Jonah Patel
The 19th Amendment to the Constitution, which prohibits the government from denying any citizen the right to vote based on sex, was ratified on August 18, 1920, and certified on August 26, 1920. The road to achieving this milestone was long and challenging, requiring decades of agitation, protest, lobbying, and civil disobedience by women's rights advocates. Tennessee was the final state needed to approve the amendment, making it the 36th state to do so.
Explore related products
What You'll Learn
The 19th Amendment was ratified on August 18, 1920
The 19th Amendment, which prohibits the government from denying citizens the right to vote based on sex, 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. During this period, supporters of women's suffrage lectured, wrote, marched, lobbied, and practised civil disobedience to achieve what many Americans considered a radical change to the Constitution.
The campaign for women's suffrage was not always united, and strategies for achieving the goal of voting rights varied. Some pursued a strategy of passing suffrage acts in each state, while others challenged male-only voting laws in court. Suffragists also used more confrontational tactics such as picketing, silent vigils, and hunger strikes. They often met fierce resistance, with opponents resorting to heckling, imprisonment, and physical abuse.
The 19th Amendment was first introduced to Congress in 1878 but was not approved until 1919. The amendment passed the House of Representatives on May 21, 1919, and the Senate on June 4, 1919. It was then submitted to the states for ratification, with Tennessee providing the final ratification on August 18, 1920. The amendment was officially certified on August 26, 1920, and went into effect, guaranteeing American women the right to vote.
The adoption of the 19th Amendment was a significant milestone in the history of women's rights in the United States. However, it is important to note that the amendment did not ensure full enfranchisement for all women. Many women, particularly those from racial and ethnic minority groups, continued to face discrimination and were unable to exercise their right to vote due to discriminatory state voting laws. It would take several more decades of struggle to extend voting rights to all women, with the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 finally affording crucial protections to minority women voters.
Amending the Constitution: What Kind of Vote Counts?
You may want to see also
The Amendment prohibits sex-based voting discrimination
The 19th Amendment to the Constitution, which prohibits sex-based voting discrimination, was ratified on August 18, 1920. The road to achieving this milestone was long and challenging, spanning decades of agitation and protest.
The women's rights movement began at the Seneca Falls Convention in 1848, and the push for women's suffrage gained momentum during the Reconstruction Era following the Civil War. Early advocates for women's suffrage, such as Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton, argued that the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments guaranteed voting rights to women. However, the Supreme Court rejected their interpretation in Minor v. Happersett, holding that while women were citizens entitled to due process and equal protection, it did not include the right to vote.
The first women's suffrage amendment was introduced in Congress in 1878, but it was not until May 21, 1919, that an amendment passed the House of Representatives, quickly followed by the Senate on June 4, 1919. The amendment was then submitted to the states for ratification, requiring 36 states to secure adoption. Tennessee was the final state to approve the amendment, with Representative Harry Burn casting the tie-breaking vote, making Tennessee the 36th state to ratify.
The 19th Amendment prohibits the denial of the right to vote based on sex, effectively granting women the right to vote. However, it is important to note that in practice, the Amendment only gave white women the right to vote. Women from racial and ethnic minority groups continued to face discrimination and were only afforded crucial protections with the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
The adoption of the 19th Amendment was a significant step forward in the fight for women's suffrage, but the struggle for full enfranchisement continued for decades, with many women unable to exercise their voting rights due to discriminatory state laws. The amendment's centennial in 2020 marked a century of women's right to vote and was commemorated with various celebrations and events.
The US Constitution's Eighth Amendment: History and Context
You may want to see also
Tennessee was the final state needed to ratify the Amendment
The 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which prohibits any citizen of the United States from being denied the right to vote on the basis of sex, was ratified in 1920. The ratification process required at least 36 states to vote in favour of the amendment, and by March 1920, 35 states had already done so. Tennessee was the final state needed to ratify the amendment, and it did so on August 18, 1920, with the crucial vote cast by Harry T. Burn, a young state legislator from McMinn County.
The campaign for women's suffrage was long and difficult, with supporters employing various strategies such as lecturing, writing, marching, lobbying, and even civil disobedience to achieve what many Americans considered a radical change to the Constitution. The amendment was first introduced in Congress in 1878, and it was finally passed by Congress on June 4, 1919, before being submitted to the states for ratification.
The road to ratification in Tennessee was not easy, with suffragists and anti-suffragists from across the nation focusing their efforts on demonstrating, debating, and lobbying Tennessee politicians. The vote in the Tennessee House of Representatives resulted in a tie, and Burn cast the tie-breaking vote, influenced by a note from his mother urging him to vote yes. With Tennessee's ratification, the 19th Amendment became law, ensuring that women's right to vote could not be denied based on sex.
The ratification of the 19th Amendment was a significant moment in American history, shifting the national political landscape and guaranteeing the legal right of women to vote. The amendment reads: "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."
Founding Fathers: Amending the Constitution
You may want to see also
Explore related products
The women's suffrage movement began in 1848
The 19th Amendment to the US Constitution, which prohibits any citizen of the United States from being denied the right to vote on the basis of sex, was ratified in 1920. The women's suffrage movement, however, began much earlier in 1848.
In July 1848, the first attempt to organise a national movement for women's rights took place in Seneca Falls, New York. This was the site of the first Women's Rights Convention, where Elizabeth Cady Stanton presented a "Declaration of Sentiments" that set the agenda for women's activism for decades. The declaration called for equality between the sexes and included a resolution urging women to secure the vote. This convention marked the beginning of the women's rights movement in the mid-19th century, which encompassed a broad spectrum of goals before focusing on securing the vote for women.
The women's suffrage movement picked up momentum during the Reconstruction Era after the Civil War. Women's rights leaders fought for the inclusion of universal suffrage as a civil right in the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments. In 1869, the National Woman Suffrage Association was founded by Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton. They brought the issue to federal court, arguing that the 14th and 15th Amendments guaranteed voting rights to women, but the Supreme Court rejected their justification.
Despite setbacks and internal divisions over strategy, women's suffrage supporters lectured, wrote, marched, lobbied, and practised civil disobedience to achieve what many considered a radical change to the Constitution. The amendment was first introduced in Congress in 1878 and finally passed by both the House and Senate in May and June 1919. It was then submitted to the states for ratification, achieving the required number of ratifications to go into effect on August 18, 1920.
The campaign for women's suffrage was long and difficult, and even after the 19th Amendment, many women were still unable to vote due to discriminatory state voting laws. The fight for women's suffrage highlighted the persistent disagreements among women in Congress and the need for a unified movement. It empowered women to take to the streets, lecture, and lobby for their rights, marking a significant step towards gender equality in the United States.
Excessive Force: The Amendment for Protection
You may want to see also
The Amendment's passage was the result of decades of work
The 19th Amendment to the United States Constitution, which prohibits the United States and its states from denying any citizen the right to vote based on sex, was passed in 1920. The road to achieving this milestone was long and arduous, requiring decades of agitation and protest.
The women's rights movement began at the Seneca Falls Convention in 1848, and the women's suffrage movement picked up during the Reconstruction Era after the Civil War. Women's rights leaders fought for the inclusion of universal suffrage as a civil right in the Thirteenth, Fourteenth, and Fifteenth Amendments. In 1869, the National Woman Suffrage Association was founded by Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton. They brought the issue to federal court, arguing that the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments together guaranteed voting rights for women, but the Supreme Court rejected their justification.
The first women's suffrage amendment was introduced in Congress in 1878 but was rejected in 1887. In the 1890s, suffrage organisations focused on a national amendment while still working at the state and local levels. Lucy Burns and Alice Paul emerged as important leaders whose different strategies helped move the Nineteenth Amendment forward.
In the decade leading up to the 19th Amendment's passage, 23 states granted women full or partial voting rights through a series of successful campaigns. In 1916, almost all of the major suffrage organisations were united behind the goal of a constitutional amendment. The amendment finally passed in the House of Representatives on May 21, 1919, and was quickly followed by the Senate on June 4, 1919. It was then submitted to the states for ratification, achieving the requisite 36 ratifications (with Tennessee being the final state) to secure adoption, and thereby went into effect on August 18, 1920.
The 19th Amendment's adoption was certified on August 26, 1920, by Secretary of State Bainbridge Colby, changing the face of the American electorate forever. However, it is important to note that ratification did not ensure full enfranchisement for all women. Decades of struggle remained to include African Americans, Native Americans, Asian Americans, and other minority women in the promise of voting rights.
The First Amendment: Protecting Lobbying as Free Speech
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
The 19th Amendment to the Constitution was ratified on August 18, 1920.
The 19th Amendment to the Constitution prohibited all levels of the government in the United States from restricting the right to vote based on sex, effectively extending the franchise to women.
The 19th Amendment was first introduced in Congress in 1878. It was then approved by Congress in 1919 and sent to the states for ratification. Tennessee was the final state needed to approve the amendment, which it did on August 18, 1920. The amendment was officially certified on August 26, 1920, and went into effect on that date.
