Table of Contents
19th Amendment Overview
The 19th Amendment to the United States Constitution prohibits any United States citizen from being denied the right to vote on account of sex. This amendment was ratified on August 18th, 1920, and has since had an immense impact on the United States. The ratification of the 19th Amendment was a long-awaited victory for the women suffrage movement- a movement that tirelessly campaigned and fought for greater social and political equality between men and women.
The ratification of this amendment was the culmination of a 72-year effort by women who had been advocating for their rights and equality in the United States. The fight for the right to vote began as early as the 1848 Seneca Falls Convention, where the first surge of women’s rights activists came together for the first time to call for women’s right to vote. It was a movement against a patriarchal society that had kept women from truly realizing their full potential. Countless women and men had worked tirelessly in the years following the Seneca Falls Convention, urging states to recognize women’s rights and grant them the right to vote.
The suffragists established a platform for legal and social equality for women that helped ignite a new era of women’s rights activism. This is because the right to vote is the most fundamental tenet of democracy, and when women were excluded from this right, their voices were silenced and their opinions ignored, particularly in the political arena. The suffragists had the ultimate vision of ending discrimination against women and promoting women’s political participation. To achieve such goals, they employed various methods, including nonviolent protests, lobbying, and hunger strikes.
The suffragists’ effort to gain the right to vote bore fruit on August 26th, 1920, after The National American Woman Suffrage Association and the National Woman’s Party ratified the 19th Amendment, prohibiting any United States citizen from being denied the right to vote on account of sex. The ratification of this amendment was historical and had a lasting impact on the United States.
First and foremost, the 19th Amendment increased the pool of voters in the United States, allowing women to share in the democratic process and have their voices heard. Women, just like men, had aspirations and beliefs that they wanted to be represented in the political sphere. However, before the ratification of the 19th Amendment, all of these aspirations and opinions were merely theoretical and were not realized. They were locked up in the minds of women, and they had no significant platform to express them. Now, women had an equal say to men in who they want to represent them in public office.
Secondly, the 19th Amendment has impacted how America views women and their role in society. Voting rights were a great stride in the quest for equal rights for all Americans, regardless of their gender. The Constitutional Amendment made the statement that women deserved an equal say when it comes to democratic processes. It marked the beginning of the end of some of the horrendous gender disparities in America.
Additionally, the 19th Amendment empowered women to run for public office, hold public positions, and have a say in public policy-making. It allowed women to be seen in positions of leadership and authority, which was previously not possible. The number of women elected to public office has steadily increased ever since the amendment was ratified, as well as women who have run for political leadership positions around the United States.
Moreover, the ratification of the 19th Amendment has created the view that women should not be discriminated against on any level, whether it be socially or politically. Women today enjoy significant protection from gender discrimination in all spheres of life. The formal right to vote has set a cultural tone that subsequently led to changes in all areas of women’s rights across the country.
Furthermore, the 19th Amendment paved the way for greater transparency in United States’ democratic processes. It became harder for those who held power in the past to suppress and keep women from having a say. It also reinforced the concept that democracy was about giving all citizens an equal say in how the country was run.
The 19th Amendment is also crucial for minorities. Women have been subject to gender discrimination for centuries, so it’s understandable that the 19th Amendment sought to give them a fair chance in the democratic process. Meanwhile, many minority groups such as African Americans, Latinos, and Native Americans were still denied voting rights within many states. However, the concept of universal suffrage that forms the spirit of the 19th Amendment formed the cornerstone for laws that would subsequently be passed to advance voting rights for marginalized groups in America.
Finally, the ratification of the 19th Amendment is evidence that citizens of the United States genuinely believe in the concept of equality and are committed to upholding it within both the public and private spheres. The constitution’s amendment process reflects the deep values of the American democracy, indicating that Americans have the courage to amend the constitution and bring it more in line with changing societal values. A core pillar of American society is the pursuit of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. The ratification of the 19th Amendment helped promote these fundamental values for all Americans who now have a say in whether these values are upheld in the democratic process.
In conclusion, the 19th Amendment is a cornerstone of American democracy; it has been a catalyst for the advancement of women’s rights, extending basic protections to all minorities, and bringing democracy more in line with the principles on which it was founded. The amendment’s ratification has brought about a genuine transformation in American society, creating a lasting legacy that is still felt today. The 19th Amendment’s importance can not be overemphasized, as it has led to improvements in the social, economic, and political standing of women since its ratification.
What is the 19th Amendment?
“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 19th Amendment Defined
Date Proposed
The 19th Amendment was proposed on June 4th, 1919
Date Passed
The 19th Amendment was passed on August 18th, 1920
President of the United States
Woodrow Wilson was the President of the United States during the ratification of the 19th Amendment
Stipulations of the 19th Amendment
The 19th Amendment overturns preexisting stipulations that deny citizens of the United States the right to vote on the basis of gender; this amendment granted female citizens of the United States the right to vote
The 19th Amendment provided this adjustment to take place on a national level in lieu of individual state Constitutions
19th Amendment Facts
The 19th Amendment was constructed by two well-known social activists named Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony; these women are considered to be amongst those at the forefront of the Women’s Suffrage Movement
The 19th Amendment was initially drafted in 1873; in the year 1919, the amendment was ratified
States Ratifying the 19th Amendment
1. Alabama
2. Alaska
3. Arizona
4. Arkansas
5. California
6. Colorado
7. Connecticut
8. Delaware
9. Florida
10. Georgia
11. Hawaii
12. Idaho
13. Illinois
14. Indiana
15. Iowa
16. Kansas
17. Kentucky
18. Louisiana
19. Maine
20. Maryland
21. Massachusetts
22. Michigan
23. Minnesota
24. Mississippi
25. Missouri
26. Montana
27. Nebraska
28. Nevada
29. New Hampshire
30. New Jersey
31. New Mexico
32. New York
33. North Carolina
34. North Dakota
35. Ohio
36. Oklahoma
37. Oregon
38. Pennsylvania
39. Rhode Island
40. South Carolina
41. South Dakota
42. Tennessee
43. Texas
44. Utah
45. Vermont
46. Virginia
47. Washington
48. West Virginia
49. Wisconsin
50. Wyoming
Court Cases Associated with the 19th Amendment
Leser v. Garnett (1922) – this court case brought forth by Oscar Leser who wished to dispute the decision to allow women the right to vote; upon referencing the 15th Amendment, which removed statutes denying suffrage based on race, the Supreme Court dismissed the case.
