State that ratified | Tennessee |
| Date the amendment became part of the Constitution | August 26 |
| Amendment number | XIX |
| Amendment name | Susan B. Anthony Amendment |
| Number of states that granted women full or partial voting rights before the amendment | 23 |
| Year the first women's suffrage amendment was introduced in Congress | 1878 |
| Year Wyoming became the first state to guarantee women the right to vote | 1890 |
| Year of the first recorded vote legally cast by a woman in America | 1756 |
| Year unmarried women in New Jersey could vote | 1776-1807 |
| Year women in Western territories won the right to vote | 1869 |
| Year of the Seneca Falls convention | 1848 |
| Year the National Woman Suffrage Association was formed | 1869 |
| Year the American Woman Suffrage Association was formed | 1869 |
Explore related products
What You'll Learn
The Nineteenth Amendment granted women the right to vote
The Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, ratified in 1920, was a significant milestone in the long and arduous campaign for women's suffrage. The amendment states that "the right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex." This amendment was the culmination of decades of agitation, protest, and civil disobedience by women's suffrage supporters, dating back to the mid-19th century.
The journey towards the Nineteenth Amendment began with the realisation that an amendment to the federal Constitution was necessary to secure women's voting rights uniformly across the nation. This led to the formation of two organisations in 1869: the National Woman Suffrage Association and the American Woman Suffrage Association. While the former sought a federal constitutional amendment, the latter focused on obtaining amendments in individual state constitutions. Despite facing opposition, these organisations persisted, and their efforts laid the groundwork for the eventual adoption of the Nineteenth Amendment.
The first women's suffrage amendment was introduced in Congress in 1878 but failed to pass. It was reintroduced in subsequent Congresses, reflecting the growing momentum for women's suffrage. During this period, several western states, including Wyoming, granted women the right to vote in their state constitutions. However, it was not until June 4, 1919, that Congress finally approved the Nineteenth Amendment, with the requisite two-thirds majority in both the House of Representatives and the Senate.
The amendment then needed to be ratified by at least 36 states to become part of the Constitution. This process faced significant opposition, particularly in the South. On August 18, 1920, Tennessee narrowly approved the amendment, becoming the 36th state to do so. The Nineteenth Amendment was then proclaimed as part of the Constitution by the secretary of state on August 26, 1920.
While the Nineteenth Amendment was a monumental step forward, it did not immediately guarantee voting rights for all women. Millions of women of colour continued to face systemic racism and discriminatory state voting laws that prevented them from exercising their right to vote. It would take several more decades of struggle to extend voting rights to all women, regardless of race or ethnicity.
Tillis' Amendment: Constitutional Reform
You may want to see also
It was ratified on August 18, 1920
The Nineteenth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States, which granted women the right to vote, was ratified on August 18, 1920. This was the culmination of a long and difficult campaign for women's suffrage, which began in the mid-19th century. Several generations of women's suffrage supporters lectured, wrote, marched, lobbied, and practised civil disobedience to achieve what many Americans considered a radical change to the Constitution.
The first women's suffrage amendment was introduced in Congress in 1878 and was reintroduced in every Congress thereafter. In 1890, Wyoming became a state and the first to guarantee women the right to vote in its constitution. Over the next decade, several other states, all in the western US, followed suit. In 1912, when Theodore Roosevelt ran as a third-party candidate for president, his party became the first national party to support a constitutional amendment for women's suffrage.
The Nineteenth Amendment was passed by Congress on June 4, 1919, and submitted to the states for ratification. It faced opposition, particularly in the South, but on August 18, 1920, Tennessee became the 36th state to ratify the amendment, ensuring its adoption. Tennessee's ratification was narrowly achieved, with 50 of 99 members of the Tennessee House of Representatives voting yes.
The Nineteenth Amendment was certified on August 26, 1920, by Secretary of State Bainbridge Colby, and it changed the face of the American electorate forever. Women across the country participated in the November 1920 elections for the 67th Congress (1921-1923). However, it is important to note that ratification did not ensure full enfranchisement for all women. Many women, particularly African Americans and other minorities, remained unable to vote long into the 20th century due to discriminatory state voting laws.
The Brady Bill: A Constitutional Amendment?
You may want to see also
The women's suffrage movement began in the mid-19th century
The women's suffrage movement in the United States began in the mid-19th century, with several generations of supporters campaigning for what many Americans considered a radical change to the Constitution: guaranteeing women the right to vote. The movement involved lectures, writing, marches, lobbying, and civil disobedience. Some suffragists also used more confrontational tactics, such as picketing, silent vigils, and hunger strikes.
In the second decade of the 20th century, suffragists began staging large and dramatic parades to draw attention to their cause. One notable demonstration was the march held in Washington, DC, on March 3, 1913, which included over 5,000 suffragists from across the country. This march was controversial due to the organizers' attempt to exclude and then segregate women of colour. During World War I, suffragists also tried to pressure President Woodrow Wilson into supporting their cause.
The first women's suffrage amendment was introduced in Congress in 1878 and was reintroduced in every subsequent Congress. In 1890, Wyoming became the first state to guarantee women the right to vote in its constitution. Several other states in the western US followed suit over the next decade. In 1869, two organizations were formed to advocate for women's suffrage: the National Woman Suffrage Association and the American Woman Suffrage Association. These organizations worked closely together and merged in 1890.
The campaign for women's suffrage was lengthy and difficult, and it took decades of agitation and protest to achieve victory. Finally, in 1919, the amendment passed in Congress and was sent to the states for ratification. On August 18, 1920, Tennessee became the 36th state to ratify the amendment, ensuring its adoption. The Nineteenth Amendment was then proclaimed by the secretary of state as part of the Constitution of the United States. This amendment legally guarantees American women the right to vote and prohibits the denial of the right to vote based on sex.
Understanding Initiatives and Constitutional Amendments
You may want to see also
Explore related products
The 19th Amendment did not fully enfranchise women of colour
The Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, passed in 1920, was a significant milestone in the history of women's suffrage, guaranteeing American women the right to vote. However, it is important to recognise that the amendment did not fully enfranchise women of colour, and they continued to face significant barriers to exercising their voting rights.
The road to women's suffrage in the United States was long and arduous, marked by decades of agitation, protests, lectures, lobbying, and civil disobedience. The Nineteenth Amendment was the culmination of this struggle, ensuring that women's right to vote was protected under the Constitution. However, the fight for suffrage was not equally beneficial for all women.
For women of colour, the reality was more complex. While the amendment prohibited the denial of voting rights based on sex, it did not address other forms of discrimination, including racial bias. Women of colour, including African Americans, Native Americans, and Asian Americans, continued to face barriers to voting due to discriminatory state laws and voter suppression tactics. Literacy tests, poll taxes, voter ID requirements, intimidation, and violence were often employed to prevent them from exercising their democratic rights.
In the Jim Crow South and some other states, these tactics were specifically designed to disenfranchise Black people and immigrants. Registrars had the authority to arbitrarily pass or fail applicants during literacy tests, and even if Black people managed to pass, they were still denied the right to register to vote. The same voter suppression tactics that affected Black men also kept Black women from voting.
It was not until the passage of the Voting Rights Act in 1965, and its extension in 1975, that voting access was significantly expanded for women of colour. This legislation prohibited discrimination based on race and language, finally allowing for the registration and voting of historically suppressed minorities.
In conclusion, while the Nineteenth Amendment was a crucial step forward for women's suffrage in the United States, it did not fully enfranchise women of colour. It took decades of continued activism and legal battles to address the racial inequalities that persisted even after the amendment's ratification.
Amendments to the California Constitution: A Dynamic History
You may want to see also
The right to vote was not nationally recognised in the early years of the US
New Jersey revoked the vote from Black men and women in 1807, and by this year, every state constitution had denied women even limited suffrage. Wyoming became the first state to grant women the right to vote in all elections in 1869, and in 1870, the 15th Amendment gave African American men the right to vote. However, many were unable to exercise this right due to literacy tests and other barriers implemented by some states.
The 19th Amendment, ratified in 1920, granted women the right to vote. This was the culmination of a lengthy and difficult struggle, with victory taking decades of agitation and protest. Beginning in the mid-19th century, several generations of women's suffrage supporters lectured, wrote, marched, lobbied, and practised civil disobedience to achieve what many Americans considered a radical change to the Constitution.
The 26th Amendment, ratified in 1971, lowered the voting age for all elections to 18, and the 24th Amendment, ratified in 1964, eliminated poll taxes, which had been used to keep African Americans from voting.
Amending the Constitution: Senate's Role and Power
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
The Nineteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution prohibits the federal and state governments from denying any citizen the right to vote based on sex.
The Nineteenth Amendment enfranchised 26 million American women in time for the 1920 U.S. presidential election. However, it did not fully enfranchise African American, Asian American, Hispanic American, and Native American women.
The Nineteenth Amendment was passed by Congress on June 4, 1919, and ratified on August 18, 1920.
