Boys think they can play sports better than girls. I dont think that is true. Like in the old days, the men would go out and could the jobs and the women would have to stay home and do all the housework and stuff. I do not think that was fair either. That is away way it was, i cannot help it. My dear brother, cyrus, today began like any other day. The sun rose over the fields lighting my sweet families ways. I prepared breakfast, took up my sewing andk up gathered my children for our ride into town. My sarah runs around like a little savage. She does not want to wear any of the lovely dresses i made for her. I counted the blessings the good lord bestowed on me and try to remain calm while getting them ready. But all i had accomplished with much impatience and an eye towards the clock, for in event was supposed to take place at 10 00 at the chapel. It was a convention for the discussion of the rights of women. My dear friend and neighbor showed me the notice in the newspaper. Now, i can see you raise your eyebrows and give me your stern look. I beg you not to disapprove of me. But a Public Meeting for women is such a curiosity. My husband did not forbid it, so i made up my mind to go. I am slightly anxious about letting them take care of our children and home for the next two days. Your loving sister, lucy. Eight years earlier, a quaker leader who had already earned her reputation was speaking out for the rights of slaves and women, traveled to london to the world antislavery convention. Elizabeth, a newly red a newlywed was also a delegate. Her in the other women caused in uproar on the convention floor. The entire first day the men debated, not about the evils of slavery but whether women should be permitted to participate. Finally it was decided that they could remain silent in the. Allery the humiliation of this experience forged a lifelong mott and stanton. They vowed to expand the crusade for womens rights after they returned to america. My dearest sister, lucy, you will be pleased to hear of my new position. I now have full responsibility managing the mill. However, my increased duties have not kept me from doing my work against slavery. I was a little confused by your letter. Mean by womens rights . I have just returned from a where we were given more accounts about the terrible conditions of the slaves. Rights. E no freedom or dont women already have rights . Men must work very hard to provide their wives with a home supportrity and to their children. What more could women desire . Friend anne was always strongminded, even when are we were children. Her husband still toll rates her. He must be a saint or too old. Nd feeble to control her have i not told you that what men most prize in a woman is her affection. My martha understands this. It is truly the success of our marital bliss. I urge you to follow her ways. Your brother, cyrus. In the summer of 1848, Lucretia Mott and Elizabeth Cady stanton join Martha Wright and jane hunt for afternoon tea in waterloo, new york. Stanton no longer infatuated with being a homemaker, daylled her feelings of the. Ive poured out the torrent of my long, accumulating discontent with such indignation that i stirred myself, as well as the rest of the party, to do and dare anything. They decided to call the first womens rights convention. We need some kind of a document that will set forth exactly how we feel. One week later they met at the home of marianne mcclintock to discuss a plan for presenting their grievances. We hold these truths to be selfevident. They chose as their model the document that brought charges against the king of england, the declaration of independence. The women called their document, the declaration of sentiments, and it would induct an entire society. It is a great pleasure that i introduced to you my dear friend, Elizabeth Cady stanton. [applause] we hold these truths to be selfevident, that all men and women are created equal, that louder that all men and women are are en equal, that they dowed by their creator with thatin inalienable rights, among these are life, liberty,. Nd the pursuit of happiness the history of mankind is a and use of patients on the part use of patience on the part of man told women, having in direct object, the establishment of an absolute tyranny over her. To prove this, let facts be submitted. He has never permitted her to exercise her inalienable rights. He has compelled her to submit to laws in the formation of which she has no voice. He has withheld from her, rights. This is election day and my brother is 21 years old. How proud he seemed as he dressed up in his best sunday clothes and driving off with father and that men to vote. I turned to him and said, dont you and i love the country just as well as he and doesnt the country need our ballots . She looked scared and answered, go ahead but dont you and say so for then we would be called strongminded. From her allen right and property, even to the earns. He he has made her enough toearned school me a while. And have i got a right to do so dutifuli go home like a girl, place the mommy and father thereds, and then goes all my hard earnings . In the covenant of marriage she is compelled to promise obedience to her husband. He becoming to all intents and purposes her master. To law giving him power deprive her as the lord christ is the head of the church and the head thehe man, so is the man head and governor of the woman. This is gods choice and should transgressed. He has denied her the obtaining aor thorough education, all colleges being closed against her. Her in church, as well as state, but a subordinate position. Our colleges were never the education of. Emales the male brain weighs more than the female brain. This proves that women are intellectually inferior and should be educated for different purposes. He has usurped the of jehova himself, claiming it as his right to her a sphere of action when that belongs to her to her god. Nd i felt that i had found my. Ocation i forgot god and did not know it i forgot philosophy and did not it. To remember get barts forgot to dinner and only once did i do this but again and again. The fire went out or the brade ran over in the pan while i. Aint the and dreamed had the passion seize med before marriage, no other love could and art. Between me aselt that it was too late, my life was already devoted to. Nother object, housekeeping we have endeavored in every way that he could to destroy her confidence and her own powers, lessen herselfrespect, and to make her willing to lead a dependent and abject life. Dear cyrus, you sound more like father than father did when he was alive. Must confess, i am confused by all of this talk of womens rights. My heart is enflamed as much with a fearful anxiety as it is. Tirred with new ideas i never expected to see women and withso eloquently such power in public. Cyrus, they spoke like. En or even better yet, i know im very happy in my my wonderful children and loving husband but what about my lovely sarah . Should she stay home like i did tole her brothers go off college . Shouldnt a man want a woman who can think and is well educated to be his companion and raise his children . Lucy. Oving sister, no need to fear, cyrus. I have not signed any declaration. Not be sure how mr. Griswold would feel so i back. And by the way, anne didnt sign either. 300 people attended the for womens rights in seneca falls. Sign, 68 women and 32 men ed the declaration of sent iments, including the africanamerican abolitionist Frederick Frederick douglass. This gathering demonstrated to women unhappy with their status that they were not alone and it proclaimed to the world that here were women and men willing to change the conditions oppressedices which them. They knew their path would not. E easy my dear lucy, i urge you not ownook away from your Little Family circle for the means of producing moral and reforms you can be a Guiding Light within your home and should not participate in. Ublic demonstrations amy, come back here. [dog barking] go back with your mother on the blanket. I pray you still believe that far superior to men morally. That is why it is your duty to your children with those values our dear departed mother taught us. Your loving brother, cylus. The ladies want . They have the best place table. Tidbit at the they have the best seat in the cars, carriages and at the prevailinge with the fashion, one lady occupies three worldas much space in the as a gentleman. If there is any inequality or oppression in the case, the are the sufferers. Critics andd the newspapermen realize that the negative attention they gave to the first womans rights spread theserved to flames of discontent to others. The issues, now hotly debated in arena, could no long er be ignored. The meeting, as i understand it, was called to discuss women rights. Well, i do not pretend to know exactly what womans rights are but i do know that i have grown for 40 years, yay for 50 years, wrongs. Sense of womans i suppose marriages well, and shehose teacher works, so does my dad. But she quit working for a while until myome with us brother was in kindergarten we homeold enough to stay alone. She had to put her career on hold mix dad could have done that, too, i think. Would expected to have her own profession like i would have mine. Expect the food to be on the table at the same time. Got to balance out on that. You see how all the for boys, theys always get on tv, and the dream team and all of that, but for do they get . They hardly get any recognition. You know . Had a dream team for girls. Yeah, but nobody really paid attention to them. Yeah, they did. No, they didnt. Yeah, they did. No, they didnt. Yeah, they did. No, they did not. Mmhmm. No. Me. T tell they did not pay attention. In the eyes of the law made women were classified with minors, lunatic and idiots. Not own property, make contracts, sue, or serve on juries. One husbandonly away from poverty. Dear cylus, i write with a sad heart the news of uncle edwards death. Undenounce if the to aunt grace, he had deeply encumbered himself the creditors have claimed everything, now she must the very house of which her father gave to her it fright ens plea to think that a her husband may. Ecome destitute in an instant what if something were to happen to mr. Griswold . Who would take care of us . I shouldnt permit my self to think such thoughts. You that iide in will do everything in my power to secure a good education for sarah so she can be independent and realize her own selfworth. Sugar for ed buying helping small way of the cause. Love, lucy. Lucy, i will miss uncle edward. Would always so much fun to be with though he helped himself too much to the bottle. Surely aunt grace was ware of his drinking and financial extravagances perhaps autograce remarry and there by ensure the security of her family. Husbands are the best protection from poverty even though they are not immortal. My boys are shooting up like stalks i urge them to study hard so they concern a living when im too old to earn anymore. My work keeps me so occupied worry that i do not spend enough time with them although i time theyw how much want to spend with me. Martha is still frail from the of joshua. She looks forward to spending some time with you. Brother, cylus. Ofthe common experience childbirth and child rearing bound most women together. Their adultuch of lives pregnant, giving birth, nursing, recovering from birth, female kining their and friends. By gods grace, i have given birth to 10 children before my 34th year and the four who have survived, i am still alive with gods grace again i will give life to this one and he will not take mine. I pray that jonathan will not me again. Terest in i cannot bear much more. Dear cylus, today is sarahs. 6th birthday where, my dear brother do the years go. Sarah is very involved with herself. I know the stage will pass but sometimes, oh, she is impossible to be with. Town to buyo material for a silk dress. Her ideas about fashion differed from mine. How about this one . Sorry. Im so. We passed a woman wearing i must say they are not flattering to the hips. I told sarah i would relish the freedom of movement they give but sarah declared if i wore ich a scandalous outfit, i wouldnt be welcomed to visit her at school or tell anyone i mother. My wordsr sister, mark if women insist on wearing those vulgar fashions, the next thing you know, we will see them smoking tobacco. It is fortunate that your sarah mothersnherited her radical notions. She will need to attract a level herded young man for husband and no healthy member would ever be attracted to a woman in bloomers. , i amore serious note more concerned about the great rift that grows between the north and south. Eli is worried over whether he will be able to keep running. Ry rung so much talk of war. And i fear for all our sons and. Ur country cylus. Ving brother, thats what im worried about he can laugh. The civil war came, women kept the farms producing and the factories running. Dawned nurses caps and marched to the battle fields to heal the wounded. They taught the children and the home fires burning. The leaders of the womens campaign forthe the passage of a constitutional amendment which would free the. Laves women expected equal rights for themselves after the war. Martha, the sad nesswells up in me as i write me as i write to you about the great loss we share of the death of my dear brother cylus. I hear very little from eli and sons. Sarah done comforted with s pregnant as she awaits the return of her husband. Hold thedont always same opinions, we manage to have lengthy discussions to fill our lonely hours. Are free, ives believe the negroes must have the vote to protect themselves from any more abuses. Sarah says women must also get the right to vote. Would have awomen say in the laws of the land, then there would be no wars. Shes right. I still feel that even if we have a say who would listen to voices . Martha, am i just growing old and tired . I wish we could be together now. Ith love and comfort, lucy when the war ended, most supported as constitutional amendment giving africanamerican men the right to vote. Refused, however, to include a womans right to vote, fearing it would be too controversial and would defeat their cause. This decision created a major split between those woman suffrage advocates, women to put their desires on the back burner , and those unwilling to wait any longer for the basic. Ivil rights of all women the seed planted 20 years falls stilleneca had not blossomed. Always puts you down. Yeah. You always put us down. Not all the time. All the time . Well, look, you just put me down right there. Yelling at mee for putting you down when you put me down. Matter. Esnt really so both girls and boys say that but it still means that girls are treated differently than boy s. Have you ever seen a girl president . No. , umm u seen [laughter]. It will never happen i dont think it will ever. Ecome equal i think youre wrong. I think it will. , itnless we lose gender will never see, he still thinks he has. Ll the power no. Im not saying that men are over dont think it will ever be totally equal. I think it will. My dearest sarah, at 40, i know you feel you are too old to dear oldce from your mother but at my age i feel i have earned the right to speak daughter and your my granddaughter. I sense that you and charles are hannah will be criticized and rid cuted ridiculed if she enters the medical profession. I hope you will accept this money as my modest investment in hannahs future. Alive, hether were would have wanted this, too. Must make sure our daughters have the same opportunities as our sons. Im afraid i wont be around see all theto changes that are yet to come and yet i cant help but think about how far weve come since that 1848 and howy in much of the road is still left travel. Your loving mother. [captions Copyright National cable satellite corp. 2017] [captioning performed by the national captioning institute, which is responsible for its caption content and accuracy. Visit ncicap. Org] youre watching American History tv all weekend and every weekend on cspan3. Conversation, like. S on facebook cspanhistory tonight on afterwards, man hour hour about her grandfather, director of the manhattan project. Shes interviewed by bruce darling of the National Academy of sciences and National National research council. I think because of his entire wartime experience, he became only way fort the democracy to survive the best and be aat our enemies strong country was to have a great School System where we showed that democracy was better wen dictatorship and that would have sufficiently brilliant people, talented in government and science and the way to do that was to have the s. A. T. , which he helped invent and implement in schools across the country to produce what he felt were the kind of leaders, the kind of technically advanced people that we would positions of power if we were going to be a great nation the hightech world that he the 1950pproaching in s and 1960s. So he had an extraordinary im pact on american life. Watch afterwards tonight, s booktern on cspan2 tv. Next, history professor Catherine Rymph talks about her book raising government children a history of foster care and the american welfare state. She focuses her study on the decades between the 1930s and the 1970s after president deal. Elts new the university of missouri host ed this hour and 20minute. Alk jeff today we are going to have our speaker, one of the most widely respect respected scholar here atlleagues the university of missouri, bar none. Professor Catherine Rymph. Catherine is an associate professor of undergraduate studies at the History Department where she and i have served together for