The Women's Rights Movement started around the late 1700's and is still being continued by the women of today. The movement is defined as one that establishes the same social, economic, and political status for women as for men. Before a few noble souls stood up for themselves, most people believed that a woman's place was at home or in the kitchen. They did not see men and women as being equals. Because the entire population was raised on this belief, women generally accepted their forced inferiority (Encarta).
Everything started when in many countries lawmakers began to grant equal rights to all classes of men as well as the elite. Women say this as their opportunity to,"carpe diem," or seize the day. At this time, in the early 19th century, most married women were not acknowledged legally aside from their relationship with their husbands. This was known as coverture, which forbade a married woman from being a party in a lawsuit, being on a jury, owning property in her name, or creating a will of her own. Also at this time a religious reawakening was spreading fast. This in part inspired the key women involved in the early Women's Rights Movement (Encarta).
Elizabeth Cady Stanton was born November 12th, 1815, in Johnstown, New York (Encarta). Her early life was full of countless meetings with fugitive slaves at her cousin, Gerrit Smith's home. This gave her an early background in reform movements. In 1840 she married Henry Stanton and they soon found themselves at 1840 World Anti-Slavery Convention in London. Also at the convention was future Women's Rights Activists Lucretia Mott. The women were turned down when asked for seats at the convention and it is due to this rejection that they decided on having their own convention. This one was not to be for anti-slavery, however. It would be to discuss the equal rights of women and men (www.nps.gov/wori/ecs.htm).
The Convention that ensued near the home of Stanton was the Seneca Falls Convention.
