1.+Subject

Subject

The subject of the Declaration of Sentiments was primarily on women’s rights and women’s suffrage. It specifically tried to follow the format of the Declaration of Independence and the enthusiam it received. Elizabeth Cady Stanton and others were ahead of their time by suggesting such a large social upheveal. They argued that the woman had a similar status to the slave. She was oppressed and kept from increasing in social status by her husband. This document argues that the oppression that these women live under, inhibits their ability to pursue life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

This was an introduction to the women's rights movement, claiming that they should have the equality amoung both genders. There was a great deal of conrtovercy over this social reconstruction. It was way ahead of the time into which women's suffrage was incorporated into the Constitution. However, this document and the Convention at Seneca Falls was a large stepping stone into future equality between the sexes.


 * Why did the women compare their situation to that of slaves? What do their positions have in common? What could you argue differently about their situation?**

The Declaration of Sentiments begins by listing the unalienable rights, " life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness ." and " that all men and women are created equal..." It then goes on to list all of the grievances that women have had inflicted upon them by men. Men are labeled as tyrants and oppressors. They have "in direct object the establishment of absolute tyranny over her." The author them lists all of the grievances and usurpations that men have continually inflicted upon women in this nation. This list contains 16 specific complaints from women about the role of government and men in their lives. Men have been accused of manipulating women into doing illegal deeds and "depriving her of all rights as a married woman, if single and the owner of property, he has taxed her to support a government which recognizes her only when her property can be made profitable to it." The document concludes by saying the emotions that women feel about their situation and how they are hoping to head into the coming era and reconstruct the social status of women. The resolutions set during the convention addressed many of the complaints that the document portrayed. Laws which prevented women from occupying certain social stations were resolved to be abolished and solve the conflict of the equality of men and women. There were both men and women signatures on the finished document.


 * Primary subject was to obtain equal rights for women and include women's suffrage
 * Document argues that women had a similar position to the slave
 * The document uses similar syntax to the Declaration of Independence to emphasize their unalienable rights
 * Creates a list of grievances that men have inflicted upon women
 * At the convention, both sexes were able to resolve some of the complaints and the document was signed by about 300 people