The Declaration of Sentiments was read by Elizabeth Caty Stanton at the Seneca Falls Convention on July 20. The Declaration begins by stating the equality of all men and women and restates that both genders are provided with absolute rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. The text then lists 16 facts stating the level of this maltreatment, which included the lack of women’s suffrage, participation, and representation in the government; women’s lack of property rights in marriage; inequality in divorce law; and inequality in education and employment opportunities (Cokely). These oppressions were followed up with a passage of 12 resolutions that had to do with women’s rights. All resolutions passed except the resolution relating to women’s suffrage .
Many believed that the topic was to controversial and would hurt their efforts for equality in other places (Cokely). Writers such as Margaraet Fuller and Lydia Maria child both were writers documenting women’s suffrage and slavery . Margaret was a Feminist writer in Cambridge Massachusett. Her father Timothy Fuller was disappointed when he found of his child was not going to be boy. It was not until Maragareat turned 14 she attended school, she found herself obligated to educate her siblings and help her mom run the household. Margaraet Fuller felt a complete education would cause women to be more independent and would open up more opportunities which were accepted by the Nineteenth Century. Fuller did not just defend women’s rights, she also defended slavery. She believed the Native Americans were being treated unfairly. She wrote down all social issues that were happening, such as women’s equality, homelessness and etc. Margaret Fuller would engage the participants in discussion before expounding her own views with a clarity of thought and expression that dazzled her listeners. That women could have their own opinions on matters outside their “sphere” proved an intoxicating proposition. These events were very successful and supported Fuller for five years (1839-1844), during which she published her acclaimed translation of Eckermann’s Conversations with Goethe and several shorter pieces (Fuller).
Lydia Maria Child worked with anti slavery movements and women’s rights. She worked with her husband to end slavery that was present on their time. During her writing career she published many child books that people would enjoy. Lydia started using words such as “Africans” in books and people started seeing them as anti slavery. Due to Lydia’s children books kids started to believe and be able to see that slavery was evil. In comparison to her letters, some of Child’s writings were dismissed as sheer propaganda, more specifically her writing on The Kansas Immigrations. This intention of writing this piece was to give an alert to the American people on some of the horrific things that were taking place in Kansas, which constituted a number of stories that were inclusive of some of the social concerns at the time, as well as advocacies for religious tolerance and women rights (Jobs).
Lydia believed that if people were freed from slavery they would start to realize women’s rights in society. Lydia encouraged both races Black and White woman mothers, (who were sharing the same status) to encourage their children to read her books and other historical biographies to get informed of what was happening. This would help children grow up independently with knowledge instead of being treated how society was treating people. Lydia encouraged girls to go after a field that was known to be dominated by males. Throughout her work she encouraged many women to work and do what they wanted to.
