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.