By the late 1800s, what rights had women in the United States not yet won, such as voting, attending school, remarrying, or owning property?

History · Middle School · Mon Jan 18 2021

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By the late 1800s, women in the United States had made progress in various areas but still faced significant legal and social restrictions. The rights they had not yet won included:

1. Voting: Women did not have the right to vote. The struggle for women's suffrage was ongoing, and it wasn't until 1920 that the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was ratified, granting American women the right to vote.

2. Attending School: Opportunities for women in higher education were limited. While some women's colleges existed, coeducational learning at universities was not widespread. Women often faced barriers to obtaining the same level of education as men.

3. Remarrying: While women could remarry, they faced societal scrutiny and legal challenges when doing so, especially regarding the custody of children and property rights.

4. Owning Property: In many states, married women did not have the right to own property in their own names. As a result of the laws influenced by the doctrine of coverture, a married woman's legal rights and obligations were subsumed by those of her husband. Single women and widows had more rights to property ownership but still faced discrimination.

The late 1800s in the United States was a period of social and political activism for women's rights, often referred to as the first-wave feminism. The women's rights movement addressed a range of issues faced by women. Here are some concepts related to the mentioned rights:

1. Suffrage Movement: The fight for women's voting rights, or suffrage, was a central issue. Leaders like Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton were instrumental in organizing and advocating for this cause.

2. Educational Reform: As the 19th century progressed, more women advocated for and gained access to higher education. Pioneering institutions like Mount Holyoke College, founded in 1837, and Vassar College, founded in 1861, were among the first to offer collegiate education to women.

3. Legal Status of Women: The legal doctrine of coverture profoundly affected women's rights, as it meant that a wife's legal existence was merged with her husband's upon marriage, severely limiting her legal autonomy. Campaigns for legal reform, such as those championed by the activists of the time, sought to change these laws.

4. Property Rights: It was not until the passing of "Married Women's Property Acts" in various states throughout the 1800s that married women began to gain the legal right to own property, sign contracts, inherit, and be sued in their own rights, thereby providing them more legal independence.

These movements and the incremental changes they fought for laid the foundation for further advancements in women's rights in the 20th century. The struggle for equality was part of a broader push for civil rights that included many minority groups across the country, highlighting the ongoing American journey toward a more inclusive society.