Women's History Commons^™

Base & Summit: American Women's Right On Either Side Of The Passing Of The 19th Amendment, Abigail Fer

Research in the Capitol

The ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment in 1920 --allowing women to vote in the United States--was a watershed moment in the history of women's rights, but what were the rights of women before this important amendment? My project compares the legal rights of women across the United States from 1900 to 1920 in three key areas: wages/industry, family law & divorce rights, and property law. Because I conducted this research project for the Carrie Lane Chapman Catt Girlhood Home and Museum, this analysis gives special consideration to Midwestern states--particularly Iowa women and property rights. My project sheds light on the …