5
its own as an independent social movement. It continued to be a force in American
politics through the final ratification of the 19
th
amendment to the Federal Constitution in
1920 on the national, state, and local levels. Over many years, the woman suffrage
movement in America underwent a significant change in the presentation of its argument
and the means by which it sought to achieve its goals. The rhetoric of the 1850s
displayed a strong ideological foundation taken from the American tradition of equality
and justice for all, representation and participation in government, and the inalienability
of these rights. I refer to this ideology as the “natural rights tradition”. This ideology
was then used to identify a grievance or complaint against the existing political and
institutional structure. Based on the contradiction leaders saw between the
establishment’s professed philosophy and the actual treatment of women in society, they
began to advocate expanded rights for women in all areas of their lives. Their ideology
was their driving force, and their shared grievance created a strong group identity and a
clear enemy within political institutions. This approach is consistent with theories of
social movement development as suggested in multiple works by Sidney Tarrow and
those of Charles Tilly, among others.
However, by the mid-1870s, the woman suffrage movement drastically changed
its approach, using tactics that go beyond traditional views of ideology, strategy, and
opportunity creation. After this point, the woman’s movement became increasingly
active in electoral and social politics, allying itself with other groups and promoting
shared goals as a way to gain influence in traditional political channels. It was no longer
a closed group of outsiders; leaders now sought to be insiders and integrate with the
status quo. The rhetoric of the movement now portrayed women as potential partners or
Convention