Lesson 4 – Women

Did you know that in 19th century America, women, children and slaves had the same legal status and children were the sole property of their fathers?

Welcome back! This lesson’s topic is women and civil rights. Women’s quest for civil rights in America has been going on since the beginning. There are many different issues; this lesson focuses on three. You will be reading two stories, one about women’s right to vote and one about gender equity in athletics.

Let’s start by reading Road Trip for Suffrage (p. 66 in A Place at the Table.)

1. What’s the big deal about the right to vote? Quickly brainstorm and write down the first few ideas that come to you.

2. Describe the status of women’s voting rights in the U.S. in 1915.

3. What did women’s suffrage leaders hope to accomplish with the cross-country road trip?

4. Describe the challenges that Sara Bard Field and her companions faced.

To learn more about women’s suffrage, go to PBS’s Web site on Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony, two other pioneers in the movement. Click on their photos for a special audio and video program.

Now take a look at the biographical information on Stanton and Anthony.

5. What was so significant about the Seneca Falls convention?

6. What was the temperance movement about?

7. Explain how Stanton and Anthony’s different skills complemented each other, making them such a powerful team.

8. What other issues, in addition to women’s suffrage, was Stanton concerned with?

Now read Going to Bat for Girls (A Place at the Table, p. 118.)

9. List and discuss three examples of gender inequity in the Minden, Neb., school sports program at the time of this story. How does Title IX address your examples?

10. Describe the effects Naomi’s complaint and lawsuit had on her family, community and friends. What were some of the sacrifices made by members of Naomi’s family while the case was being litigated?

11. Write a one-act play or a dialogue about an imaginary encounter between Sara Bard Field and Naomi Fritson. How would they relate to each other? What would they want to know about each other’s lives?

Now take a look at the Timeline of the Women’s Rights Movement.

12. After reading through the timeline, list three of the things that surprised or interested you the most.

That’s all for this time. The next lesson begins our study of African American civil rights issues. See you then!

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