NAWSA

Definition

NAWSA stands for the National American Woman Suffrage Association, a prominent organization that played a crucial role in the fight for women's right to vote in the United States during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. NAWSA was founded in 1890 by merging two earlier women's suffrage organizations, the National Woman Suffrage Association and the American Woman Suffrage Association.
2. The organization's primary goal was to secure a federal constitutional amendment granting women the right to vote, known as women's suffrage.
3. NAWSA employed a variety of tactics, including lobbying, public education campaigns, and state-level advocacy, to advance the cause of women's suffrage.
4. Under the leadership of prominent figures such as Susan B. Anthony and Carrie Chapman Catt, NAWSA played a crucial role in the passage of the Nineteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution in 1920.
5. NAWSA's success in mobilizing a nationwide grassroots movement and building political alliances was instrumental in the eventual ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment, which granted women the right to vote.

Review Questions

• Describe the origins and founding of the National American Woman Suffrage Association (NAWSA).
  • The National American Woman Suffrage Association (NAWSA) was founded in 1890 through the merger of two earlier women's suffrage organizations, the National Woman Suffrage Association and the American Woman Suffrage Association. The primary goal of NAWSA was to secure a federal constitutional amendment granting women the right to vote, known as women's suffrage. The organization employed a variety of tactics, including lobbying, public education campaigns, and state-level advocacy, to advance this cause.
• Explain the role of NAWSA in the passage of the Nineteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
  • NAWSA played a crucial role in the passage of the Nineteenth Amendment, which granted women the right to vote. Under the leadership of prominent figures such as Susan B. Anthony and Carrie Chapman Catt, NAWSA mobilized a nationwide grassroots movement and built political alliances to advocate for women's suffrage. The organization's success in these efforts was instrumental in the eventual ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment in 1920, a landmark achievement in the fight for women's rights.
• Analyze the significance of NAWSA's tactics and strategies in the broader context of the women's suffrage movement.
  • NAWSA's tactics and strategies were instrumental in the success of the women's suffrage movement. By employing a multi-pronged approach that combined lobbying, public education, and state-level advocacy, the organization was able to build a strong, nationwide movement that ultimately led to the ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment. NAWSA's ability to mobilize grassroots support and forge political alliances was crucial in overcoming the significant resistance and opposition to women's suffrage at the time. The organization's strategic and persistent efforts played a pivotal role in the eventual achievement of this fundamental civil right for American women.

Related terms

Women's Suffrage: The right of women to vote in political elections.

Susan B. Anthony:

A pioneering leader of the women's suffrage movement in the United States, who co-founded the NAWSA.

Nineteenth Amendment:

The constitutional amendment that granted American women the right to vote, ratified in 1920.