Citation: Joint Resolution of Congress proposing a constitutional amendment extending the right of suffrage to women, approved June 4, 1919.; Ratified Amendments, 1795-1992; General Records of the United States Government; Record Group 11; National Archives.
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Passed by Congress June 4, 1919, and ratified on August 18, 1920, the 19th amendment granted women the right to vote.
The 19th amendment legally guarantees American women the right to vote. Achieving this milestone required a lengthy and difficult struggle—victory took decades of agitation and protest. Beginning in the mid-19th century, several generations of woman suffrage supporters lectured, wrote, marched, lobbied, and practiced civil disobedience to achieve what many Americans considered a radical change of the Constitution. Few early supporters lived to see final victory in 1920.
Beginning in the 1800s, women organized, petitioned, and picketed to win the right to vote, but it took them decades to accomplish their purpose. Between 1878, when the amendment was first introduced in Congress, and August 18, 1920, when it was ratified, champions of voting rights for women worked tirelessly, but strategies for achieving their goal varied. Some pursued a strategy of passing suffrage acts in each state—nine western states adopted woman suffrage legislation by 1912. Others challenged male-only voting laws in the courts. Some suffragists used more confrontational tactics such as picketing, silent vigils, and hunger strikes. Often supporters met fierce resistance. Opponents heckled, jailed, and sometimes physically abused them.
By 1916, almost all of the major suffrage organizations were united behind the goal of a constitutional amendment. When New York adopted woman suffrage in 1917 and President Wilson changed his position to support an amendment in 1918, the political balance began to shift.
On May 21, 1919, the House of Representatives passed the amendment, and 2 weeks later, the Senate followed. When Tennessee became the 36th state to ratify the amendment on August 18, 1920, the amendment passed its final hurdle of obtaining the agreement of three-fourths of the states. Secretary of State Bainbridge Colby certified the ratification on August 26, 1920, changing the face of the American electorate forever.
The campaign for woman suffrage was long, difficult, and sometimes dramatic; yet ratification did not ensure full enfranchisem*nt. Decades of struggle to include African Americans and other minority women in the promise of voting rights remained. Many women remained unable to vote long into the 20th century because of discriminatory state voting laws.
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Transcript
Sixty-sixth Congress of the United States of America; At the First Session,
Begun and held at the City of Washington on Monday, the nineteenth day of May, one thousand nine hundred and nineteen.
JOINT RESOLUTION
Proposing an amendment to the Constitution extending the right of suffrage to women.
Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled(two-thirds of each House concurring therein), That the following article is proposed as an amendment to the Constitution, which shall be valid to all intents and purposes as part of the Constitution when ratified by the legislature of three-fourths of the several States.
"ARTICLE ————.
"The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex.
Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation."
[endorsem*nts]
As an expert on American history, particularly the suffrage movement and constitutional amendments, I can confidently provide insights into the historical context and significance of the 19th Amendment to the United States Constitution. My expertise in this area stems from an in-depth understanding of primary sources, historical records, and the broader socio-political landscape of the early 20th century.
The 19th Amendment, passed by Congress on June 4, 1919, and ratified on August 18, 1920, marked a pivotal moment in American history by granting women the constitutional right to vote. This amendment was a result of a protracted and challenging struggle that spanned several decades, requiring relentless efforts from women suffrage supporters.
The suffrage movement, which gained momentum in the mid-19th century, saw multiple generations of activists engaging in various forms of advocacy, including lectures, writings, marches, lobbying, and civil disobedience. The campaign for women's right to vote faced considerable opposition, with suffragists encountering heckling, imprisonment, and physical abuse from opponents.
The strategies employed by suffragists were diverse. While some focused on passing suffrage acts in individual states, leading to the adoption of woman suffrage legislation by nine western states by 1912, others pursued legal challenges against male-only voting laws in the courts. Confrontational tactics such as picketing, silent vigils, and hunger strikes were also utilized by some suffragists.
By 1916, major suffrage organizations had united behind the common goal of a constitutional amendment. The political landscape began to shift with significant developments, including New York adopting woman suffrage in 1917 and President Wilson expressing support for an amendment in 1918. The House of Representatives passed the amendment on May 21, 1919, followed by the Senate two weeks later.
The crucial 36th state to ratify the amendment was Tennessee, on August 18, 1920, marking the final hurdle for the 19th Amendment. Secretary of State Bainbridge Colby certified the ratification on August 26, 1920, officially changing the landscape of the American electorate.
It's important to note that the ratification of the 19th Amendment did not guarantee full enfranchisem*nt for all women. The struggle continued for decades to include African Americans and other minority women in the promise of voting rights, as discriminatory state voting laws persisted.
The joint resolution proposing the amendment, as seen in the provided text, explicitly states the extension of the right of suffrage to women. The accompanying endorsem*nts reflect the support of the resolution by the members of the Congress, emphasizing the two-thirds majority required for such a constitutional amendment.
In summary, the 19th Amendment stands as a testament to the perseverance and dedication of the suffragists who tirelessly fought for women's right to vote, shaping the course of American democracy. The journey toward full voting rights, however, continued beyond 1920, as efforts persisted to overcome discriminatory voting laws and ensure universal suffrage for all citizens.
