Analyze the list of grievances Stanton enumerates. In particular, consider the extent to which these follow a logical sequence, building one upon another. Do you find that they lead successfully to her larger conclusion? Why or why not?
Elizabeth Cady Stanton strategically listed the grievances put forth in Declaration of Sentiments by progressively stating specific injustices in the beginning of the piece such as the belief, "After 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." and gradually leading up to the generalized statements of, "He has endeavored, in every way that he could to destroy her confidence in her own powers, to lessen her self-respect, and to make her willing to lead a dependent and abject life." in which distinctively accounts for all of the grievances summed up into one large objection, minus the discrete details, yet still impacting the reader by sufficiently noting that all of the listed distinct grievances lead up to the grandees feeling of a woman's inability to practice her inalienable rights because of the restrictions in the government due to male's dominance. Stanton effectively enumerated the sentiments in an order which would lead up the plentiful grievances all serving as fuel to set her big motif of no equality amongst women in the time period.
Based on your reading of Stanton's Declaration, how were women viewed in 1848, when the document was drafted and delivered - that is, what arguments against Stanton's position seem to have prevailed at the time? For example, how might denying women any right to vote, the most controversial grievance listed in the document, have been justified. You might do some research in responding to this question.
In the nineteenth century, it was no question that women were inferior to men. That being said women had no way of going to school and getting an education, all resulting in the hard truth of there being no way for females to advance in the world unless motivated by their own well being. Women in some way were being brainwashed to believe that they were happy living dull lives being "trophy wives," only living for the appreciation of their husbands, often not too concerned with women's advancements in the world. Women's incapability of making large scale decisions due to their lack of knowledge resulted greatly in their impotence to attend school. Unable to read or write, or know any of the basic necessities other then what was outside of their kitchens or homes, women failed to proceed in gaining equality.
Draft your own Declaration based on Jefferson's and Stanton's. Cast yourself as a member of an aggrieved party, explain your grievances, and end with a call to action.
Declaration of Yoga Pants and Leggings:
When in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for young women to express themselves in the form of clothing which has inspired them amongst others and to convey their own personalities amid the powers of Byron Nelson High School. The separate and equal station to which the Laws of Freewill and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to wear leggings, yoga pants, and other clothing items deemed unacceptable in which assert their own taste and expression.
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all forms of leg wear are created equal, that they are endowed by their manufacturers with certain inalienable processing, that among these are cotton and spandex. That to secure this processing and right to expression, young women are fully capable of dressing themselves accordingly, deriving their just capability from the consent of their own judgement, –That whenever any member of the Byron Nelson High School staff becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of the young women to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new rules, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their safety, happiness, and comfortableness.
Prudence, indeed, will dictate that these young women, long established should not be subjected to change out of their leggings or yogas in order to appease the resentful Byron Nelson staff; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that women are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is a young woman's right, it is a young woman's duty, to throw off such Byron Nelson staff, and to continue to wear the forbidden spandex pant in order to secure their future right to expression.–Such has been the patient sufferance of these young women; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former dress code. The history of the present principal of Byron Nelson High School has accumulated a history of repeated refinement to the dress code rules, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute confusion over these young women. To prove this, let facts be submitted to a candid Byron Nelson.
Mrs. Parker, after permitting the wearing of leggings and yoga pants, has repeatedly gone back on her word of the allowance of doing so.
Young women should not be subjected to the punishment of their ill-informed peers who choose to wear sheer leggings as pants, buttocks fully exposed.
Although young women may wear a skirt to their own mid thigh or a shirt which fully covers any inappropriate body parts, these women should not be manhandled, told where their own mid thigh is by someone completely unaware of the woman's body, or be groped and touched on the upper thigh by a stranger.
Lack of distribution of the rules should be diminished, by the apparent statement made by Byron Nelson principal Mrs. Parker of, "We have to let the the 'bigger' girl's wear leggings to boost their self esteem, but skinnier girls cannot wear leggings because of their body shape."
These young women should not be served as objects, responsible and punished for any male's raging hormone issues.
Us fellow leggings and yoga pants wearers, therefore, the representatives of all young women of Byron Nelson, assembled, appealing to our fellow bobcats of Byron Nelson High school for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the name, solemnly publish and declare, that these opulent, comfortable pants are, and of right ought to be free to be worn by all without the fear of punishment or judgment; that they are absolved from all unnecessary repercussions such as ISS and referrals, and that all negative connotations between them and Byron Nelson High school, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as now a part of the dress code, they have full acceptance and ability to be worn and to do all other acts and things which other articles of clothing have the right to do. And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of all advocates of comfy wear, we mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes and our sacred honor.
When in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for young women to express themselves in the form of clothing which has inspired them amongst others and to convey their own personalities amid the powers of Byron Nelson High School. The separate and equal station to which the Laws of Freewill and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to wear leggings, yoga pants, and other clothing items deemed unacceptable in which assert their own taste and expression.
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all forms of leg wear are created equal, that they are endowed by their manufacturers with certain inalienable processing, that among these are cotton and spandex. That to secure this processing and right to expression, young women are fully capable of dressing themselves accordingly, deriving their just capability from the consent of their own judgement, –That whenever any member of the Byron Nelson High School staff becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of the young women to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new rules, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their safety, happiness, and comfortableness.
Prudence, indeed, will dictate that these young women, long established should not be subjected to change out of their leggings or yogas in order to appease the resentful Byron Nelson staff; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that women are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is a young woman's right, it is a young woman's duty, to throw off such Byron Nelson staff, and to continue to wear the forbidden spandex pant in order to secure their future right to expression.–Such has been the patient sufferance of these young women; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former dress code. The history of the present principal of Byron Nelson High School has accumulated a history of repeated refinement to the dress code rules, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute confusion over these young women. To prove this, let facts be submitted to a candid Byron Nelson.
Mrs. Parker, after permitting the wearing of leggings and yoga pants, has repeatedly gone back on her word of the allowance of doing so.
Young women should not be subjected to the punishment of their ill-informed peers who choose to wear sheer leggings as pants, buttocks fully exposed.
Although young women may wear a skirt to their own mid thigh or a shirt which fully covers any inappropriate body parts, these women should not be manhandled, told where their own mid thigh is by someone completely unaware of the woman's body, or be groped and touched on the upper thigh by a stranger.
Lack of distribution of the rules should be diminished, by the apparent statement made by Byron Nelson principal Mrs. Parker of, "We have to let the the 'bigger' girl's wear leggings to boost their self esteem, but skinnier girls cannot wear leggings because of their body shape."
These young women should not be served as objects, responsible and punished for any male's raging hormone issues.
Us fellow leggings and yoga pants wearers, therefore, the representatives of all young women of Byron Nelson, assembled, appealing to our fellow bobcats of Byron Nelson High school for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the name, solemnly publish and declare, that these opulent, comfortable pants are, and of right ought to be free to be worn by all without the fear of punishment or judgment; that they are absolved from all unnecessary repercussions such as ISS and referrals, and that all negative connotations between them and Byron Nelson High school, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as now a part of the dress code, they have full acceptance and ability to be worn and to do all other acts and things which other articles of clothing have the right to do. And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of all advocates of comfy wear, we mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes and our sacred honor.