LAD #11: Seneca Falls Declaration

Summarize the Seneca Falls Declaration

The women's right movement began as an anti-slavery crusade in which women felt excluded, and in response, the Seneca Falls Convention was held. The women were firm believers that all men and women were created equal and that they are all given natural rights established in the Constitution, including "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." They brought up the idea that the people have the right to overthrow the government if it is harmful for the people, and that the legislation should be removed if the list of abuses and neglect is too long. The group of women argued men were the ones who held the power in American government for far too long, and that it was time for women to have the same rights. They listed all the major infringements made by men on women's rights, and explained how they oppressed the voices and the rights of women, limiting their power to the point where it is almost non-existent. In the declaration, the women stated that they were willing to face ignorance and ridicule by others in order to gain their rights. By issuing the document, the women hoped that the laws and regulations that restricted the women would be changed, and that the country would thrive without oppression.