Authored in 2006, the book by Shafritz and Lee presented a compilation of different incidents documentations of incidents that shaped the American political culture. Historical events such as the right to privacy, desegregating the schools, civil rights, Kennedy-Nixon TV debate among others provided the American history with political shaping incidents which are still relevant to the country’s history and development to its current political stand. Women and the right to vote remains an integral point in the political making of the United States[1]. Presented by Susan B, Anthony, this paper will focus on women and right to vote as one of the classics in the American government, more so, addressing the different values and perspectives that would be deemed to American political culture. These include values such as freedom/liberty, democracy and equality as the major defining factors behind the American political culture.
The speech by Susan Anthony was an eye opener with reference to women's rights in the united history more so, their role in the countries voting process. According to Mintz[2] in the 1800’s, women in the US possess very few legal rights and in turn had no right to vote or take part in the country’s voting process. The speech by Susan was delivered by her, after she was arrested for her role in casting an illegal vote during presidential elections of 1872. She was tried and fined, but her action become a turning point in the American political history as this led to the change of the rights to vote to include women in the process. Her role in the country’s 19th amendment to the constitution can hardly be ignored[3].
Regarded as a major personnel in the country’s history more so in fighting for women's rights, Susan effort and advocate for women's rights revolutionized the role of women in the American politics. The famous 19th amendment of the United States constitution granted the American women the right to vote. This came in 1920, ending a series of years of protests fighting for women's equality in the voting process. According to[4], Susan Anthony remains a famous figure in the American history, also regarded as a prominent leader with reference to women’s suffrage movement in the US. The movement is directed, linked with the realization of the nineteenth amendment to the United States constitution. Despite the ratification of the amendment coming after her death, Susan’s contribution in it can hardly be overstated. In addition to fighting for equal rights of women, her life was dedicated to realization of women success and recognition in the national politics. She was also involved in other movements such as the abolishment of slave trade. The 19th
amendment in the US history is a classic, as this led to women's involvement in politics.
"We, the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America”[5]. In an effort to promote the general welfare of the American society, it was an inevitable thing for the American law to recognize and promote equality among its citizens. Through her different speeches, Susan advocated women recognition and advocacy for equality, and with reference to the wake of women's involvement into voting, she attributed the country’s prosperity as a fruit of unity and recognition of women's role in building the country.
Women's suffrage was the movement path that led to the realization of the 19th amendment. Key values could be drawn from the incident as well as perspectives that greatly defined the American political culture "the privileges of residents of the United States to cast a ballot will not be denied or condensed by the United States or by any State because of sex," according to[6], American political values included aspects such as liberty, nationalism, rule of the law, capitalism and individualism. The making of the American political culture is attributed to the different incidents that shaped it to its current state. Despite the cases representing hard fought experience, the shaping led to realization of today’s American culture.
The realization of the 19th amendment is still recognized today. At the simple same minute we are seeing the gutting of casting a ballot rights at the government level and endeavors to additionally stifle casting a ballot rights at the state level. The 2012 decisions saw women reclassify the intensity of the vote by confronting extraordinary conceptive governmental related issues. With reference to major values that can be drawn from the classic of women voting. There is political equality. This is a significant realization which brought to the American political culture the element of equality between men and women. Additionally, the case is an exceptional display of the value of liberty in American culture. Americans tend to define liberty as the aspect of freedom to its people to do what they want. The woman, after the struggle, attained the aspect of the ability to do what they wish to including voting an exercise that was left to one's identity only. More so, the incident shows elements of democracy and equal opportunity given to American people to succeed[7]. Despite the aspect of inequality that existed before, the struggle and suffrage movement led to the realization of equal opportunity to excel for Americans. Democracy has been the epitome of American culture a value that can be related to women voting struggles. One result that defined the aftermath of the suffrage time for women is the realization of democracy.
In conclusion, the right to vote for American women was a reality come true thanks to struggling staged by the likes of Susan Anthony. The 19th amendment to the country’s constitution was the epitome mark to the achievement of the struggles, experienced by the likes of Susan Anthony. Women voting and the efforts of Susan Anthony turned to be one of the changing realizations in American politics. The inequality that existed in the US on the grounds of sexual identity was discriminating, and the recognition of the 19th amendment remains a hallmark in the country’s political revolution. The achievement of Susan can well be documented today as there are women in political positions as well as being part of voters well recognized by the US law. Regarding American political culture values, the suffrage and the 19th amendment realization led to the achievement of three significant values which include, liberty, democracy, and equality.
Bibliography
"Great Speeches: Susan B. Anthony on Women's Right to Vote". 2018. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T57dwhJBtts.
Barclay, Will. “Women’s History: Right to Vote Had Beginnings in Upstate New York.” Business Journal (Central New York) 30, no. 14 (April 4, 2016): 8.
Fleishhacker, Joy. “Bold and Brave: Ten Heroes Who Won Women the Right to Vote.” School Library Journal 64, no. 11 (November 2018): 86–87.
Hurta, Michael. “Counting the Right to Vote in the Next Census: Reviving Section Two of the Fourteenth Amendment.” Texas Law Review 94, no. 1 (November 2015): 147–73.
Mintz, Steven. “The Passage of the Nineteenth Amendment.” OAH Magazine of History 21, no. 3 (July 2007): 47–48.
Shafritz Jay, and Lee Weinberg. 2006. Classics in American Government. 3rd Ed. New York.
[1] Shafritz Jay, and Lee Weinberg. 2006. Classics in American Government. 3rd Ed. New York
[2] Mintz, Steven. “The Passage of the Nineteenth Amendment.” OAH Magazine of History 21, no. 3 (July 2007): 47–48.
[3] Barclay, Will. “Women’s History: Right to Vote Had Beginnings in Upstate New York.” Business Journal (Central New York) 30, no. 14 (April 4, 2016): 8.
[4] Fleishhacker, Joy. “Bold and Brave: Ten Heroes Who Won Women the Right to Vote.” School Library Journal 64, no. 11 (November 2018): 86–87.
[5] "Great Speeches: Susan B. Anthony on Women's Right to Vote". 2018. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T57dwhJBtts.
[6] Hurta, Michael. “Counting the Right to Vote in the Next Census: Reviving Section Two of the Fourteenth Amendment.” Texas Law Review 94, no. 1 (November 2015): 147–73.
[7] Mintz, Steven. “The Passage of the Nineteenth Amendment.” OAH Magazine of History 21, no. 3 (July 2007): 47–48.
