Download Historical Importance of the Seneca Falls Convention

Historical Importance of the
Seneca Falls Convention
Madison Laske and Kalena Seaman
What Is the Seneca Falls Convention?
The Seneca Falls Convention was held in July 1848
in Seneca Falls, New York. It was the first
women’s rights convention held in America.
Many historians mark it as the beginning of the
modern American women’s movement.
What Lead to It?
Over the years, countless American women had fought for
many different kinds of reforms. But the limits placed on
them, especially their prohibition from participating in
government by voting or holding public office, restricted
their influence and accomplishments. As a result, many
women wanted to obtain political power in order to
advance the reforms.
Other women, however, thought that political power
should be available to women, not just so that they could
achieve reform but because it was fair and reasonable.
Women reformers had long worked for the rights of others.
They were especially active in the abolitionist movement to
end slavery. It was a short leap from thinking about racial
equality to equality between the sexes. Thus, the time was
right for women who had long worked to improve the lives
of others to fight to improve their own lives.
What Were the Consequences?
The convention produced the Declaration of
Sentiments, written by Stanton. Exactly 100
participants,68 women and 32 men signed the
Declaration of Sentiments, which publicly stated
their belief that “all men and women are
created equal.” The struggle for the equality of
American women had begun.
Significance
The Seneca Falls Convention marked the
beginning of the women’s equal rights
movement by setting the stage for furthering
women’s social, political and civil rights.