Birth Control-An Overview

Some of the birth control methods that we use now in the United States where created by different cultures. The ancient Turks and Arabs created the IUD when they would insert smooth pebbles into the uterus of their camels so they couldn't get pregnant will on long trips in the desert (Birth Control). A physician of King Charles II of England came up with the condom, which was made of sheep intestines. It wasn't until 1844 that condoms became used as a form of birth control after the vulcanization of rubber (Birth Control). Yet, though all these birth control methods were created and practiced in various cultures, birth control in America was not legally allowed until after Margaret Sanger's birth control movement. She began in 1912 publishing and distributing materials about women's reproductive concerns through articles, pamphlets, and books to women across the United States. In 1914 she was arrested for doing it because it was a violation of the Comstock Law, which didn't allow the mailing of obscene information about birth control and its methods (Birth Control). Though she was jailed and knew it was illegal to educate women about the choices they had to not become pregnant, Margaret continued on spreading the word with the help of her sister, Ethel Byrne (Birth Control). They opened the first birth control clinics in America on October 16, 1916, in Brooklyn (Birth Control). If Margaret Sanger had not had a strong passion for educating wom!.
             en about their choices of birth control regardless of the laws prohibiting it, the Comstock Law would not have been changed in 1963 (Birth Control). Though it did take many years of birth control advocates including Ms. Sanger, going to court and jail for the United States government to realize that they should not infringe on women's birth control rights, their fighting was not in vain. In 1965 the Supreme Court struck down the last state law prohibiting birth control.