8th Grade Instructional Guide
Model Lesson 3:
Early Women’s Rights Movement
Standard
8.6.6 - Examine the women's suffrage movement (e.g., biographies, writings, and speeches of
Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Margaret Fuller, Lucretia Mott, Susan B. Anthony).
History/Social Science Analysis Skills Connection
Chronological and Spatial Thinking
• Students explain how major events are related to one another across time.
• Students construct various timelines of key events, people, and periods of the historical
era they are studying.
Historical Research, Evidence, and Point of View
• Students assess the credibility of primary and secondary sources and draw sound
conclusions from them.
Historical Interpretation
• Students understand and distinguish cause, effect, sequence, and correlation in
historical events, including the long- and short-term causal relations.
• Students explain the sources of historical continuity and how the combination of ideas
and events explains the emergence of new patterns.
Materials
Student Handout 1: The Hook Exercise
Student Handout 2: Women’s Rights Timeline
Student Handout 3: The Discord
Student Handout 4: Analyzing the Declaration of Sentiments
Student Handout 5: Looks Like/Feels Like/Sounds Like
Student Handout 6: Graphic Organizer
Student Handout 7: Early Women’s Rights Movement
Student Handout 8: Prewriting Organizer
Student Handout 9: Writing Organizer
Document 1: Brief History of the Women’s Rights Movement
Document 2: Declaration of Sentiments/Declaration of Independence Side by Side
Document 3: “Ain’t I a Woman?” Excerpt
Guiding Inquiries
1. How did the women’s rights/suffrage movement develop?
2. Who were the leaders of the women’s rights/suffrage movement?
3. What were the main goals of the women’s rights/suffrage movement?
4. What were the successes and continued struggles of the women’s rights/suffrage
movement?
5. How did women overcome the barriers that were continuously put in front of them?
6. How have the conditions for women changed as a result of the women’s rights/suffrage
movement?
Questions for Lesson Study
1. Can students see how economic, political and educational restrictions/inequalities/limitations
lead to social movements?
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2. Can students see the change and/or continuity in the rights and treatment of women over
time?
Lesson Overview
This lesson on the beginning of the women’s rights movement should come during the series of
lessons where students learn about the transformation of American society between 1820 and
1860 (McDougal Littell – Chapter 14; TCI – Chapter 18; Prentice Hall – Chapter 8). Teachers who
teach the standards on the North and the South as a comparative unit should teach this lesson
after covering the basic features of those regions (e.g. economy, geography). This lesson will
further develop the skills of planning and outlining an essay, writing internal paragraphs, and
citing evidence. This lesson may take from 3-5 days to complete depending on the needs of the
students. Each day of the lesson has been written to fit a 50 minute instructional period.
Day 1
Teacher/Student Activities
Hook
To engage students in the challenges facing women in the nineteenth century,
have students complete Part I of Student Handout 1. Review Part I as a class
and student reactions to the content and answers.
Answers:
1. 1 (New Jersey)
2. 0 (New Jersey decided to change its laws)
3. 0 (No colleges admitted women)
4. 0
5. 0
To introduce the main areas of emphasis for this lesson on the Women’s Rights
Movement, students will briefly review the following terms: Social, Economic,
Political. Using Part II of Student Handout 1, have students read with a partner
the definitions of the three terms and write an example or draw a picture for
each term. After students have finished, have a few students share their
examples. Encourage other students to include those examples in their chart.
Timeline Activity
As a whole class, briefly review the Women’s Rights Timeline, Student Handout
2, reminding students how to read and analyze a timeline. Then have students
work with a partner to categorize the events on the timeline, indicating which
category the event relates to: political, economic, or social. Students are to
indicate the category by writing a letter in the box on the timeline: P for political,
E for economic, S for social.
When students have finished, have the class share their responses. Make sure
that at least one event from each category is shared. Help students recognize
the gains represented on the timeline, while understanding that there were still
significant rights denied to women (e.g., voting).
Brief History of Women’s Rights
Read the first paragraph of Document 1 out loud to the class. Using the Think
Aloud strategy, model for students how to recognize the same three categories
of the Women’s Rights Movement. Have them place a letter (P, E, or S) in the
margin and underline their evidence. For example, you might write “P” or “S” in
the margin next to the first paragraph and underline “Women could not be on a
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Helpful Hints
10 minutes
The information on
this handout can be
cited as evidence in
the culminating task.
In this lesson, the
category of social will
include education.
Help students
understand how
education relates to
that category.
15 minutes
15 minutes
If possible, make a
transparency of
Document 1, making
notations as you read
jury.”
to help students
understand the task.
Continue reading the paragraphs out loud to the class, pausing to allow students
to identify a category and underline their evidence. Have students share their
responses, if time permits.
Visual Discovery Activity
On an overhead or LCD projector, display Teacher Transparency 1 so that the
entire class can clearly view the image. Student Handout 3 has been provided
to help students read the dialogue in the cartoon. Elicit student responses to the
following questions:
•
•
•
•
•
10 minutes
If time permits, have
some students act
out the scene in front
of the class.
What do you see in this image?
What are some key details you see?
What objects in the image are symbols? What do the symbols mean?
What do you think the people in the image are feeling?
What would be an appropriate caption or title for this image?
Day 2
Teacher/Student Activities
Document Scanning
Have students look at Document 2 (Declaration of Independence and
Declaration of Sentiments). Have students circle similarities in wording between
the two documents, focusing on word choice rather than punctuation or
capitalization.
After a few minutes, have students share some of the similarities they found. Be
sure to emphasize this key phrase:
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men [and women] are
created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain
inalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of
happiness.
Comparing Documents
Have students consider the differences between the two documents,
recognizing that the Declaration of Sentiments focused on rights for women.
Lead the class in a discussion of the following questions:
•
•
What caused the colonists to write the Declaration of Independence?
What caused the women at the Seneca Falls Convention to write the
Declaration of Sentiments?
• Why do you think Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony would
write a document similar to the Declaration of Independence?
• Why did these women feel their rights were being violated?
Declaration of Sentiments - Grievances
Review the concept of grievance with the class. Explain that the Declaration of
Sentiments, just as the Declaration of Independence, contains a specific list of
grievances.
Have students turn to Student Handout 4, which lists five of the grievances
found within the Declaration of Sentiments. Tell students they will be reading
9-5
Helpful Hints
5 minutes
The purpose of this
activity is to help
students understand
that the Declaration
of Sentiments was
based on the
Declaration of
Independence.
10 minutes
Student Handout 2
and Document 1 may
provide students with
additional support in
this discussion.
25 minutes
If time permits, lead
students in a
discussion of why
these grievances
the grievances, explaining their significance, and identifying the category for
each. Go over the first item, which has been partially completed for them. Help
students identify the category for this grievance (Political).
were significant to the
Women’s Rights
Movement.
Once the students have completed the chart, check students’ categorization to
ensure accuracy of responses.
Consider
constructing a Venn
diagram or Double
Bubble comparing
the Declaration of
Sentiments and the
Declaration of
Independence.
10 minutes
Ain’t I a Woman Speech
Explain to students that Sojourner Truth was a reformer whose efforts spanned
the Women’s Rights and Abolitionist Movements. Have one student read
Document 3, an excerpt from Truth’s Ain’t I a Woman? Speech, delivered to the
Women’s Convention in Ohio in December 1851.
Have the class consider the following questions:
•
•
What does Sojourner Truth mean by saying, “Ain’t I a woman?”
Why does she repeat the phrase several times in her speech?
Depending on the needs of the students and structure of the classroom, have
students engage in one of the following activities:
•
•
Have students write their response to the questions at the bottom of
Document 3. Have them pass their paper to another student, who will
respond in writing to what the first student wrote. This is intended to be a
silent activity, to help students reflect and focus on the speech.
Alternatively, you may wish to have students participate in a Chalk Talk.
Write the questions on the board or on poster paper. After reading the
speech, have students respond to the questions by writing their thoughts
under the questions, silently reading what other students wrote. If they
wish to respond to what another student wrote, they should do so in
writing. Again, this is intended to be a silent activity.
Day 3
Teacher/Student Activities
Declaration of Sentiments – Grievances (Revisited)
Review the grievances from yesterday’s lesson by having students look at the
first column of Student Handout 5. Ask students to briefly explain each
grievance in their own words.
To help students empathize with the experiences of women at this time, have
them imagine that the inequities experienced by women in the nineteenth
century still occurred today. Have them work with a partner to imagine what it
would look like, feel like, or sound like to experience these injustices. The first
grievance has been completed as an example.
9-6
Students may also be
given post-it notes to
write on at their desk
and they may then
post these notes on
the board.
Helpful Hints
15 minutes
Students may refer to
Student Handout 4 to
help with their
explanations.
Prewriting
Have students turn to Student Handout 6. Explain that they will be organizing
information from the lesson to help them prepare for the writing task.
Have students identify the goals of the Women’s Rights Movement, as
described in the grievances found in the Declaration of Sentiments, by using
Student Handout 4 to complete the Social, Economic, and Political Goals
section of the graphic organizer.
35 minutes
Ask them to use Student Handout 2 and Document 1 to identify events (positive
and negative) related to each goal.
Before having students evaluate whether the goals for each category were
achieved or not (Success/Failure), have them consider the following questions:
•
•
•
What does “successful” mean? Help students understand the varying
degrees of success, e.g., two states allowing women to own property
was a small success, as it did not extend to all states.
What conclusion about success or failure does the evidence suggest?
For example, if there is limited positive evidence listed under political
goals, that would demonstrate that it was less successful.
What does the absence of evidence suggest about success or failure?
For example, there is no evidence that women gained the right to vote
during this time, therefore they were unsuccessful in gaining that political
goal.
Have students then evaluate whether the goal was successfully achieved or not
by circling either “Success” or “Failure” on the graphic organizer.
Finally, have students select the goal they felt was the most important and write
a sentence underneath the graphic organizer explaining their choice.
Day 4
Teacher/Student Activities
Writing
Review the writing activity outlined on Student Handout 7 with the students.
Go over Student Handout 8, which is a graphic organizer to help students
organize their writing. Help them understand that, as they complete the
organizer, they are to draw information and evidence from Student Handout 6 or
any other documents used within the lesson. Explanation sentences will contain
their analysis of the evidence.
After completing Student Handout 8, have students write out their paragraphs
on a separate sheet of paper.
Reflection
Students who complete their work earlier than other students should check their
work, exchange their work with a peer for peer editing, or reflect on their work
considering how well they did in relation to the task
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Helpful Hints
50 minutes
Student Handout 9
has been provided in
the event that you
wish to have students
expand their ideas
into a five-paragraph
essay.
Student Handout 1
How much do you know about the beginnings of the women’s rights
movement?
Part I:
Carefully read each of the following questions. In the space provided write the number that
you think answers the question correctly.
_____ 1. In 1800, how many of the original13 states allowed women to vote?
_____ 2. Ten years later (in 1810), how many states allowed women to vote?
_____ 3. In 1800, how many women attended colleges in the United States?
_____ 4. In 1800, how many states allowed women to serve on juries?
_____ 5. In 1800, what percentage of married women were able to own property?
Part II:
Review the following categories by reading the definition and drawing a picture or writing an
example that represents each definition.
Category
Social
Economic
Political
Definition
The organization of people
and the way they live in a
society.
The study of the production
and trade of goods and
money.
Ideas and activities relating
to government and power.
Picture/Example
Student Handout 2
Women’s Rights Timeline: The Early Years
Instructions: With a partner, review the timeline. Your task is to categorize each date on the timeline as social, economic, or political. Write S for
social, E for economic, and P for political in each box of the timeline. The first has been completed for you.
Student Handout 3
Fight courageous for sovereign
authority, neighbor, or your wife'll do to
you as mine has done to me - she'll
pull your hair off your head and
compel you to wear a wig!
Oh, Mamma,
please leave
my Papa his
Pants.
Rather die!
than let my
wife have my
pants. A man
ought to
always be the
ruler.
Sam'y help me! Woman
is born to rule and not to
obey those contemptible
creatures called men!
Oh, Pa,
let go, be
gallant or
you'll
tear 'em.
Bravo, Sarah.
Stick to them, it is
only us which
ought to rule and
to whom the
pants fit best.
Student Handout 4
Analyzing The Declaration of Sentiments
Task: Read the grievances from the Declaration of Sentiments, explain each in your own words and
categorize the grievance.
Grievance
(Quote from the Declaration of
Sentiments)
He has never permitted her to
exercise her inalienable right to the
elective franchise (the right to vote).
He has compelled her to submit to
laws, in the formation of which she
had no voice.
He has made her, if married, in the
eye of the law, civilly dead (having no
rights in society or government).
He has taken from her all right in
property, even to the wages she
earns.
He has denied her the facilities (way)
for obtaining a thorough education, all
colleges being closed against her.
Explanation
(In your own words)
Women may not take part in
the voting process.
Category
(political, social,
or economic)
Student Handout 5
Looks Like/Feels Like/Sounds Like
Directions: Read each grievance from the Declaration of Sentiments. Then, write or
draw what you would see if this grievance still occurred, what it would feel like to
experience the grievance, and finally, what you might hear people saying if the
grievance still occurred.
Grievance
He has never
permitted her to
exercise her
inalienable right to
the elective
franchise (the right
to vote).
He has compelled
her to submit to
laws, in the
formation of which
she had no voice.
He has made her, if
married, in the eye
of the law, civilly
dead (having no
rights in society or
government).
He has taken from
her all right in
property, even to the
wages she earns.
He has denied her
the facilities (way)
for obtaining a
thorough education,
all colleges being
closed against her.
What does it look
like?
Men are walking into
a voting booth;
women are forced to
wait outside.
What does it feel
like?
It feels unfair;
women should be
able to vote.
What does it sound
like?
“You can’t come in
here!”
“Go away, this is a
place for men not
women!”
Student Handout 6
Graphic Organizer
Directions: Fill in the graphic organizer by recording the goals of the women’s rights
movement in each category, Student Handouts 2 and 4 and Documents 1 and 2 will
help you identify these goals. Then determine if the movement was successful in
achieving this goal by circling either success or failure. Finally, cite evidence from the
documents and student handouts that supports your opinion.
Social Goals
Economic Goals
Political Goals
Success/Failure
Success/Failure
Success/Failure
Evidence
Evidence
Evidence
Student Handout 7
Early Women’s Rights Movement
Background:
In the early 19th century, women began to demand a change in American society.
The women’s rights movement worked to extend the political and social rights of
women. In 1848, The Declaration of Sentiments was written to call attention to
the demands of the movement. Although these women worked tirelessly to
achieve their goals, they faced many obstacles along the way.
Prompt:
The women’s rights movement of the 19th century sought to bring women social,
political, and economic equality. Which of these goals was the most important
and how successful was the women’s rights movement in achieving that goal?
Task:
Write a multi-paragraph paper in which you:
1. Write a clear introduction, including a thesis.
2. Write one body paragraph that identifies the most important goal of the
women’s rights movement.
3. Write one body paragraph that evaluates the success or failure of that
goal.
4. Include evidence from two documents, with appropriate citations, to
support your ideas.
Suggested Vocabulary:
education
social
political
economic
voting
rights
equality
reform
movement
Student Handout 8
Historical Context: Summary of the Women’s Rights Movement. Thesis: Which goal of the Women’s Rights Movement was most important? How successful were women at achieving this goal? Most Important Goal Topic sentence Evidence Explanation Concluding Thought Topic Sentence Evidence Explanation Evaluation Concluding Thought *
*
*
*
Historical Context
1- 2 sentence
summary of topic
Historical Context
1- 2 sentence summary of topic
Thesis
Your main argument
or idea that you will
support
Topic
Sentence
*
*
*
*
Main
Idea
I
N
T
R
O
D
U
C
T
I
O
N
Supporting
Detail/Evidence
Supporting
Detail/Evidence
Explanation/
Analysis
Concluding
Sentence
Topic
Sentence
Main
Idea
B
O
D
Y
Supporting
Detail/Evidence
Supporting
Detail/Evidence
Explanation/
Analysis
Concluding
Sentence
Topic
Sentence
Main
Idea
Supporting
Detail/Evidence
Supporting
Detail/Evidence
Explanation/
Analysis
Concluding
Sentence
C
O
N
C
L
U
S
I
O
N
Restate Thesis
Review Main Points
Final Thought
Student Handout 9
Document 1
A Brief History of Women's Rights Before the Civil War
sue – to take legal
action against
someone
endowed – funded
lecturers – a speaker
giving useful
information on a
specific topic
empowerment – to
give somebody
power
illegitimate – born to
parents who are not
married to each
other
criticism – an opinion
of what is wrong or
bad of somebody or
something
abolition - outlawing
slavery
abolitionist – a
person who opposes
slavery
assigned – to give
somebody a job to
do
denounced – to
publicly say
someone is wrong or
bad
preaching – to urge
people to accept an
idea
In the 1700s, men treated women like children. The law did not
let women sign a contract or sue people in court. Women could not be
on a jury. Once she married, her husband owned a woman’s land and
money.
At first, women could only vote in one state—New Jersey. In
1807, New Jersey joined the other states. It banned voting. Men did
not want women to vote. Men thought women would just vote like their
fathers, brothers, or husbands so they did not need this right.
In 1821, Emma Hart Willard founded the Troy Female Seminary
in New York. Hart was unable to get funding for the school from the
governor of New York but later the town of Troy voted to raise money if
Hart would move her school to the town. This institution was the first
endowed school for girls.
One of the first female lecturers, Frances Wright, spoke out for
not only the political rights of working men but for equality for women,
empowerment of women through divorce, emancipation of the slave,
free public education for everyone, and equal treatment of illegitimate
children.
Women formed the Female Anti-Slavery Society in 1837. The
society spread and it became the target of much criticism. There was
strong opposition to abolition and even stronger opposition toward the
female abolition societies. Meetings were often mobbed and the hall
was burnt down where the Anti-Slavery Convention of American
Women was being held.
In 1836 Angelina Grimke and her sister Sarah arrived in New
York as the first female abolitionist agents in the country. They were
brought by the Female Anti-Slavery Society and assigned to give
parlor talks to women. Their lectures soon began to attract larger and
larger audiences so the meetings were moved to public auditoriums.
The sisters were denounced by the clergy for going beyond women's
"God-given place."
Margaret Fuller, a writer, began to have essays written about
women’s rights published in newspapers and journals. In 1845, Fuller
published her book titled Women in the Nineteenth Century, which has
become a classic book in the women’s rights movement.
Maria Mitchell became an astronomer and discovered a comet
in 1847. Although discovering a comet was not rare, being a woman
astronomer was not common. A year later, Mitchell became the first
woman elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
African American women joined the movement as well. In
1851, former slave Sojourner Truth was the only African American to
attend a women’s rights convention in Akron, Ohio. She delivered her
famous “Ain’t I A Woman” speech at this convention. She spent her life
preaching the message of equality for all people.
Document 2
Excerpt From:
Excerpt From:
1
The Declaration of Sentiments
When, in the course of human events, it
The Declaration of Independence
When in the Course of human events it
2
becomes necessary for one portion of the
becomes necessary for one people to dissolve
3
family of man to assume among the people of the political bands which have connected them
4
the earth a position different … mankind
with another and to assume among the powers
5
requires that they should declare the causes
of the earth … a decent respect to the opinions
6
that impel them to such a course.
of mankind requires that they should declare
7
the causes which impel them to the separation.
8
9
We hold these truths to be self-evident: that
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all
10 all men and women are created equal; that
men are created equal, that they are endowed
11 they are endowed by their Creator with
by their Creator with certain unalienable
12 certain inalienable rights; that among these
Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and
13 are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness;
the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure
14 that to secure these rights governments are
these rights, Governments are instituted
15 instituted, deriving their just powers from the
among Men, deriving their just powers from the
16 consent of the governed. Whenever any form
consent of the governed, — That whenever any
17 of government becomes destructive of these
Form of Government becomes destructive of
18 ends, it is the right of those who suffer from it
these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter
19 to refuse allegiance to it, and to insist upon
or to abolish it, and to institute new
20 the institution of a new government…
Government … To prove this, let Facts be
21
submitted to a candid world.
E.C. Stanton, S.B. Anthony and M.J. Gage, eds., History of Women's Suffrage, vol. 1 (1887), 70.
Thomas Jefferson, The Declaration of Independence July 4, 1776
Document 4
Notes, Questions, Comments
Excerpt from: Ain’t I A Woman?
Speech given by Sojourner Truth
Delivered to The Women's Convention In Akron, Ohio
December, 1851
That man over there says that women need to be helped into
carriages, and lifted over ditches, and to have the best place
everywhere. Nobody ever helps me into carriages, or over mudpuddles, or gives me any best place! And ain't I a woman? Look
at me! Look at my arm! I have ploughed and planted, and
gathered into barns, and no man could [do better than] me! And
ain't I a woman? I could work as much and eat as much as a
man - when I could get it - and bear the lash as well! And ain't I
a woman? I have borne thirteen children, and seen most all sold
off to slavery, and when I cried out with my mother's grief, none
but Jesus heard me! And ain't I a woman?
What does Sojourner Truth mean by saying, “Ain’t I a woman?”
Why does she repeat the phrase several times in her speech?