Free Essay on Susan B. Antony and Elizabeth Candy Station - Historical Perspective Analysis

The people's voice and opinion are the most important; this is a saying that has been proven to be right in the present and past years in the history of all the countries. For the voice of people to be heard, they must be few individuals who are willing to offer themselves for the sake of others (Buhle, p & Buhle , M, 2005). These individuals stretch themselves to the limited to be heard, and when the attention is on them, they say the most important fact that may change lives at that moment or in the future. Susan B. Antony and Elizabeth Candy Station are an excellent example to illustrate this.

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Susan and Elizabeth meet in May 1851 in New York City. The two meet after an anti-slavery meeting that was held by George Thompson and William Lloyd Garrison in Seneca falls (Stantion Antony & Gage, 1887). After this meeting, the pair formed a strong bond of friendship that would bring enlightenment to the rights of women in America. During this political period women were not allowed to vote, they could not be licensed as lawyers and doctors, and any woman who earned was expected to pay taxes. Due to this factors, most women chose to be homemakers taking care of their children and husbands. Susan and Elizabeth saw this as an infringement of women rights and vowed to fight for equal rights. To Susan, however, the friendship was not only about the political goal achievement, but it was also about her personal growth as an individual. Elizabeth's ideologies and thoughts greatly influenced most of her works. Together they brought revolution to the political, social and financial lives of the people of America.

According to Susan b Anthony, one of the most significant influence Elizabeth had in her life was that Elizabeth taught her to stand as a woman of her thoughts and to fight for what she believed in. Elizabeth provided opportunities for Susan to air her views and ideologies. Stanton has been a married woman therefore not be available most of the time to go to the meetings that were held in different regions she, therefore, entrusted the responsibility of representing the woman agenda to Anthony (Buhle, p & Buhle, M, 2005). Anthony took the challenge and stood out to be a woman that made history. Some of the past actions that she took was refusing to pay fine, worth $100 after she had been arrested for having voted illegally in a presidential election in 1872. Therefore Antony was the first female to vote in America. This bold move leads to 19th amendment in 1920 where a woman was allowed to vote. In the modern day, America women are allowed to vote for whichever candidate they wish to vote for (Stantion &Gordon, 1997). The modern day woman is also permitted to run for an elective position like the Senate and presidential.

Another significant achievement that Susan was able to get from the liberty that she learned from Elizabeth is the fact that she was the first woman to appear on the United States coin. In 1978, President Jimmy Carter signed Anthony dollar coin act an act through which, Anthony was able to prove that women are crucial in the achievement of different goals for both the nations and themselves if they are willing to air out their opinions.

While Susan B. Anthony managed most of the business affairs of the women's rights movement it was clear the Stanton did most the writing for the group. According to Anthony, Stanton was the brains of the campaign while she was mostly the hands. Together they wrote, edited and published Revolution which was a women's magazine from 1868 to 1870. Elizabeth also wrote most of the letters to the government officials such as senators and presidents concerning their support on the women writes (Stantion, 1992). When Stanton could not join there abroad travels she would write her speeches to be read in the meeting. In times when Stanton had agreed to be the helping hand, Anthony was left with time to go and mobilize people to believe in their dreams. It is also in this sacrifices that modern American women get to enjoy rights of voting, keep their wedges, have custody of their children and even have equal rights in case of divorce. On the side of Anthony, these rights were what mattered the most.

Another way that Stanton changed the life of Anthony was by giving her a deeper understanding of the meaning of family and responsibility. While Anthony was not married Station was married and had seven children (Stantion Antony & Gage, 1887). It was, therefore, crucial for Anthony to get an in-depth understanding of what marriage looks like and what is the role of women in marriage this she deeds by helping out in Stanton family. While Stanton had a responsibility to the Suffrage, she also had homely duties to attend to (Barry, 1987).

In her letter to Anthony dated December 1, 1853, she explained that she had spent most of her time sewing baking and washing dishes. To help with this massive task so that Stanton could get time to write Anthony would come over to her house and scrap pans, cook for the family and watch over Stanton's children. The actions made her known to Stanton children as Aunty Susan (Stantion, 1992) This gave Anthony a more profound understanding of marriage and family hence equipping her with the knowledge she required to draft the women's right. This was seen through her contribution in the Revolution from 1868-1870 and formation of the National Women Suffrage in May 1869. This insight allows women to have a better understanding of their roles in marriage and their rights in marriage hence having a say the on an important decision concerning their families.

Stanton being older than Anthony would offer her advice concerning different areas of life. She would advise her before going to give significant speeches. She would always encourage her to keep fighting for what she thought was right. Stanton also recommends Anthony against norms that would prevent her from being listened to. For a whole year, Anthony wore a particular costume to symbolize her ideas but was later discouraged by Station who claimed that the dress drew a lot of attention and people were not listening to what she had to say. Hence her messages were not received in the manner they ought to be (Buhle & Buhle, 2005).

Together the dual was able to found the Women's Loyal National League in the year 1863 that conducted the most significant American petition having collected 400,000 signature toward the abolition of slavery trade. They started the American Equal Rights Association in 1866 which sought equality for women and African Americans. 1886 they began publishing Revolution a women newspaper. They founded the National Women Suffrage Association in 1869 to spearhead the agendas of women. All these reforms are the foundations of the modern day women rights.

Reference

Barry, K. (1987). Susan B. Anthony: A biography of a singular feminist. Free Press.

Buhle, P., & Buhle, M. J. (Eds.). (2005). The Concise History of Woman Suffrage: Selections from History of Woman Suffrage, Edited by Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Susan B. Anthony, Matilda Joslyn Gage, and the National American Woman Suffrage Association. University of Illinois Press.

Stanton, E. C., Anthony, S. B., & Gage, M. J. (Eds.). (1887). History of woman suffrage (Vol. 2). Susan B. Anthony.

Stanton, E. C., & Gordon, A. D. (1997). The Selected Papers of Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony: When clowns make laws for queens, 1880-1887 (Vol. 4). Rutgers University Press.

Stanton, E. C. (1922). Elizabeth Cady Stanton as revealed in her letters, diary and reminiscences (Vol. 1). Harper & brothers.