National Woman Suffrage Association

Definition

The National Woman Suffrage Association (NWSA) was an organization founded in 1869 by Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton to advocate for women's right to vote in the United States. This association aimed to promote women's suffrage through a constitutional amendment and emphasized the need for a more aggressive approach to achieving voting rights compared to other groups of the time.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. The NWSA was formed as a response to the exclusion of women from the Fifteenth Amendment, which granted voting rights to African American men but ignored women.
2. Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton were key figures in the founding of the NWSA and used their leadership to promote women's suffrage at a national level.
3. The NWSA published a newspaper called 'The Revolution' to spread its message and rally support for women's voting rights.
4. The organization played a significant role in mobilizing women across the country to advocate for suffrage and laid the groundwork for future activism.
5. In 1890, the NWSA merged with the American Woman Suffrage Association to form the National American Woman Suffrage Association, creating a more unified front in the fight for women's voting rights.

Review Questions

• How did the formation of the National Woman Suffrage Association reflect the changing attitudes toward women's rights during its time?
  • The formation of the National Woman Suffrage Association illustrated a significant shift in attitudes towards women's rights as it emerged from frustration with existing strategies that had failed to include women in voting rights discussions. By advocating for a constitutional amendment, the NWSA adopted a more confrontational approach that reflected a growing recognition among women activists that they needed to assert their rights more boldly. This change marked a pivotal moment in the women's rights movement, highlighting an urgent desire for equality and representation.
• Discuss the strategies employed by the National Woman Suffrage Association compared to those of other suffrage organizations at the time.
  • The National Woman Suffrage Association employed more aggressive and direct strategies, such as lobbying Congress for a constitutional amendment to secure women's voting rights, while also using media campaigns like 'The Revolution' to spread awareness. In contrast, other organizations, such as the American Woman Suffrage Association, focused on state-level campaigns and building coalitions with male allies. This divergence created different paths within the suffrage movement, showcasing a spectrum of approaches towards achieving equality.
• Evaluate the impact of the National Woman Suffrage Association on subsequent movements for women's rights and social justice.
  • The National Woman Suffrage Association had a lasting impact on subsequent movements for women's rights by establishing frameworks for advocacy, organizing, and coalition-building that would be utilized by later generations. Its emphasis on direct action and constitutional reform inspired future activists who sought not only suffrage but broader social justice issues, including labor rights, reproductive rights, and civil rights. The legacy of the NWSA is evident in how contemporary movements continue to draw upon its principles of advocacy and solidarity in fighting for gender equality.

Related terms

Women's Rights Movement: A social and political movement aimed at establishing equal rights for women, including suffrage, education, and employment opportunities.

Fifteenth Amendment: An amendment to the United States Constitution ratified in 1870 that granted African American men the right to vote but did not address women's suffrage.

American Woman Suffrage Association: An organization founded in 1869 that worked alongside the NWSA but focused on achieving suffrage through state-level campaigns rather than a constitutional amendment.