The road to revolution

After the first Continental Congress met, towns made more minutemen in each town. The British traveled around seizing illegal weapons from minutemen. In the battle of Lexington, the British massacred 70 minutemen and because of that around 3000-4000 minute men assembled. This battle soon became a slaughter of British soldiers which forced them to retreat back to Boston. When the Second Continental Congress decided to meet there was a lot of unrest between parts of the Congress; some wanted to achieve independence while other wanted to reunite with Britain. In the end of all the turmoil, the Continental Congress appointed George Washington the commander of the Continental Army. British general Thomas Gage wanted to get on the offensive so he launched an attack on the militiamen on Breeds hill. As the battle waged on, it got moved to Bunker Hill where the Colonials had the upper hand. after the battle was over only 450 Colonials were killed where as 1000 British were killed. While the Colonials were prepared for another battle, they were working on a petition to create peace between the two. The cocky king rejected it and used it to further increase to violence of the war.

The civil war changes the nation

There has never been a more devastating war to the US. although about 720 thousand died, ever more were subject to bad medical techniques and medicine. the deaths of the nations people forced government to increase their power and authority for the sake of the balance of the nation. the nation was being pulled apart due to the after effects of the war. the north boomed due to the manufacturing of the revolutionary weapons that were created during the war while the south suffered from the devastation the weapons caused to the farmlands. now that the north won the war, the south couldn't use slaves as a cheap source of labor due to the 13th amendment. this caused unrest in some of the southerners such as John Wilkes Booth who decided to assasinate the president. About one-third of the nation went to his funeral to morn. a train took the president from washington to his home town in Illinois. the country celebrated the 4 milion african americans in to the nation's system.

Women and Political Power

Women have played small but critical roles in the history of our country, trying to make it a better place for all citizens. They have been fighting to expand their power over politics since the 1770s. This was the time during the protests before the revolution. Women wanted to find a way to protest as well, so they would boycott tea and clothing from Britain.
In 1848 the first woman’s suffrage movement began. Women were beginning to realize that their rights were lesser than the rights of men, and they wanted the right to vote. This movement took place at the Seneca Falls Convention, where two women by the name of Stanton and Moss demanded more rights for women In America.
They were finally granted their suffrage in 1920 through the 19th amendment. But their protest for equal rights did not stop there. As more women were going off to work, more were also noticing the unequal pay for equal labor. They tried to make an Equal Rights Amendment to gain the same rights as men economically as well as socially. This Amendment was never approved for the Constitution, because men and women alike both felt it would create an unwanted change in the country.
Even though the amendment failed to pass women have made great progress in politics. Today we have many women in congress, in the 107th congress there were 60 women in the house and 13 in the senate. Women’s political rights and their influence in politics has come a long way since the 1700’s.

Mainfest Destiny

Manifest destiny was the belief that the United States was predestined to expand to the Pacific Ocean and into Mexican and Native American territory. Many Americans believed that this destiny was manifest, or obvious and inevitable.

Most Americans had practical reasons for moving west during the mid-1800s. Among them were the abundance of land, and personal economic problems in the East. Settlers and traders began to establish trails to the West, such as the Oregon Trail, Santa Fe Trail, and Mormon Trail.

As America expanded westward, national boundaries were defined by agreements with other countries. Some of them were peaceful; others were not. Britain and the US would created the northern boundary of the United States at the 49th parallel in 1846 without much conflict. The boundary in the southwest with Mexico would not be established so peacefully.

The colony established in Texas by Mexican invitation would eventually come into conflict with Mexico's government after the initial cooperation. Mexico had abolished slavery; however, the American settlers who came brought slaves with them. The American settlers spoke English instead of Spanish. Tensions rose, and Mexico clamped down on the freedom of the settlers. Rebellions broke out. Determined to force Texas to obey Mexican law, the Mexican president marched his army towards San Antonio. The Texans won freedom from Mexico in the Treaty of Velasco, 1846.

As Texas moved toward annexation into the United States, the Mexican government took it badly, especially with the US siding with Texas with all territory disputes. When Mexico refused the attempt at negotiation for the southern border of Texas, the US provoked Mexico into attacking the US soldiers. War was officially declared. Mexico lost battle after battle, and was eventually was forced to concede New Mexico, and California in 1848. The Texas border was also redefined as the Rio Grande River.

Voting Rights

When the United States was a young and newly independent nation, voting rights were much more limited than they are today. During the late 1700s and early 1800s, only male property owners could vote, most of these being white. Some states extended the right to vote to free African-Americans.

On February 26, 1869 Congress passed the 15th amendment, which extended suffrage to African-Americans. The amendment was ratified a year later, on February 3, 1870. While this amendment stated that the right of United States citizens "to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude." (US Constitution, 15th amendment). However, African-American males were often kept from voting through use of Poll Taxes (outlawed in 24th amendment of 1964) and literacy tests (outlawed in the Voting Rights Act of 1965)

Woman's Suffrage was finally achieved in 1920, with the ratification of the 19th amendment, which granted voting rights to women. Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony both fought hard for woman's suffrage, and finally achieved it. In 1971, the 26th amendment was ratified, granting citizens over the age of 18 the right to vote. Many people questioned the fact that citizens at the age of 18 could be drafted into the Vietnam War, but could not vote.

The Growth of Our Country

In 1840 expansion west increased tremendously. People believed that it is predestine by God that America would expand to the Pacific Ocean. This belief was referred to as manifest destiny. Most people moved because of the large amount of land. Later merchants and manufactures fallowed to take advantage of the new market. Also the Mormons moved west to escape persecution. They had been founded by Joseph Smith in New York but after moving the community several times to avoid persecution they decided to move west. They travelled threw Nebraska, and Wyoming and stopped near the Great Salt Lake in what is now Utah.

Settlers fallowed Native American trails as well as making their own. The Oregon Trail took travelers from Independence Missouri to Oregon City, Oregon. A smooth trip could till take months.

Texas won its independence from Spain in the 1820’s. They then allowed Americans to settle there to get more people to live there. The amount of English speaking people soon exceeded the amount of Spanish speakers. The English Anglos were primarily from the south and had brought slaves with them, but Mexico had abolished slavery. Also Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna, Mexico’s president suspended local powers, which started the Texas Revolution. The Anglo troops gathered in the Alamo, a mission and fort. Santa Anna and his troops attacked the Alamo, and Texas declared its independence. After 13 days of fighting the Anglos won there independence, and on December 29, 1845 Texas joined the United States.

Spencer

Life During the Civil War

Life During the Civil War

During the time of civil war in the United States, there was much political unrest in the North and the South. Due to the heavy casualties and desertions in the war, a conscription or draft was enforced to make men go to war. However, there were large riots in the North over the draft and a huge amount of violence in New York City.
African Americans made up 1% of the North population, but 180,000 of them went to war in the Union Army. They made up about 10% of the Northern forces. However, they suffered intense discrimination, were put into separate regiments led by white men, and earned lower wages.
Soldiers in both the North and South believed that they would march off to a glorious battlefield and were in for a big shock. Not only were there many casualties but the conditions they had to live in were terrible. They had filthy surroundings, a limited diet, and inadequate medical care. By the 1860’s the technology to kill was growing far faster than the technology to heal. When the soldiers weren’t fighting they were prone to body lice, dysentery, and diarrhea. The Confederate camps were even worse. They were overcrowded and unsanitary. There was a lack of food and shelter. The Northern prison camps were only a little bit better with more room and adequate food portions. Thousands of Confederate prisoners still died of pneumonia.
During the war, women were not allowed to fight but helped out as nurses. There were about 3,000 women as nurses in the civil war. For example, Clara Barton felt she was inclined to care to the sick and wounded, even if it meant going to the front lines of battle. She eventually founded the American Red Cross to aid people all over the world.
The economies of both sides were very different. The North flourished with the demand for supplies helping industry to grow. The South was crushed due to a food shortage, union occupation, and loss of enslaved workers. In order for the government to pay for the war, they looked to the North to provide income taxes.
Life during the civil war was very tough with the loss and the pain. Our only hope now is that it never happens again.

By: Kellie

9.18.2009

The Road to Revolution

The American Revolution of 1775 did not, in fact, happen spontaneously, but was the result of several skirmishes between the colonists and British leading up to this event. The fighting at Lexington and Concord, the Second Continental Congress, and the Battle of Bunker Hill, were primary instigators in bringing about the war.

The first event to bring about a chain of events leading to the war was the fighting at Lexington and Concord. British general Thomas Gage marched his troops to Concord upon hearing that illegal weapons were supposedly stored there. Colonial troops, the minutemen, vowed to fight when the British arrived. Their need came sooner than expected. On April 18, 1775, Paul Revere rode out on his well-known journey to warn the colonists that 700 British were marching for Concord. Although the British were briefly stopped on their march in Lexington, the British plowed through the minutemen that stood in their way and continued their march to Concord. When the British arrived at Concord, they discovered that the arsenal was empty. The British decided to march back to Boston but were set upon by several thousand minutemen who slaughtered a majority of the British soldiers. The few that survived this onslaught ducked back into Boston, now under siege by the colonists. This event strained the relationship between the Americans and British, to say the least.

In May of 1775, colonial leaders met up in Philadelphia for the Second Continental Congress. Despite debates about whether to be independent or reunite with the British, the Congress decided to appoint the militia as the Continental Army in case of war, and also elected George Washington to lead this army.

On June of 1775, General Thomas Gage, tired of being under siege in Boston, decided to strike against the militia, sending 2400 British troops on Breed’s Hill. The militia retaliated by shooting the advancing wave at close range before retreating. The Battle of Bunker Hill resulted in 1000 British casualties and 450 colonial deaths. Despite this event, some delegates from Congress as well as some colonists still felt loyalty to King George III and blamed his ministers for these unfortunate events. Congress sent out a peace petition, the Olive Branch Petition, to King George III. As a result of this latest outrage, King George III finally snapped and rejected the petition, proclaiming that the colonists were rebels.

As a result of this chain of events, the American Revolution was soon under way.

by Andy and Jonathan

Voting Rights in the U.S.

Voting Rights:

            In 1776, when Americans first declared independence from Great Britain, the state Constitution at the time established voting rights, but only for certain citizens.  Even the new constitution that replaced the articles in 1788 did not allow voting rights to many people in the U.S.

            In 1789 property owners, taxpayers, and some women were the only people who were able to vote in the U.S.  On top of these regulations, most state constitutions required you to be 21 or older as well.  Those who were able to vote were generally white males.

            African American males fought for the right to vote using the 15^th amendment in the late 1800s.  African American males were often rejected the right to vote through poll taxes and literacy tests.  The 24^th amendment in 1964 abolished poll taxes and in 1965 the government got rid of the voting rights act, which abolished the literacy tests.

            In the 1920s the 19^th amendment was made giving voting rights to women thanks to Elizabeth Stanton and Suzan B. Anthony.  In the early 1900s ratifications to the Constitution were made making it so women could vote, and in 1924 these same rights were extended to Native Americans.

            In 1971 the 26^th amendment gave 18 year olds the right to vote.  This happened around the time during the Vietnam War because many people were upset that the government would draft 18 year olds but would not give them the right to vote.

-Cory and Brooke

Voting Rights

In the infancy of the United States, only certain people were allowed to vote. Though the laws differed slightly in each state, generally only male property owners above the age of 21 were granted suffrage. People who qualified to vote were usually white, though some states allowed free black men to vote.

In 1870, the Fifteenth Amendment to the Constitution extended suffrage to African-American males. However, many Southern states passed restrictions to prevent blacks from voting. For example, some states required citizens to pass a literacy test in order to vote. While whites were given easy literacy tests, African-Americans were given more difficult ones, preventing many of them from voting. Poll taxes also deterred many African-Americans from voting.


The Fifteenth Amendment extended the vote to non-whites

Activists such as Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony campaigned to extend suffrage to women. In 1920, women finally received the right to vote with the passing of the 19th Amendment. Four years later, Native Americans gained citizenship and the right to vote as well.


The 19th Amendment allowed women to vote

During the Vietnam War in the 1960s, a large number of young people were drafted into the army; however, many could not vote because they were under 21. People questioned whether it was fair that 18-year olds could be drafted to fight in wars and lose their lives, yet not be able to vote. In 1971, the 26th Amendment was passed, granting suffrage to 18-year-olds.

By Vivek C. and Andrew Q

Life During civil War

During the civil war, both North and South suffered great casualties.  As fighting went on, they imposed conscription to force men into serving the army.  Although African Americans made up 10% of the army, they still suffered from discrimination.

            The living condition at the battlefield was horrible; soldiers suffered from body lice, dysentery and diarrhea due to the filthy environment.   The prison camps are in even worse condition than the battlefield.  15% of Union prisoners in Southern prison died, while 12% of confederate prisoners died in Northern prison.

            During the harsh time of war, women had stepped in to improve the conditions.  Clara Barton formed the American Red Cross, where women volunteered as nurses to care for the wounded.

            As a result of the war, the South’s economy was shattered.  The war had drained their resource, and free labor.  The North’s economy, however, prospered because of the war.  The army’s needs actually supported many industries.  Congress even decided to collect income tax for the first time to pay for the war.

 

Katherine 

When the System Was Young

Andrew Carnegie (left) was born in 1836 to poor parents in Scotland. At age twelve, he moved to the United States, and within six years he had a job as a private secretary for a superintendent of the Pennsylvania Railroad. After years of working in the railroad business and earning his dividends, he left his job and entered the steel business. Within twenty years, the Carnegie Steel Company produced more steel than all the factories in Great Britain. This rise from rags to riches became the inspiration for many others to come.

            Carnegie, not a dumb man, had a very aggressive business plan to achieve his level of success. He wanted to control the largest portion of the steel business possible. He did this by buying out suppliers (coal fields, iron mines, ore freighters, etc.), a process now known as vertical integration. At the same time, he also bought out competitors, a process known as horizontal integ

ration. Through both these processes, he became the largest steel producer nationwide. In 1901 he sold his business, and retired to spend his money on charitable causes and other activities he found pleasant.

            John D. Rockefeller (right), the founder of the Standard Oil Company, had a very different approach to taking control of a market. Rockefeller used trust and merger

s to take control of a very large and profitable business. In 1870, Rockefeller paid his employees terrible w

ages, but sold his oil at a lower price then his competition, to drive them out of the market. He was selling oil at a price that made him lose money. Afterwards, once he controlled the entire market, he hiked up prices, to levels they had never been before. Although many critics argued he was robbing many people of their money, Rockefeller gave away millions of dollars to charitable causes, and the foundation of the University of Chicago, among other causes he supported. Both Carnegie and Rockefeller introduced new concepts to the world’s markets, and after making millions on the inexperience of the markets, they proceeded to donate almost 90 percent of their fortunes to education, the arts, and other causes. 

Dred Scott v Sandford

Dred Scott v Sandford 1857

Dred Scott was a slave who had been bought from the slave state of Missouri and went to live in the free state of Illinois. When he was forced to return to Missouri he felt like he should remain free. He sued in 1854 for his freedom and when the court ruled against him he appealed to the Supreme Court.
The Supreme Court ruled that African Americans weren’t citizens and that they could never be citizens. Dred Scott remained enslaved and the court said he had no right to file a lawsuit. Slaves didn’t have the right to sue in a US court. Justice Roger Taney said that if he ended slavery it would be taking away property and that would be violating the Fifth Amendment.
This decision made there be more tension about the issue of slavery which would lead to the Civil War. The decision made it hard for free states to prevent slave owners from bringing and selling slaves in their states. Slavery wasn’t banned until five years of Civil War had passed due to Taney’s decision.

The First KKK

The United States began rebuilding their country after the devastating Civil War. This period of time was called Reconstruction and it lasted from 1865 to 1877. During this time, many issues needed to be resolved and “reconstructed.” Former Southern planters returned home to find out that the value of their property had decreased. African Americans were given equal rights through the Fourteenth Amendment.

The Confederate veterans were not happy that black people were receiving more rights while the Southerners were losing money and respect. Six veterans created the Ku Klux Klan on December 1865. By using violence to intimidate Republican voters and African Americans, the Ku Klux Klan resisted the changes of Reconstruction. This method of intimidation was successful because of the vast number of former Confederate soldiers.
In 1868, activity of the KKK began to decrease and the Grand Wizrd disbanded the group. The Civil Rights Act, which made actions committed to prevent people from voting or deprive civil rights federal offenses, was passed in 1870 and 1871. Klan members were prosecuted for their crimes and Klan activities halted until 1915.

-Andrew C

Voting Rights

Voting Rights  One of the first qualifications for voting in 1789 was to be a male and at least 21 years of age. Some states like Pennsylvania, Delaware, North Carolina, Georgia, and Vermont relaxed property qualification to include all male taxpayers. In very few cases, women and free slaves were allowed to vote. In 1870, Congress passed the Fifteenth Amendment which guaranteed voting rights to the African-American males. The Constitution stated that “voting shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude,” but African-Americans still had to go through unfair procedures that whites did not. Often, African-Americans had to pay poll taxes in order to vote or in other cases, literacy tests. It was not until 1964, where the 24thAmendment was introduced, when the poll taxes were abolished. Literacy tests were suspended the following year by theVoting Rights Act of 1965. Women were not included in the constitution, which restricted most of their rights, including voting rights. They were finally granted the right to vote in 1920, by the 19th Amendment. Four years after ratifying the 19th Amendment, voting rights extended to the Native Americans. Voting age was lowered to eighteen after the 26th Amendment, which was ratified in 1971. During the Vietnam War in 1960, young men found issues with the voting age. These people found displeasure because men who were 18 years or older could be drafted but to vote, they had to be 21 years or older. Thus, Congress introduced the 26th Amendment. By Jesus G and Frank

The Rise of Women in Politics By: Diane Jung

Women did not always have the same rights and privileges in the government as they do today. Here is an overview of their expansion in political power.

An example of a demonstration for equal rights for women

1770s
Men were not the only Revolutionaries to participate in the protest against the British. Women took their part by boycotting things like British tea and thread. Mary Goddard, for example, was the first person to print a copy of the Declaration of Independence which included the signers' names.
1848
The rapid growth of the American population also brought about the awareness of the lack of equality for women, particularly suffrage. The first woman suffrage movement took place in 1848 in Seneca Falls, New York. It was led by Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucretia Mott. Here, the Declaration of Sentiments was introduced, which demanded more rights for women.

1920
The struggle for suffrage continued into the early 1900s. Demonstrations such as protests took place until finally, in 1920, the Nineteenth Amendment was added to the Constitution, which granted the right for women to vote.

1972-1982
Equal suffrage was not enough for the persistent spirit of American women. More and more women began to join the workforce. However, this led to the realization that they were not being paid equally as men. The Equal rights Amendement, or the ERA, was a sign of hope for women to finally have equal pay and rights as men. Despite public approval, the ERA was not passed.

2001
The climb from protesting and voting rights has allowed women in America to participate in the United States government. Sixty women served in the House of Representatives the 107th Congress, and thirteen women served in the Senate.

Voting Rights

In 1789, all male property owners could vote. Although women and slaves could not vote, most of the tax paying population could. The voting age varied between different states. In some states free African Americans could vote, but in was not until the 15th amendment in 1870 that black males had guaranteed suffrage. Even with the amendment, they tried to prevent slaves from voting by adding a poll tax. Because slaves almost never had their own money, they did not vote.

The 19th amendment of 1920 allowed women the right to vote. Just four years later, citizenship as well as suffrage was granted to the Native Americans.

In the 1960's the Vietnam war was fought. Any able bodied man over 18 could be drafted. Many did not think it was fair to force somebody to fight in a war when they can't even vote. Because of this, in 1971 the voting age was lowered to 18. This was due to the 26th Amendment. Today, all U.S. citizens 18 or over can vote.

The Paved Way To The Big Dance

The night of April 18, 1775. Some of these names that might spark a flame in your head is Paul Revere William Dawes and Samuel Prescott . These men were sent out to spread the word that British troops were headed to attack Lexington. This is what started the battle of Lexington, the minutemen were  set to fight the British at anytime even tho the battle of Lexington only lasted 15 min 

 . The British solider after there little 15 min scrum it put the British in shocked that the minutemen did not attack them , they kept marching on to concord.  As the British reached concord they were in for a big awaking. The minute were well known by the strategic fighting, the British were so used to face to face fighting they had no chance to defend what the minutemen had set up. As the British approached concord the minutemen popped  out from behind them and slaughter the whole British army. This was the start of the revolution the very first battle that took place was very important to find out why the revolution begun. 

The Road to Revolution

After the First Continental Congress had met, many colonists in Eastern New England began military operations by setting up civilian soldiers (otherwise known as minutemen) to gather firearms and gunpowder. In 1775, General Thomas Gage of Great Britain sent troops to seize illegal weapons from the colonists.

The first battle between the British and the colonists was the Battle of Lexington and Concord on April 19th, 1775. At Lexington, 70 minutemen prepared to fight the British. The British told the minutemen to lay down their weapon and they did not so the British attacked. As a result, 8 minutemen were killed and 10 were wounded. The British proceeded on to Concord. This was a mistake, however, for between 3,000 and 4,000 minutemen were waiting for them and it resulted in bloodshed. The remaining British soldiers went back to Boston and found themselves under colonist's siege.

The Second Continental Congress was held in Philadelphia in May of 1775. The delegates were split between calling for independence versus reconciliation (the restoration of a former state of harmony or friendship) with the British. Finally they decided to treat the colonial militia as the army, while appointing George Washington as the commander.

General Thomas Gage decide to sent military men to Breed's Hill to attack the colonists. On June 17th, 1775, there was a sudden attack from both sides resulting 450 colonists and over 1000 British casualties. This was the Battle of Bunker Hill, which proved to be the deadliest battle of the war. Since many delegates still wished for peace, the Congress sent the King an Olive Branch Petition. King George denied the petition, instead he issued a proclamation to set up a naval blockage for the American Coast.

By Alice and Sneha

Voting Rights

When American colonists declared independence from Great Britain in 1776. They struggled a lot to just crate a representative government was just beginning. The state constitution that was drafted that time established voting rights, but not to all citizens in America. Then the Articles of Confederation did not address the voting rights therefore, the state laws before are still remained.
1789: In the early time of the United States, people who were qualified to vote was very flexible in some states like in Pennsylvania, Delaware, North Caroline, Georgia and Vermont. The states had very few expectations. But first of all, women were not allowed to vote. Most state constitutions also required that a voting white male should be above 21 years or older. Some states allowed free black men to vote.

1870: The 15 amendment of the constitution tried to guarantee black men the rights to vote like every white men.

1920:

The Nineteenth Amendment was ratified in 1920,giving women the right to vote. Four years later, citizenship and suffrage was extended to Native Americans.

1971:

After years of speculation, the twenty-sixth Amendment was ratified in 1971, allowing citizens 18 years of age or older to vote. During the Vietnam War, many people questioned the drafting of 18 years olds, but refusing them the right to vote.

Written by Jesus ALonso and Interpaul

Changes from the Civil War

The civil war has made many changes in America. These changes were: political, economic, technological, and social. It also had a big aftermath, with 360,000 union soldiers dead, and 260,000 Confederate soldiers dead, not to mention destruction the war caused throughout America.
The Civil war increased the power and authority of the government. Passing laws in taxes and conscription, which gave the government more control over person rights of individual citizens. The economy of the North also thrived during the war, while the southern economy went down the toilet. The war not only abolish slavery but also damaged the agricultural community of the south. The economy was screwed over mostly because the south relied on cash crops which were labored by salves.
Technology during the civil war also boomed. Rifle technology was bettered. The colt navy conversion made in 1861 was the first cheap revolver that fired brass cartridges, and made cap, ball, and powder system obsolete. Iron Clad boats were built, along with the first submarines in America.
The Thirteenth Amendment ended all slavery and involuntary servitude in America. Another big Change in America was Abraham Lincoln's assassination. He was shot in the back of the head from John Wilkes Booth, on april 15,1865, it happened while the president was watching a theater-piece. Although Lincoln did not regain consciousness before he died, he still lived for a couple hours before he died. John Wilkes Booth was gunned down by union soldiers twelve days later, in a shed in Virginia.
Although many lives were lost in the Civil war, it stopped slavery, and introduced many inventions. On the downside, the south's economy took a loss, and we lost some of our personal freedom form the government. Taxing its citizens more, in a country that was founded to abolish British taxes.

The Role of Women

Throughout American history, women have been denied many of the rights that were granted to men. Despite this, they still played an important role in the shaping of the United States. One of their earlier contributions was in the 1770's, when the United States was protesting against British rule. Women helped by boycotting British products, such as tea and clothes.

The first women's rights movement was in 1848 by Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucretia Mott. Among other rights, they demanded suffrage. 72 years later, the Nineteenth Amendment to the Constitution gave women the right to vote.

However, women still were not equal to men in other aspects of life, both social and economic. For example, men were often paid more money than women for doing the same job. To correct this, women tried to pass the Equal Right Amendment between 1972 and 1982. However, both men and women were worried about the results of the amendment, and so it was not ratified. Despite that, since 1982 women have gained significant social, political, and economic power.

~ Written by Erin

Manifest Destiny and Westward Expansion

Manifest Destiny was the American idea that westward expansion was predestined by God. It was believed that the United States was ordained to spread to the Pacific Ocean, into Mexican and Native American territory. This was seen by Americans as obvious and inevitable, or “manifest".

For twenty-five years after the War of 1812, there was very little American exploration in the western part of North America. However, by the 1840’s, the desire to expand had gripped the nation. The abundance of land in the West attracted people to the region, and economic problems pushed people out of East. Settlers began to establish trails to the West, such as the Oregon Trail, Santa Fe Trail, and Mormon Trail. They traveled along these trails in covered wagons filled with their belongings. Traders also traveled along these routes, bringing economic stimulation to the region.

As the United States grew westward, national boundaries were defined by agreements with other nations. The modern border with Canada was established peacefully with Great Britain. The two countries were divided along the 49th parallel, from the Rocky Mountains to Puget Sound. Unfortunately, the settlement of the borders in the Southwest with Mexico would not be so peaceful.

Stephen F. Austin established a colony in 1825 where "no drunkard, gambler, profane swearer, or idler would be allowed. The settlement was named San Felipe de Austin, in Stephen's honor. By 1825, Austin has issued 297 land grants to the "Texas's Old Three Hundred". Each of the 297 families either received 177 acres of farmland or 4,428 acres for stock grazing. In addition to the land grants, every family also received a 10 year exemption from paying taxes. By the 1830s, there were more than 20,000 Americans in Texas.

Despite the peaceful cooperation between Anglos and Tejanos, differences over cultural issues heightened between Anglos and the Mexican government. The protestant Anglos spoke English instead of Spanish which frustrated the Tejanos. Furthermore, some Southerners brought slaves with them. Mexico, who has already abolished slavery in 1892 insisted that the Texans free their slaves. When Austin went to Mexico City in 1833 to present petitions to Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna (President of Mexico) for greater self government for texas. Austin was imprisoned by Santa Anna for inciting revolution. Rebellions broke out everywhere.

Austin was set free in 1835, he was convinced that war would be the only way for Texas to have self rule. Santa Anna, also determined to force Texas to follow Mexican rule, declared war. Lieutenant Colonel William Travis believed that maintaining control of the Alamo would prevent would prevent Santa Anna's movement north. From February 23. 1836 to March 2, 1836, Santa Anna's troops attacked The Alamo and the rebels died trying to defend it. Six weeks later, Sam Houston, commander in chief and 900 soldiers defeated Santa Anna and forced him to sign the Treaty of Velasco, which granted independence to Texas.

Sam Houston was elected president of the new Republic of Texas in September 1836.

Written by: Derek and Aston

Independence Road

I will give a brief summary of the beginning of the Revolutionary war. As the Revolutionary war drew near, minute men, who were civilian soldiers that were able to get ready to fight in a minute’s notice pledged to fight the British. As they stockpiled on weapons and gunpowder discretely, this action provoked General Thomas Gage to send an army to seize the illegal weapons.
When the two armies met, the minutemen and the “red coats”, the minute men were ordered to lay down arms but continued to move out against the red coats. All of the sudden a gunshot was fired which provoked both sides to fire back to retaliate. This battle, the Battle of Lexington, would become the first battle of the civil war. The British would continue onto Concord which turned out to be empty. As they marched back to Boston the British soldiers were slaughtered by the dozens by a couple thousand minutemen. It was be a humiliating defeat that infuriated Britain.
In May of 1775, the Second Continental Congress, who were the colonial leaders planned their next step of action. Many wanted a call for independence while others wanted reconciliation with Great Britain. In the end however, the Second Continental Congress would decide on naming renaming the militia and give them the title of the Continental Army with George Washington as their commander
The Battle of Bunker Hill was the next battle fought with both sides being eager to fight. The British would lose 1000 men while the colonists would lose only 450, becoming the deadliest battle of the war.
As the Second Continental Congress prepared the colonies for war they still were eager for peace. After the battle congress sent the king the Olive Branch Petition asking to return to “former harmony”.
In response the King rejected the petition and urged Parliament to order a naval blockade to isolate a line of ships for the American Coast. This blockade would only fuel the colonies spirit for war. Many more lives would be lost since the British rejected the peace proposal.

Age of Jackson

Andrew Jackson came into power in 1828. While in political power, Jackson gave common people a chance to participate in the government. He did this through the spoils system, where new administrations hire their own supporters to replace supporters of the previous administration. With the spoil system, Jackson handed a massive number of jobs to his friends and allies. In 1816, congress increased the Tariff. The South’s economy depended on cotton exports. The high tariffs on goods reduced British exports to the U.S. and British bought less goods, damaging the south economy. In 1832, Congress raised tariffs again which caused south Carolinians to threaten to secede from the Union. Jackson responded to the raise of Tariffs by urging Congress to pass the Force Bill to allow federal government to use the military if state authorities resisted paying proper duties. A civil war seemed likely but Henry Clay forged a compromise to lower the tariff bill.Jackson defended federal power in the nullification crisis, but decreased federal power when it came to the Second Bank of the United States. He believed that the bank was an agent of wealthy people and that it did not care for the common people. In 1832, Jackson won reelection and instantly tried to kill the bank by withdrawing all government deposits and placing them in state banks called “pet banks.” This action angered many and many accused him of acting more like a king than like a president.
President Andrew Jackson started with good intents by trying to rule in favor of the common people. However his methods were to some extent harsh, and limited the powers of other branches. This is why some people consider his rule to be the closest to that of a monarchy.

War changes the Nation

Because the technology of the Civil war wasn’t so advance It was referred to as the last old fashion war, or also the first modern war. Many people tried to improve technology to help the war, but two deadliest technological improvements were the rifle and the minie ball, it was a soft lead bullet that was even more deadly then the earlier bullets they made. They were lots of weapons but the most lethal ones were hand grenades and land mines. Another tech was invented through this time also. It was the ironclad ship, which could splinter wooden ships by ramming them. But also the ironclad ship can withstand common fire and resist burning The Civil War increased power and authority for the federal government, when they passed laws that included income tax and conscription laws. These laws gave more control over individual citizens, and no state threatened succession again. The Civil War also widened the economic gap between the North and the South. The economy of northern states boomed, while southern states faced devastation when slavery ended, and when most of the region’s industry and farmland where ruined.
Emancipation proclamation feed only those slaves who lived in states that were behind Confederate lines. The government had to decide what to do about the border dates, where slavery still existed. The president believed that the only solution was to make an constitutional amendment destroying slavery. After time had passed by, the thirteenth amendment was ratified at the end of 1865. The Us Constitution now stated, “Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for a crime whereof the party shall have been duty convicted, shall exist within the United States.”
Abraham Lincoln was assassinated on April 14, 1865 at Ford's Theater in Washington. He was killed by John Wilkes Booth, an actor and a Southern sympathizer. After the assassination, John Wilkes Booth fled, and was caught and executed twelve days later. While Lincoln's body was carried from Washington to hometown of Springfield, Illinois, taking 14 days. Approximately, one third of the entire Union showed up to mourn the president. The Civil War and slavery were over, but now the country faced a few new problems. Like how to restore the Southern states into the Union, and how to integrate 4 million freed Africans into the U.S.

Written By Jesus Alonso and Inderpaul

The Revolutionary War Begins

After the First Continental Congress, the colonists began military preparations. They began stockpiling firearms and gunpowder. General Thomas Gage quickly learned of the stockpile and in the spring of 1775, ordered troops to march from Boston to Concord, Massachusetts and seize the weapons. On the night of April 18, 1775, Paul Revere, William Dawes, and Samuel Prescott rode out to spread word that the British were marching on Concord.

The British troops made it to within a few miles short of Concord at Lexington on April 19 before being confronted with militiamen. The first battle of the war, the Battle of Lexington lasted 15 minutes, and 8 colonial soldiers (minutemen) were killed and ten more wounded but only one British soldier was injured. The British continued their march to Concord, where they found an empty arsenal. As they lined up to leave, they were fired upon by between 3,000 to 4,000 minutemen. The British soldiers were forced to retreat back to Boston, where they were held under siege by the colonists.

In May of 1775, colonial leaders called the Second Continental Congress and debated their next move - should they move for independence? Or should they attempt reconciliation? Despite the debate, they did recognize the colonial militia as the Continental Army and George Washington as its commander. Under siege by the militia, British general Thomas Gage set 2400 soldiers to attack militiamen on Breed's Hill, north of the city and near Bunker Hill and lost 1000 men in the battle, while the colonists only lost 450. The "Battle of Bunker Hill" would be the deadliest battle of the war.

The Second Continental Congress readied the colonists for war, but also attempted to make peace and sent the “Olive Branch Petition”. King George rejected the petition, announced the colonies were rebellion, blockaded the colonies off the coast, and raised taxes. This angered the colonists, and many of them began to resist in earnest. They were going to war.

--Sheng-Han

Struggle for Suffrage

More than 2 million people in the United States voted in the 2008 election. Too many of those people take voting for granted; only a few understand the struggle for the right to vote.

The fight for voting rights began way back in 1776 when the American Colonists declared their independence from Great Britain. At this time state constitutions establishing voting rights for certain citizens were being drafted. The Articles of Confederation were not much more inclusive than the previous rights. The constitution that we still use in our government today, drafted in 1788, would need to be amended overtime until it extended rights to all citizens. By 1789 male taxpayers who owned property were the only ones allowed to vote.

The fifteenth Amendment gave African American males the right to vote, but the majority could not because of voting taxes and literacy tests. The Twenty-Fourth Amendment put an end to voting taxes in 1964 and the Voting Rights Act abolished the taxes in 1965. The Nineteenth Amendment granted women, whose votes were not taken into account, voting rights in 1920. Native Americans gained citizenship and the right to vote in 1924. The Twenty-Sixth Amendment in 1971 signifies the most recent amendment to voting rights; it allows citizens who are 18 years or older the right to vote.


It is safe to say that our constitution has come a long way in terms of acceptance and in areas to which suffrage has been extended.


-Andrew, Melissa

the history of voting in america

As America was forming its representative government many decisions had to be made, including who was aloud to vote. In the beginning not many people were aloud to vote. For the most part women, and men under 21 could not vote. So, white men were the majority of the voters.

In 1870 the 15th amendment was passed, giving African Americans the right to vote. However they were often kept from voting by poll taxes, and literacy test, which were later abolished. In 1920 the 19th amendment was made law, giving women the right to vote. Four years later Native Americans were given citizenship, which included the right to vote. In 1971 the 26th amendment was passed, giving citizens eighteen and older the right to vote. The issue of young people getting to vote came up during he Vietnam War. People argued that if at eighteen you could be sent off to fight in the war they should be allowed to vote.

War Sweeps the Nation

The Civil War was as devastating as it was transformational. 260,000 Confederate soldiers and 360,000 Union soldiers died during the war. Apart from taking the lives of so many Americans, the war cost $3.3 billion as a total of the expenditures of both sides. The war augmented the gulf between the North and South: while the industrial-based economy of the North flourished during and after the war, the agriculture-based economy of the South collapsed. This collapse in the South was partly due to the abolition of slavery, since Southern plantations depended on slave labor to produce cotton and other raw materials. In addition, Southern industry and farmland were damaged more heavily. Inflation in the South shot up to a staggering 7000%.



During the Civil War, several technological developments in weaponry made the war more deadly. The rifle was introduced, along with improved lead bullets, and improved landmines and grenades. The introduction of the ironclad ship was most significant. Ironclad ships were cannon resistant, fire resistant, and could ram wooden ships with their stronger hulls. They made wooden ships obsolete.

Politics changed a great deal during the war. The federal government gained power, passing income tax and conscription laws to provide the money and manpower to fuel the war. This increase in power during the war lasted, and gave the government permanently more control over citizens.

Perhaps the most significant and well-known result of the Civil War were the Thirteenth, Fourteenth, and Fifteenth Amendments, which guaranteed colored people freedom from slavery, constitutional rights, and suffrage. Even though these were abridged to some extent by segregation and Jim Crow laws, they were the first and biggest steps towards equality.

Written by Vivek and Andrew

Women and Political Power

Through the history of America many women have worked for justice and equal rights for all citizens.
In the 1770s American women protested Britain in many different ways. Women that stayed at home boycotted tea and they also boycotted British clothes by making their own clothes. Some business women took more active roles in protesting. Mary Goddard was a printer and she issued the first copy of the Declaration of Independence with the signatures.
In 1848, Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucretia Stanton launched the first women’s suffrage movement. Stanton introduced her Declaration of Sentiments at the Seneca Falls Convention. In 1920, the 19th amendment was adopted by the United States. It gave women the fight to vote.
Throughout the mid 1900s more women entered the work force. They wanted equal pay for equal work. Women hoped the Equal Rights Amendment would pass and that it would give women equal social and economical rights as men. The ERA failed to pass.
In 2001 there are many women filling political positions. In the 107th congress 60 women served in the house and 13 women served in the senate. Women in America have taken many steps to achieving equal social, economical and political rights as men.

Women Rights

Women Rights:

            In the U.S. women have always played roles that would better their families or the country. Through out the years women have also fought to expand their own power in the political spectrum and work area.

In the 1770’s is where women really started to protest for rights. American women found ways to protest against the British. I.e. not buying British made clothing, making their own, and boycotted tea. Some women like, Mary Goodard a printer who used the newspaper to share thoughts, took more active roles.

            As America grew so did women’s knowledge of how unequal they actually were. In 1848 two women, Elizabeth Stanton and Lucretia Mott, had the first women suffrage movement in the United States. The Declaration of Sentiments was introduced which demanded greater rights for women. I.e. The right to vote.

            In 1920 after the fight to vote women got their way! The nineteenth amendment was made that said women had the right to vote.

            In the 1900’s women started to venture into the work force. While in the work area many women noticed their continuing unequal status. Women did the same amount of work and got paid less. By passing an equal rights amendment women hoped to obtain the same social and economic rights as men. The ERA failed this amendment.

            In spite of the ERA failing many women have made it through by making a name for themselves even in congress. In the 107^th congress 60 women served in the house.

Brooke L.

On the Verge of Civil War

 Two days after President Buchanan took over the presidency, March 6^th, 1857, the first slavery-related controversy arose. Dred Scott (to the left) was a slave that had been taken with his master outside the state, to live in free territory for a short period of time. Upon his return to Missouri, Scott thought that his stay in Illinois had made him a free man, and that his slavery days were over. He sued the federal court for his freedom in 1854.

Thirteen years later, Chief Justice Taney had only found two reasons, but still ruled that Scott was still a slave. This sparked many controversies, but first let’s investigate the reason for this ruling. Firstly, Scott was a slave, and therefore not a US Citizen, which meant he actually had no right to sue the US court. Secondly, though, Chief Justice Taney (to the right) also stated that since slaves are property, it was unlawful to be deprived of property.

            Other Justices disagreed, but it didn’t matter. Taney’s opinion would result in much higher tension between African Americans and slave owners. It set a precedent that many Northerners disagreed with, and would eventually lead to Civil War. This case intensified the slavery debate, more so than any other event, and Taney’s ruling became more then just a decision, it became a political act. His decision annulled all compromises about slavery issues, and put into question the authority of the Court.

            Five years after the decision, Civil War broke out, and in 1865 the Thirteenth Amendment abolished slavery and essentially cancelled the Dred Scott decision. 

Strides in Voting Rights (1789-1971) By: Diane Jung

Since the Articles of Confederation did not include voting rights, state laws were followed. However, state laws prevented certain people from voting. The Constitution eventually replaced the Articles of Confederation, but they still did not extend voting rights to many groups of people.
(1789) Laws in certain states, Pennsylvania, Delaware, North Carolina, Georgia, and Vermont, allowed male taxpayers to vote. Some states allowed very few women to vote, and some free African Americans were allowed to vote. A qualification of voting was that males had to be 21 years of age.
(1870) Voting was officially extended to African American males through the 15th Amendment, which states, "shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude." Poll taxes and literacy tests were activated, preventing African Americans from freely voting until 1965.
(1920) Women and Native Americans were granted the right to vote in the 1920s through the 19th Amendment. Women like Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton pushed the cause through events such as woman suffrage parades. In 1924, citizenship and voting rights were also granted to Native Americans
(1971) The issue of young people's right to vote arose during the Vietnam War, because of the controversy of drafting 18-year-olds who could not vote. The 26th Amendment allowed all citizens over the age of 18 to vote.

The Civil War Changes the Nation

The Civil War was instrumental in many significant changes in our nation. These political, economic, technological and social changes were both beneficial and harmful to the United States. The war also resulted in approximately 620,000 total deaths for both the Union and Confederates.
During the Civil War, the federal government had gained a lot of power over individual citizens in the United States. Because the government enforced its power so thoroughly during the war in the form of new laws and taxes, after the War, the states didn’t dare challenge the authority of the federal government with threats of secession again.
Although the war benefited the government, it caused a large economic gap between the U.S.’s North and South regions. In the North, the economy flourished from the trade and factory industry, but the economic situation of the South was much different. Because it had lost so much of its industry and farmland when the slave system was abolished, the South suffered gravely.
There were dramatic changes in technology during the Civil War. The Civil War was called the last old-fashioned war because most of these technological changes came in the form of warfare. New models of the rifle and bullets made war more deadly, and the hand grenade and land mine became more lethal.
Along with changes in warfare, the war changed the lives of many Americans, most of all, the lives of African Americans. Towards the end of 1865 the Thirteenth Amendment was ratified and stated that neither or slavery or involuntary servitude shall exist in the United States.
The Civil War made huge changes to the United States. These changes have made the nation stronger, but have also caused new dividing forces to emerge.

Starting the Revolution

Anxiety ran through America as the first steps of the Revolution approached. Soon after the First Continental Congress, the colonists began to make military preparations while British General Thomas Gage took his troops to seize the illegal weapons the colonists were using in Concord, MA. In 1775, Paul Revere, William Dawes, and Samuel Prescott rode out to warn that the British were approaching Concord.

The British made it to Lexington, only a few miles short of Concord and the first battle of the Revolution began. The Battle of Lexington lasted fifteen minutes and eight colonists were killed while only one British soldier was injured. The British then continued on to Concord. When they reached Concord, they found it empty and as they lined up to leave, 3,000-4,000 minutemen, or civilian soldiers, fired on the troops. The British fled back to Boston to plan their next move.

At this point, the second Continental Congress met to debate their next move. There was a lot of arguing over whether to gain independence or reconcile with England. The votes were counted and the Continental Army was created, led by Commander George Washington. On the British side, General Gage decided to strike near Bunker Hill and sent 2,400 soldiers to Breed’s Hill. The Colonists were waiting for them and held fire until the last minute when they killed over 1,000 British. This was the deadliest battle and the colonist’s first sign of victory.

Now as the colonists readied for war, the Continental Congress sent the Olive Branch Petition to King George III to see if he would accept peace and leave the colonies alone. He rejected this offer and blockaded the colonies off the coast. Taxes were raised and no ships could enter the colonist ports. This heightened the colonist’s want for independence and they all began to resist.

Posted: 9.3.2009

Written By: Kellie

Super Women

Women have walked a long way to gain equal rights as men. For a long time in history, women had been considered as inferior to men. They had less rights, and less opportunity in the political world. However, women have been supporting the nation from the shadow through out history. Early from the fight for independents, women were involved in politic; they boycott British tea and clothing by making everything on their own, and helped to issue the Declaration of independence. As women became more involved with politics, they became aware of the inequality between women and men. In 1848, Elizabeth has lead the first movement to fight for women rights and suffrage. Through struggles that lasted half a century, women were finally granted with the rights to vote with the ratification of the nineteenth amendments in 1920. Although women gained the rights to vote, their social statues and wages they receive are still inferior to men. One again, women tried to obtain equality through Equal Rights Amendment. Due to the unwanted changes that the amendment may lead to, the amendment was not ratified. Even though, women are stepping closer to equality and playing irreplaceable roles in politics.

by Katherine

Business Moguls in America

Andrew Carnegie and John D. Rockefeller were two major American business leaders during the late 18^th and early 19^th centuries. They both contributed significantly to the economy, government, and culture of the United States.

Andrew Carnegie was born in Scotland to very poor parents. His family came to America in 1848, when he was 12 years old. Over six years, he worked his way up to a position as the private secretary to a local superintendant of the Pennsylvania railroad. One day, he single-handedly relayed messages that unsnarled a tangle of freight and passenger trains. His boss rewarded him with the opportunity to purchase stock in the company. His mother mortgaged their home to make the purchase possible, and Carnegie soon received his first dividend.

He went on to become one of the largest business leaders in America. He entered the steel business, and revolutionized management with his new practices, such as precisely controlling accounting and encouraging inter-company competition. He also used the idea of vertical integration, which is the practice of buying every single part of his business. He purchased coal fields, iron mines, ore freighters, and railroad lines, all essential parts of the steel business. He also engaged in horizontal integration, which is purchasing other steel producers to reduce competition. Because of his shrewd business strategies, by the time he sold his business in 1901, it produced the vast majority of the steel in America.

During the late 1800's, when industrialists pursued monopoly, they often bought out the stocks of their competitors. John D. Rockefeller, however, took a different approach to mergers. He joined with competing companies in trust agreements. The participants then turned their stock over to trustees. In the end, the companies were entitled to dividends on profits earned by trust. Rockefeller used this strategy to gain total control of of the oil industry in America.

Rockefeller earned massive profit by paying his employees very low wages and driving competition out of business by cutting the price of his oil to less than it cost to produce it. Once he dominated the market, he raised the price far above original levels. While some saw him as a robber baron, he gave away more than $500 million and established the Rockefeller Foundation, which provided funding for the founding of the University of Chicago and created a medical institute devoted to finding a cure for yellow fever. Andrew Carnegie also donated about 90 percent of the wealth he accumulated during his lifetime. His donations still support the arts and learning today.

"It will be a great mistake for the community to shoot the millionaires, for they are the bees that make the most honey, and contribute the most to the hive even after they have gorged themselves full." - Andrew Carnegie

Written by:

Derek and Aston

The Civil War Changes The Nation

With the end of the Civil War came great changes to the United States politically, economically, technologically, and socially.

As a result of a state attempting to secede, the victors of the war, the Union, decided to tighten their grip over citizens. The government did this by passing conscription laws and including income tax, discouraging revolt.

The war also created a giant riff between the North and the South. As a result of slaves being freed in the defeated confederate states, the South's labor force was effectively eliminated. The loss of these laborers resulted in the South's economy to go steeply downhill. The North, in the meantime, experienced an economic boom, as their lands had not been scarred as thoroughly as the South's.

During the Civil War, opposing sides invented new ways to fight. As a result of this, old methods of fighting became obsolete. For instance, the musket was replaced by the rifle and minie ball while hand grenades and land mines became essential in covered warfare. Formidable ironclad ships replaced the wooden ships of old as well.

Although the majority of slavery was no longer present in the South, there were still some groups of slaves still present. In the end, the president believe the best way to end slavery countrywide was to make a constitutional amendment. In 1865 the 13th Amendment was ratified ceasing all involuntary servitude except for punishment for a crime.

Written by Andy and Jonathan

Voting Rights

In 1788 only certain citizens had the right to vote in America. The constitution did not grant suffrage to most African Americans or women at this time. In the year 1789, to vote you had to be a white male at least twenty one years old. This excluded such a large percentage of people, that over time suffrage was granted to other groups. Soon, by the 1870’s African Americans were given the right to vote through the fifteenth amendment. This amendment stated that you could not deny someone the right to vote because of race, color, or having been a slave. Even though they could no longer deny giving African Americans the right to vote, they did make it more difficult. Many couldn’t vote because of the poll tax, which also discouraged poor white people from voting as well. They were also given a literacy test, which was suspended along with the poll tax in 1965.
In 1920 the nineteenth amendment was ratified and women were given the right to vote. Not long after, this right was given to Native Americans along with Citizenship. Much later, in 1971, voting rights were permitted to all citizens eighteen years or older. The twenty sixth amendment allowing this had been ratified, after many people questioned sending 18 year old men to fight in wars but not allowing them to vote. In conclusion, though it took quite a long time, now all citizens 18 or older in American have the right to vote in elections.

The Leap to Woman's Equality

"The first woman was created from the rib of a man. She was not made from his head to top him, nor from his feet to be trampled on by him, but out of his side to be equal to him." Man and woman are treated as equals, however, they were not always treated as equals. In the 1770's this began to change.

During the American Revolution many protests took place, such as boycotting tea and British imports. Along side men, women also played an important role in these protests. For example, women would spin their own thread to avoid using British thread.

In 1848, women began to realize the inequality in their societies, such as the lack of suffrage. Two women took charge, Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucretia Mott. They started a woman suffrage movement. They demanded greater rights to vote as well.

In the 1920's, women finally won the right to vote, as stated in the 19th Amendment. This was achieved from of the Declaration of Sentiments and the hard struggle of women.

Between 1972 and 1982, when women started to get jobs, they realized that there was still inequality between the sexes. So, they passed the Equal Rights Amendment. However, it failed to get ratification for the Constitution due to the fear of change.

In 2001, women finally entered politics with strong positions. This included 60 women in the House and 13 women in Senate in the 107th Congress.

Although the struggle was hard, women succeed in a giant leap toward equality.

Written by Alice W and Sneha B

Womens Rights

In American history women have played a great role in are society and in this reading i am going to put on the spotlight how women consider there selves as unequal back in history. As you look back into a part of Americans history they were not treated as equals because of there sex. Back around the 1770s the woman's had the rights of like a 16 year boy or girl. They could not have there face in the political scene at all, voting they could never do in till 1920. Once the woman got there rights to vote it showed them that they could have more. So in 1972 they made up a group called the Equal Rights Amendment Movement, this group were supported by women that felt unfairly treated. As they entered the work force women put the spot light on that the men were getting paid greater amounts of money than the woman were. This movement was shot down my the ERA if which they said that it was unfit for the Constitution. But as you look at the country today woman have beene known as very equal people they can do anything a man can do, they earn just as much as any body. And there face are all over congress.