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seneca falls and the rights of women 150 points How much do you know about the "first wave" of feminism - Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Susan B. Anthony, Lucretia Mott? This may be one of the most studied movements in history, so there's plenty out there to learn. What is the relationship between anti-slavery mobilization, women's suffrage campaigns, animal protectionism, and movements to outlaw alcohol? What were men's roles in the early women's movement? How did Congress react to women's grievances?
Instructions: Hit the books to learn as much as you can about the origins of the U.S. Women's Movement. Summarize your findings in a 4-5 page paper that discusses, from a sociological perspective: 1) the movement's organization (i.e., who was organizing what?); and 2) the social context in which it arose (i.e., when, where, and take a stab at why did this movement emerge?). Here's a challenge for you. Many historical accounts of this movement read like biographies of its most prominent leaders. But if there's one thing that you'll learn in this class it's that leaders are not the only, let alone the most important, part of a movement. What can you learn about the rank-and-file members, the diversity of organizations, the changing social context, and the strategic adaptations of the nineteenth century women's movement? Tilly (2004) and Tarrow (1998; chs. 3-4), both good examples of the sociological perspective, will make useful models for your research. What kinds of factors do they focus on when explaining the context for movement emergence? Do you see the same or similar factors in the emergence of the women's movement? Other questions you might like to focus on: Are there any connections between the Women's Movement and the other important movements of this period (anti-slavery, women's suffrage, animal protectionism/anti-vivisection, and temperance)? What do these movements have in common? |