National Woman Suffrage Association

Definition

The National Woman Suffrage Association (NWSA) was an organization founded in 1869 that aimed to secure women's right to vote in the United States. The NWSA was established by prominent suffragists like Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony, and it played a critical role in advocating for women's voting rights during the Gilded Age. It focused on a federal approach to suffrage, pushing for a constitutional amendment that would guarantee women the right to vote.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. The NWSA was formed in response to the exclusion of women from the Fifteenth Amendment, which granted voting rights to African American men but did not address women's suffrage.
2. The association held its first convention in New York City in 1869, where leaders emphasized the need for a constitutional amendment for women's voting rights.
3. The NWSA adopted a more radical approach compared to other suffrage organizations, focusing on a national strategy rather than state-by-state efforts.
4. The NWSA merged with another suffrage group, the American Woman Suffrage Association (AWSA), in 1890 to form the National American Woman Suffrage Association (NAWSA), which unified efforts for women's suffrage.
5. The NWSA laid the groundwork for future activism that ultimately led to the passage of the Nineteenth Amendment in 1920, granting women the right to vote.

Review Questions

• How did the National Woman Suffrage Association differentiate itself from other suffrage groups during the Gilded Age?
  • The National Woman Suffrage Association set itself apart by advocating for a federal approach to women's voting rights, pushing for a constitutional amendment instead of pursuing state-by-state suffrage campaigns. Founded by leaders like Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony, it adopted a more radical stance compared to organizations like the American Woman Suffrage Association, which focused on state-level changes. This strategic difference highlighted their urgency and determination to secure women's voting rights on a national level.
• Discuss the significance of the merger between the National Woman Suffrage Association and the American Woman Suffrage Association in 1890.
  • The merger between the National Woman Suffrage Association (NWSA) and the American Woman Suffrage Association (AWSA) in 1890 was significant because it unified two major factions of the women’s suffrage movement. By joining forces under the National American Woman Suffrage Association (NAWSA), they pooled their resources, increased their political power, and created a more cohesive strategy. This collaboration allowed them to mobilize support more effectively and played a crucial role in pushing forward the cause of women's suffrage leading up to its eventual success with the Nineteenth Amendment.
• Evaluate how the work of the National Woman Suffrage Association contributed to broader social reforms during the Gilded Age.
  • The work of the National Woman Suffrage Association was instrumental in advancing broader social reforms during the Gilded Age by connecting women's rights to other progressive movements. The association’s leaders recognized that securing voting rights for women was intertwined with issues such as labor rights, education reform, and racial equality. Their activism not only focused on suffrage but also addressed inequalities faced by women in society, making them key players in a wider network of reform efforts that sought to challenge traditional gender roles and promote social justice across various fronts.

Related terms

Susan B. Anthony:

A leading figure in the women's suffrage movement, Susan B. Anthony co-founded the NWSA and dedicated her life to advocating for women's rights, including the right to vote.

Women’s Suffrage Movement:

A social and political movement aimed at securing the legal right of women to vote, which gained momentum in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Fifteenth Amendment:

An amendment to the U.S. Constitution ratified in 1870 that granted African American men the right to vote, but excluded women, leading to divisions within the suffrage movement.