Alice+Paul

Alice Paul was born on January 11, 1885 in Moorestown, New Jersey. She was raised as a Quaker and attended the Friends School, graduating at the top of her class. At the age of 16, she went on to Swarthmore College which was a Quaker College founded by her grandfather in 1901. She graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in biology in 1905. She also worked at the New York College Settlement while attending the New York School of Social Work. She left for England in 1906 to work in the settlement house movement there for three years. She studied at the University of England, and returned to get her Ph. D from the University of Pennsylvania. She was one of the leading figures responsible for the passage of the 19th Amendment to the United States Constitution. She died of a stroke on July 9, 1977.

The Women's Suffrage Movement was led by Alice Paul. It was to fight for women's right to vote. After women got married, they did not have the right to own property, sign contracts, maintain their wages, and especially, the right to vote. At the time, it was considered inappropriate or improper for women speak in public or travel by themselves. There were many discussions and conventions against this issue, but there was nothing done to demolish it. Many activists petitioned the emancipation of slaves. They also had a strong belief in and declared that once the war came to an end, women and slaves would be granted the same rights as men. However when the war did end, the government still viewed these 2 topics, as seprate issues. In 1866, the American Equal Rights Association was out into action by Elizabeth Stanton to fight for women's rights. Eventually, the National Women Suffrage Association, led by Stanton and Anthony, joined with the American Women Suffrage Association, led by Lucy Stone, Julia Ward Howe, and Henry Blackwell, in 1890 to form the National American Women Suffrage Association. Finally in 1878, a Woman's Suffrage Amendment was introduced to the U.S. Congress. Many, many groups were formed, going against women's suffrage. Although, World War I slowed down the suffrage campaign, women did not give up. In response to their hard work and courage, in 1919 the 19th Amendment was passed by both houses of Congress and in 1920, President Wilson ratified it. The 19th Amendment: 1. 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. 2. Congress shall have power to enforce this Article by appropriate legislation. Ratified August 26, 1920. []   