The Valiant Five

In the late Nineteenth century, women were beginning to become more progressive in their actions. They began to stand up for themselves and fight for their rights. In the late 1850’s, Elizabeth Cady Stanton was one of the more prominent women to do so. She worked with Susan B. Anthony to deliver a majority of the population the rights that they rightfully deserved. Her actions are important in the United States’ History because they helped to encourage women to form the Women’s Suffrage Movement. Many Scholars have written about her, but simply with a different lens of focus. For example, they have written about her use of the bicycle in her campaign and her unique stance on religion. It is important to continue studying her actions because the issues she was fighting for back then, such as: the abolition of capital punishment, and an end to police brutality, are still issues today. Perhaps if the people of the United States today collectively took after her intrepid and forward thinking attitude in life, there could be more positive change in this country.

“We may yet live to see that day when women will no longer be news. And it cannot come too soon. I want to be a peaceful, happy, normal human being, pursuing my unimpeded way through life, never having to explain, defend, or apologize for my sex” (Nellie McClung, 1929). Throughout most of history, men have had greater rights than women. In present days, the equality between men and women have improved, despite the fact that some countries are still striving to establish those same rights for both genders. What impact did Nellie McClung make on Canadian society? She is a perfect example of a Canadian social activist who advocated for the rights of women throughout the late nineteenth and early twentieth century. In this essay, I will examine the depictions of the fight for suffrage and the stand for electoral office, in addition to the contribution of the Famous 5 and the type of feminism she represented in order to demonstrate the impact and influence she had as a Canadian woman.

She was a well respected woman that many thought was going to lead woman in the fight for equal rights.

"National Women Suffrage Association." The Social Welfare History. State Boards of Charity. Web. 12 July 2015..

During Macphail’s existence, she had a very important role and influence towards the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom. She was the president for that league for approximately 3 years. She actively participated in many projects in the League and had done good things to help the League improve on their presentation to get more people involved. “Agnes Macphail was probably the best-known member, serving for a number of years as honorary president” (The Canadian Encyclopedia). The League mostly stood up and tried to improve the women’s rights during the 1930s. It was extremely challenging to gain civil rights

In recent History, Women’s rights were extremely different. Women were treated very differently then men were. Emily Murphy made a significant impact on Women’s rights. Emily Murphy was a part of the “persons case”, she organized the Dower Act, Emily was a part of “The famous five”, she was the first female magistrate, and along with many other things she did in her life.

Emily Stowe was without a doubt an inspirational, motivated feminist determined to make a difference in the lives of women in Canada. She was a key part of the development of our nation, and a true pioneer in the medical and political systems. 2

For twelve years Murphy led the fight to have women declared legal "persons" in Canada. When petitions from various women's organizations failed to open in

The 1970s was a period of growth in the women’s rights movement: “By 1970, second-wave feminists had inspired women and men… Whether in politics, in the media, in academia or in private households, women’s liberation was a hot topic of the day.”1 Furthermore, it was an inspiring period where people from all around the world were coming together to fight for women’s rights. The growth was also popular in Canada in particular: “Canadian women have participated in many social movements, both on their own, and allied with men. Feminism, or the belief that women have been historically disadvantaged and this ought to change, inspired much engagement and action.”2 One of the people inspired by this engagement was Canadian poet Nancy Senior, who explains the desire for the movement in her satirical poem, “St. George.”

Elizabeth Cady Stanton was a suffragist and a leader of the Women's Rights Movement. She organized the Seneca Falls Convention, which was considered as the first women's rights movement in the United States. She wrote The Declaration of Sentiments, which is often called one of the first steps towards women's rights.

(Hannam 296) During the Anti-Slavery Movement, she had valuable experience in public speaking and running poilitical organizations through her work in the abolishionist movement. (298 ) in the process women were generally discouraged from taking active part in public life and expected to join women only groups in support of male organizations (ibid) While Elizabeth Cady Stanton is best known for her long contribution to the woman suffrage struggle, without her struggles these issues wouldnt have been effective in winning property rights for married women, equal guardianship of children, and liberalized divorce laws. These reforms made it possible for women to leave marriages that were abusive of the wife, the children, and the economic health of the family.

However, Mott continued to work for education to the recently emancipated southern African-Americans. [1] Mott was the first major American women's activist in the early 1800s and is credited as the launcher of women's political advocacy. She was a Quaker, a women's rights proponent, and an abolitionist. As part of the abolitionist movement she helped to end slavery, then proceeded on to help African Americans obtain the rights of citizenship and suffrage. (Biography) [4] As part of the temperance movement, she helped to raise awareness about the evils of alcoholism. [3] Willingly, part of the women’s rights movement, Mott helped women gain social status and suffrage rights. She communicated to men that women were brilliant and capable beings. She stressed that women’s rights should no longer be denied.

Emily murphy was a Canadian women's rights activist, jurist, and author. In 1916, she became the first female magistrate in Canada. Irene Parlby came to Canada in 1896. In 1913, Parlby helped to found the first women's local of the United Farmers of Alberta. Henrietta was a Canadian feminist, politician, author, and social activist. She was a part of the social and moral reform movements prevalent in Western Canada in the early 1900s. Nellie Mcclung was a provincial politician and women's rights activist from Alberta, Canada. Louise Mckinney She was the first woman sworn into the Legislative Assembly of Alberta and the first woman elected to a legislature in Canada and in the British Empire.

Many took offense to this and in their own ways, decided to fight for women’s rights. For instance, the Persons Case was a lawsuit filed by Henrietta Muir Edwards, Emily Murphy, Nellie McClung, Louise McKinney and Irene Parlby, also known as the “Famous Five”, in 1927. They challenged the word “persons” through their case, as it was only intended to refer to men. Henrietta Muir Edwards explains that, “This decision marks the abolition of sex in politics…. Personally I do not care whether or not women ever sit in the Senate, but we fought for the privilege for them to do so. We sought to establish the personal individuality of women and this decision is the announcement of our victory” (The “Persons” Case). The hope for the case was not precisely to have a female Senator appointed, but to make a point about where women stand in society. When the case went to the Supreme Court of Canada, they ruled, “That the question being understood to be ‘Are women eligible for appointment to the Senate of Canada’ the question is answered in the negative”

Elizabeth Cady Stanton campaigned for women’s rights. Stanton is the “great speaker” of the early women’s rights movement. Stanton helped organize the first women’s rights convention. She make a plan and introduce the first women’s rights. She also founded multiple women’s rights organization to serve as a guide or a leader of the movement. According to Southard, Stanton says that it is for understanding what drove one of our nation’s most widely and favorably known social movement leaders. “Thus, her first formal public address, “Address on Women’s Rights,” delivered in 1848, is a key text not only for understanding early women’s rights ideology, but also for understanding what drove one of our nation’s most prominent social movement leaders.”