Eleanor Finch
The Nineteenth Amendment to the US Constitution, ratified in 1920, was a landmark victory for women's suffrage in the United States. The amendment guarantees that the right to vote cannot be denied or abridged by the federal government or any state government based on sex. The journey towards this amendment began in the mid-19th century, with scattered movements and organisations dedicated to women's rights, and it faced significant opposition along the way, including from southern states. The Nineteenth Amendment's adoption was a rejection of arguments that women's suffrage was incompatible with the family as the basic unit of governance and that suffrage should be left to individual states to decide.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Year of ratification | 1920 |
| States that opposed the amendment | Much of the South |
| Number of votes in the House of Representatives | 304-89 |
| Number of votes in the Senate | 56-25 |
| Date the amendment was passed in the House of Representatives | May 21, 1919 |
| Date the amendment was passed in the Senate | June 4, 1919 |
| Date Tennessee ratified the amendment | August 18, 1920 |
| Date the Nineteenth Amendment was proclaimed by the secretary of state | August 26, 1920 |
| What the amendment did | Gave women the right to vote |
| Who was involved in the women's suffrage movement | National Woman Suffrage Association, American Woman Suffrage Association, Colleen Shogan, Susan B. Anthony, Virginia Minor |
| Court cases related to women's suffrage | Minor v. Happersett (1875), Frontiero v. Richardson (1973) |
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What You'll Learn
The right of citizens of the United States to vote
The journey towards achieving women's suffrage in the United States was a long and arduous one. It began in the mid-19th century, with scattered movements and organisations dedicated to women's rights. The 1848 Seneca Falls Convention in New York, attended by nearly 300 women and men, is considered the official start of the American women's rights movement. The convention culminated in the adoption of the Declaration of Sentiments, which included a clause stating that it was the duty of women to secure their "sacred right to the elective franchise".
Gradually, certain states and territories extended limited voting rights to women. Wyoming Territory, for example, granted women the right to vote in all elections in 1869, and when it became a state in 1890, it guaranteed women's suffrage in its constitution. However, it soon became clear that a federal constitutional amendment was necessary to secure universal women's suffrage. Two organisations formed in 1869 reflected differing strategies: the National Woman Suffrage Association (NWSA) sought a federal constitutional amendment, while the American Woman Suffrage Association (AWSA) focused on obtaining amendments in individual state constitutions.
Despite legal challenges and advocacy efforts, the Reconstruction Amendments (the Thirteenth, Fourteenth, and Fifteenth Amendments) did not succeed in enfranchising women. The Fourteenth Amendment, in particular, was interpreted by the Supreme Court in Minor v. Happersett (1875) as not conferring the right to vote based on citizenship alone. This decision prompted a shift in strategy for the women's suffrage movement, leading to a focus on advocating for a constitutional amendment specifically addressing women's right to vote.
Finally, in 1919, after decades of activism and advocacy, the Nineteenth Amendment passed with the required two-thirds majority in both the House of Representatives and the Senate. On August 18, 1920, Tennessee became the 36th state to ratify the amendment, ensuring its adoption. The Nineteenth Amendment was then proclaimed as part of the Constitution by the secretary of state on August 26, 1920, marking a historic victory for women's suffrage in the United States.
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Women's suffrage was incompatible with the institution of the family
The Nineteenth Amendment to the US Constitution guarantees women the right to vote. 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 in the Constitution. Some suffragists used more confrontational tactics such as picketing, silent vigils, and hunger strikes. In the second decade of the 20th century, women suffragists began staging large and dramatic parades to draw attention to their cause.
The argument that "women's suffrage was incompatible with the institution of the family" was one of the reasons put forward by those who opposed the Nineteenth Amendment. This viewpoint held that the family was the most fundamental unit of governance and, therefore, women's suffrage would be an attack on it. Anti-suffragists argued that women did not want to vote because they were primarily caregivers and homemakers, leaving them with no time or interest in politics. They also asserted that women lacked the expertise or mental capacity to contribute meaningfully to political discussions.
The opposition to women's suffrage was not limited to the United States. In Malta, for instance, the Catholic Church and the Nationalist Party opposed women's suffrage with similar arguments, claiming that suffrage would burden women who already had family responsibilities. In the Islamic world, women's suffrage was seen as a plot against Islam and a violation of Quranic verses that established gender hierarchies. Sunni and Shia clergy rejected the idea, considering women as lesser persons unfit to participate in politics.
The ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment in the United States signalled a rejection of the argument that women's suffrage threatened the family unit. Instead, it acknowledged that the family could perpetuate injustices against women, necessitating federal intervention. The interpretation of the Fourteenth Amendment in the 1970s further reinforced this shift by including a ban against gender discrimination, equating it with racial discrimination.
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The Fourteenth Amendment's Equal Protection Clause
The Nineteenth Amendment to the US Constitution, ratified in 1920, guarantees women the right to vote. The text of the amendment states:
> "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. Congress shall have the power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation."
The women's suffrage movement began in 1848 with the Seneca Falls Convention in New York. Over time, two organisations were formed: the National Woman Suffrage Association, which sought a federal constitutional amendment; and the American Woman Suffrage Association, which focused on obtaining amendments to individual state constitutions. Despite opposition, the Nineteenth Amendment was ratified by the requisite number of states in 1920, with Tennessee becoming the 36th state to ratify the amendment.
The Fourteenth Amendment was also invoked by women's suffrage activists before the Nineteenth Amendment was passed. For example, Virginia Minor attempted to register to vote and, when refused, launched a lawsuit citing the Fourteenth Amendment. However, in Minor v. Happersett (1875), the Supreme Court rejected the argument, holding that while women were citizens within the meaning of the Fourteenth Amendment, citizenship alone did not confer the right to vote.
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The Fifteenth Amendment's prohibition of denying voting rights
The Nineteenth Amendment to the US Constitution, ratified in 1920, guarantees women's right to vote. The amendment states:
> "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. Congress shall have the power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation."
The women's suffrage movement had been campaigning for this right since the Seneca Falls Convention in 1848. Two organisations were formed in 1869: the National Woman Suffrage Association (NWSA) and the American Woman Suffrage Association (AWSA). The NWSA sought a federal constitutional amendment to secure the vote for women, while the AWSA focused on obtaining amendments to individual state constitutions. The two organisations merged in 1890.
Despite these efforts, women were still denied the right to vote. In 1875, Virginia Minor attempted to register to vote but was refused. She launched a lawsuit, Minor v. Happersett, citing the Fourteenth Amendment. The Supreme Court rejected her argument, ruling that while women were citizens, citizenship did not confer the right to vote.
In 1878, a constitutional amendment was introduced in Congress to enshrine women's suffrage for all elections. It was reintroduced in every subsequent Congress. Several states, particularly in the western part of the country, granted women the right to vote, but it became clear that a federal amendment was needed.
The Nineteenth Amendment's wording is similar to that of the Fifteenth Amendment, which prohibits denying voting rights "on account of race, colour, or previous condition of servitude". While the Fifteenth Amendment expanded voting rights regardless of race, it did not explicitly address gender. Women's rights leaders advocated for the inclusion of universal suffrage in the Reconstruction Amendments, but these did not ultimately enfranchise women. The Fourteenth Amendment, for example, explicitly discriminated between men and women by only penalising states that deprived male citizens of the vote.
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The Nineteenth Amendment was proclaimed in 1920
The Nineteenth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States, proclaimed in 1920, was a significant milestone in the country's history, guaranteeing women the right to vote. The journey towards the Nineteenth Amendment began in the mid-19th century when women's suffrage movements started gaining traction across the country. Wyoming Territory granted women the right to vote in all elections in 1869, and two organisations were formed in the same year to advocate for women's voting rights: the National Woman Suffrage Association and the American Woman Suffrage Association. Despite these advancements, it became evident that a federal constitutional amendment was necessary to secure the ballot for women comprehensively.
The women's suffrage movement faced opposition and setbacks, such as the Supreme Court case Minor v. Happersett in 1875, which ruled that citizenship did not confer the right to vote. Despite this, the movement persisted, and in 1890, Wyoming became a state, guaranteeing women's suffrage in its constitution. Over the next decade, several other western states followed suit. The 1848 Seneca Falls Convention in New York, attended by nearly 300 women and men, is considered the beginning of the organised women's rights movement in the US.
The Nineteenth Amendment faced resistance, particularly in the South, but on August 18, 1920, Tennessee became the 36th state to ratify it, ensuring its adoption. The amendment states: "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. Congress shall have the power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation." The Nineteenth Amendment's ratification was a rejection of arguments against women's suffrage, acknowledging the need to address injustices faced by women and expanding the role of the federal government in safeguarding their rights.
The Nineteenth Amendment's proclamation in 1920 was a pivotal moment in recognising women's political rights and empowering them to participate fully in the democratic process. It marked a significant step towards gender equality in the United States, ensuring that women's voices could be heard and their political choices respected. The amendment's adoption was a testament to the perseverance and advocacy of women's suffrage movements across the country.
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Frequently asked questions
The XIX Amendment to the Constitution of the United States, also known as the Nineteenth Amendment, granted women the right to vote.
While scattered movements and organisations dedicated to women's rights existed previously, the 1848 Seneca Falls Convention in New York is traditionally held as the start of the American women's rights movement. Over time, certain states and territories extended often limited voting rights to women. However, it became apparent that an amendment to the federal Constitution would be a preferable plan for suffragists.
The ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment was a rejection of the arguments that women’s suffrage was incompatible with the institution of the family and that issues of suffrage should be left to the states. It acknowledged that the family can and does work injustices on women that need to be addressed and that the federal government should have a broad role in addressing those concerns.
Opponents of the Nineteenth Amendment argued that women’s suffrage was incompatible with the institution of the family as the most elemental unit of governance and hence an attack on it. They also argued that issues of suffrage should be left to the states.
