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why did the nwsa and awsa split

by Jayden Stiedemann Published 3 years ago Updated 2 years ago
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These opposing groups were organized in the late 1860s, partly as the result of a disagreement over strategy. NWSA favored women's enfranchisement through a federal constitutional amendment, while AWSA believed success could be more easily achieved through state-by-state campaigns.

Full Answer

What was the main focus of the merged organization NWSA?

The group focused exclusively on gaining voting rights for women through amendments to individual state constitutions. After couple years, the two organizations, NWSA & AWSA, merged to form the National American Women's Suffrage Asssociation (NAWSA) in the year of 1890. The main focus of the merged organization was to gain voting rights for women.

How did the American Woman Suffrage Association and the NWSA work together?

The NWSA worked to secure women's enfranchisement through a federal constitutional amendment. Contrarily, its rival, the American Woman Suffrage Association (AWSA), believed success could be more easily achieved through state-by-state campaigns.

What is the difference between the AWSA and the NWSA?

The NWSA was begun by Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton in May of 1869. The primary goal of the organization was to achieve voting rights for women by means of congressional amendment to the constitution. The AWSA was begun by Lucy Stone, Henry Blackwell, and others in November of 1869.

What does NAWSA stand for?

The National American Woman Suffrage Association (NAWSA) was founded in 1890. Preceded by: National Woman Suffrage Association (NWSA) and American Woman Suffrage Association (AWSA)

What did the founders of NWSA argue?

Which organization was more influential in the suffrage movement? AWSA or NWSA?

What is the 15th amendment?

When did the NAWSA merge?

Who was the leader of the Women's Suffrage movement in the 1880s?

Who advocated for universal suffrage?

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NWSA & AWSA - The Women's Suffrage Movement: A Struggle for ... - Weebly

The National Women's Suffrage (NWSA) and the American Women's Suffrage Association (AWSA) were the two main associations that helped women gain suffrage.

National Woman Suffrage Association - History of U.S. Woman's Suffrage

Public domain. On May 15, 1869, the National Woman Suffrage Association (NWSA) was founded. The first president of the organization was Susan B. Anthony.

Why were these two associations important factors of the women's suffrage movement era?

These two associations were important factors of the women's suffrage movement era because many brave individuals joined to fight for suffrage. The NWSA was begun by Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton in May of 1869.

When did the NWSA and AWSA merge?

After couple years, the two organizations, NWSA & AWSA, merged to form the National American Women's Suffrage Asssociation (NAWSA) in the year of 1890.

What was the primary goal of the AWSA?

The primary goal of the organization was to achieve voting rights for women by means of congressional amendment to the constitution. The AWSA was begun by Lucy Stone, Henry Blackwell, and others in November of 1869.

Why was the Women's Rights Movement delayed?

While historian Sally McMillen concedes that a split within the women's rights movement was most likely inevitable, she argues that the movement for suffrage rights was delayed until the early 20th century in part because of division and strife among the movement's leadership.

What did Stanton argue about African Americans?

Stanton in particular argued that African Americans were ignorant of the laws and customs of the U.S. political system, and that it was "a serious question whether we had better stand aside and see 'Sambo' walk into the kingdom [of civil rights] first.".

Which two prominent voices argued that any constitutional amendment that did not grant women's suffrage was unacceptable?

On the other hand, prominent voices such as Anthony and Stanton argued that any constitutional amendment that did not grant women's suffrage was unacceptable. If anyone was deserving of the vote, it was "educated" white women.

What did the 15th amendment say about voting?

In other words, the insertion of the word "male" into the Constitution gave the appearance that voting was a right reserved for males only. That same year, a proposed 15th Amendment called for the end of voter discrimination on the basis of race, but no such language was added to end discrimination based on gender.

What amendment states that if a state prevented a portion of its male population from voting, the basis of that?

When the 14th Amendment was ratified in 1868, Section 2 stated that if any state prevented a portion of its male population from voting, the basis of that state's Congressional representation would be reduced in proportion to its total adult male population.

Why did women's rights advocate for voting rights?

When the American Civil War concluded in 1865, women's rights advocates felt that the time had come to push for voting rights. Women had largely put aside their political activism during the war in the interest of promoting the Union war effort. They worked as laborers, as nurses on the battlefield, and as caretakers for their families.

When did women get voting rights in Wyoming?

One major victory occurred when the Governor of Wyoming territory signed a bill in 1869 granting voting rights for women in that area. Activists were nevertheless frustrated with their continued struggles and explored the idea of a constitutional amendment to ensure women's voting rights across the country.

How many campaigns did the NAWSA have to get women's suffrage on the ballot?

From 1896 to 1910, the NAWSA organized about 500 campaigns to get woman suffrage on state ballots as referenda. In the few cases where the issue actually got on to the ballot, it failed.

How many people marched in the suffrage march?

The Congressional Committee within NAWSA organized a large suffrage parade in Washington, DC, held the day before Woodrow Wilson's inauguration. Five to eight thousand marched in the parade, with half a million onlookers―including many opponents who insulted, spit on and even attacked the marchers. Two hundred marchers were injured, and Army troops were called in when police would not stop the violence. Although Black suffrage supporters were told to march at the back of the march, so as not to threaten support for woman suffrage among white Southern legislators, some of the Black supporters including Mary Church Terrell circumvented that and joined the main march.

What was the name of the organization that fought for women's suffrage?

In 1869, the woman suffrage movement in the United States had split into two main rival organizations, the National Woman Suffrage Association (NWSA) and the American Woman Suffrage Association (AWSA). By the mid-1880s, it was apparent that the leadership of the movement involved in the split was aging. Neither side had succeeded in convincing either many states or the federal government to adopt women's suffrage. The "Anthony Amendment" extending the vote to women through constitutional amendment had been introduced into Congress in 1878; in 1887, the Senate took its first vote on the amendment and soundly defeated it. The Senate would not vote again on the amendment for another 25 years.

What did NAWSA support?

Others within the movement, including within NAWSA, supported the war effort or switched from peace work to war support when the United States entered the war. They worried that pacifism and war opposition would work against the suffrage movement's momentum.

What happened to the Congressional Committee in December?

The December national convention expelled the Congressional Committee, which went on to form the Congressional Union and later became the National Woman's Party.

When did the Anthony Amendment pass?

In 1918, the US House of Representatives passed the Anthony Amendment, but the Senate turned it down. With both wings of the suffrage movement continuing their pressure, President Woodrow Wilson was finally persuaded to support suffrage. In May of 1919, the House passed it again, and in June the Senate approved it.

Was Stanton invited to the NAWSA convention?

Stanton was never invited to the stage at another NAWSA convention. Stanton's position in the suffrage movement as a symbolic leader suffered from that point, and Anthony's role was stressed more after that. From 1896 to 1910, the NAWSA organized about 500 campaigns to get woman suffrage on state ballots as referenda.

What was the difference between the NWSA and the AWSA?

Even after the Fifteenth Amendment was ratified in 1870, differences between the two organizations remained. The NWSA worked mostly at the federal level, focusing on a constitutional amendment to achieve women's suffrage, while the AWSA worked toward the same goal mostly at the state level.

How did the NWSA benefit from the extensive lecture tours that Stanton and Anthony undertook?

The NWSA benefited from the extensive lecture tours that Stanton and Anthony undertook, which brought new recruits into the organization and strengthened it at the local, state and national levels. Their journeys during that period covered a distance that was unmatched by any other reformer or politician. From 1869 to 1879, Stanton traveled eight months of the year on the lecture circuit, usually delivering one lecture per day, two on Sundays. In one year alone, Anthony traveled 13,000 miles and gave at least 170 lectures.

What happened to the AERA?

The AERA essentially collapsed after an acrimonious convention in 1869, and two rival women's suffrage organizations were created in its wake. The National Woman Suffrage Association (NWSA) was created on May 15, 1869, two days after what turned out to be the AERA's last convention, with Anthony and Stanton as its primary leaders. The American Woman Suffrage Association (AWSA) was formed in November 1869, with Lucy Stone as its primary leader. The AWSA was initially larger and better funded, but Stanton and Anthony were more widely known as leaders of the women's suffrage movement and were more influential in setting its direction.

Why did Anthony sell the Revolution?

In May 1870, Anthony was forced to sell The Revolution because of mounting debts, thereby losing the NWSA's primary media voice. The NWSA afterwards depended on smaller periodicals, such as The National Citizen and Ballot Box, edited by Matilda Joslyn Gage, and The Woman's Tribune, edited by Clara Bewick Colby, to represent its viewpoint.

How many African American women participated in the AWSA?

The author of a study of African American women in the suffrage movement lists nine who participated in the AWSA during the 1870s and six who participated in the NWSA.

What did Anthony and Stanton do?

In 1866, Anthony and Stanton organized the Eleventh National Women's Rights Convention, the first since the Civil War began.

How long did it take to write the history of women's rights?

Originally envisioned as a modest publication that could be produced quickly, the history evolved into a six-volume work of more than 5700 pages written over a period of 41 years, preserving a rich history that otherwise might have been lost. The first three volumes, which cover the movement up to 1885, were produced primarily by Anthony and Stanton. Anthony handled the production details while Stanton wrote most of the text. Matilda Joslyn Gage, another leading member of the NWSA, wrote three chapters of the first volume but was forced to abandon the project afterwards because of the illness of her husband. After Stanton's death, Anthony published Volume 4 with the help of Ida Husted Harper. After Anthony's death, Harper completed the last two volumes, which brought the history up to 1920.

Why was the NWSA formed?

In response, the American Woman Suffrage Association, or the AWSA, was formed under the belief that once Black men had the right to vote, women would be next. Upset with the direction the AERA had taken, the NWSA only granted women membership.

Why was the National Woman Suffrage Association formed?

Many of its members were originally part of a group focused on women’s suffrage, or the right to vote. However, when the government began to discuss ratifying the Fifteenth Amendment, which gave African-American men the right to vote, two new groups formed: The American Woman Suffrage Association and the National Woman Suffrage Association. The latter did not believe that the women’s movement should support the Fifteenth Amendment unless it included women’s right to vote.

What is the role of white women in the women's rights movement?

White women have dominated women’s rights movements in many Western countries. While organizations like the NWSA did important work in advancing women’s suffrage, they also excluded broad swathes of the female population. Today, it is important to remember the complicated history of the American suffragette movement and learn from the mistakes of the past.

Who was the founder of the National Woman Suffrage Association?

On May 15, 1869, Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton formed the National Woman Suffrage Association, or the NWSA. The organization opposed the Fifteenth Amendment, and worked toward women’s suffrage through a federal constitutional amendment. In addition to suffrage, the NWSA focused on issues like unionizing women workers and advocating for more permissible divorce laws. The organization also used racist appeals to win over allies. The NWSA eventually merged with the American Woman Suffrage Association to form the National American Woman Suffrage Association in 1890.

Do women have the right to vote?

While women have gained the right to vote, voter suppression is still an issue, especially for people of color. What is one action you can take to raise awareness or combat this issue?

Can you add videos to your watch history?

Videos you watch may be added to the TV's watch history and influence TV recommendations. To avoid this, cancel and sign in to YouTube on your computer.

What did the founders of NWSA argue?

The founders of NWSA instead argued that women's suffrage and gender equality were more urgent issues than the suffrage of other minority groups, and that focusing on securing suffrage for women first was a better strategy than trying to earn suffrage for every oppressed group at once.

Which organization was more influential in the suffrage movement? AWSA or NWSA?

Initially, AWSA was gained more membership than NWSA. AWSA, despite advocating for universal suffrage, ended up being viewed as the less controversial of the two, as it focused solely on voting rights while NWSA advocated for more radical shifts in women's social equality. However, Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton had pushed NWSA to the forefront of the suffrage movement by the latter half of the 1880s through skilled publicity efforts and the publication of their History of Women's Suffrage. Meanwhile, AWSA membership had been in decline, which perhaps drove AWSA co-founder Lucy Stone to approach Anthony about merging the two organizations in 1887. The two organizations would then merge into the National American Women's Suffrage Association, or NAWSA in 1890. Again, though many NAWSA members supported universal suffrage, the group decided to put their time and resources towards securing female suffrage. NAWSA would play a major role in the suffrage movement in the 20th century, and its efforts helped to pass the 19th amendment.

What is the 15th amendment?

The Fifteenth Amendment to the United States constitution was aimed at protecting the rights of black men to vote. While some suffragists supported the amendment as it was, others felt that pressure should be put on the government to include women in the amendment as well.

When did the NAWSA merge?

The two organizations would then merge into the National American Women's Suffrage Association, or NAWSA in 1890. Again, though many NAWSA members supported universal suffrage, the group decided to put their time and resources towards securing female suffrage.

Who was the leader of the Women's Suffrage movement in the 1880s?

However, Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton had pushed NWSA to the forefront of the suffrage movement by the latter half of the 1880s through skilled publicity efforts and the publication of their History of Women's Suffrage.

Who advocated for universal suffrage?

This group focused its efforts on women's, rather than universal, suffrage. In response, Lucy Stone and several other reformers founded the American Woman's Suffrage Association the same year, which advocated for universal suffrage alongside women's suffrage.

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Key Figures

  1. Founding figures: Lucy Stone, Alice Stone Blackwell, Susan B. Anthony, Harriot Stanton Blatch, Rachel Foster, Elizabeth Cady Stanton
  2. Other leaders: Carrie Chapman Catt, Anna Howard Shaw, Frances Willard, Mary Church Terrell, Jeannette Rankin, Lillie Devereux Blake, Laura Clay, Madeleine McDowell Breckinridge, Ida Husted Harper,...
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Key Characteristics

  • Used both state-by-state organizing and push for a federal constitutional amendment, organized large suffrage parades, published many organizing and other brochures, pamphlets, and books, met annually in convention; less militant than the Congressional Union / National Woman's Party Publication: The Woman's Journal (which had been the publication of the AWSA) remained in p…
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About The National American Woman Suffrage Association

  • In 1869, the woman suffrage movement in the United States had split into two main rival organizations, the National Woman Suffrage Association(NWSA) and the American Woman Suffrage Association (AWSA). By the mid-1880s, it was apparent that the leadership of the movement involved in the split was aging. Neither side had succeeded in convincing eithe...
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Successful Merger

  • The merger negotiations were successful, and in February 1890, the merged organization named the National American Woman Suffrage Association, held its first convention, in Washington, DC. Elected as the first president was Elizabeth Cady Stanton and as vice president Susan B. Anthony. Lucy Stone was elected as the chairman [sic] of the Executive Committee. Stanton's el…
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Gage's Alternative Organization

  • Not all suffrage supporters joined the merger. Matilda Joslyn Gage founded the Women's National Liberal Union in 1890, as an organization that would work for women's rights beyond just the vote. She was president until she died in 1898. She edited the publication The Liberal Thinkerbetween 1890 and 1898.
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NAWSA 1890 to 1912

  • Susan B. Anthony succeeded Elizabeth Cady Stanton as president in 1892, and Lucy Stone died in 1893. Between 1893 and 1896, women's suffrage became law in the new state of Wyoming (which had, in 1869, included it in its territorial law). Colorado, Utah, and Idaho amended their state constitutions to include women's suffrage. The publication of The Woman's Bibleby Elizabe…
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NAWSA and The Congressional Union

  • In 1913, Lucy Burns and Alice Paul organized the Congressional Committee as an auxiliary within the NAWSA. Having seen more militant actions in England, Paul and Burns wanted to organize something more dramatic. The Congressional Committee within NAWSA organized a large suffrage paradein Washington, DC, held the day before Woodrow Wilson's inauguration. Five to …
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Victory

  • In 1918, the US House of Representatives passed the Anthony Amendment, but the Senate turned it down. With both wings of the suffrage movement continuing their pressure, President Woodrow Wilson was finally persuaded to support suffrage. In May of 1919, the House passed it again, and in June the Senate approved it. Then the ratification went to the states. On August 26…
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After 1920

  • The NAWSA, now that woman suffrage had passed, reformed itself and became the League of Women Voters. Maud Wood Park was the first president. In 1923, the National Woman's Party first proposed an Equal Rights Amendmentto the constitution. The six-volume History of Woman Suffrage was completed in 1922 when Ida Husted Harper published the last two volumes coveri…
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