SENECA FALLS DECLARATION ON WOMEN'S RIGHTS SENECA FALLS DECLARATION CIVIL RIGHTS/EQUALITY SUFFRAGE U.S GOVERNMENT AND CONSTITUTION AMERICAN CULTURE DECLARATION OF SENTIMENTS JULY 1848 DECLARATION OF SENTIMENTS WHEN IN THE COURSE OF HUMAN EVENTS IT BECOMES NECESSARY FOR ONE PORTION OF THE FAMILY OF MAN TO ASSUME AMONG THE PEOPLE OF THE EARTH A POSITION DIFFERENT FROM THAT WHICH THEY HAVE HITHERTO OCCUPIED BUT ONE TO WHICH THE LAWS OF NATURE AND OF NATURE'S GOD ENTITLE THEM A DECENT RESPECT TO THE OPINIONS OF MANKIND REQUIRES THAT THEY SHOULD DECLARE THE CAUSES THAT IMPEL THEM TO SUCH A COURSE WE HOLD THESE TRUTHS TO BE SELF EVIDENT THAT ALL MEN AND WOMEN ARE CREATED EQUAL THAT THEY ARE ENDOWED BY THEIR CREATOR WITH CERTAIN INALIENABLE RIGHTS THAT AMONG THESE ARE LIFE LIBERTY AND THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS THAT TO SECURE THESE RIGHTS GOVERNMENTS ARE INSTITUTED DERIVING THEIR JUST POWERS FROM THE CONSENT OF THE GOVERNED WHENEVER ANY FORM OF GOVERNMENT BECOMES DESTRUCTIVE OF THESE ENDS IT IS THE RIGHT OF THOSE WHO SUFFER FROM IT TO REFUSE ALLEGIANCE TO IT AND TO INSIST UPON THE INSTITUTION OF A NEW GOVERNMENT LAYING ITS FOUNDATION ON SUCH PRINCIPLES AND ORGANIZING ITS POWERS IN SUCH FORM AS TO THEM SHALL SEEM MOST LIKELY TO EFFECT THEIR SAFETY AND HAPPINESS PRUDENCE INDEED WILL DICTATE THAT GOVERNMENTS LONG ESTABLISHED SHOULD NOT BE CHANGED FOR LIGHT AND TRANSIENT CAUSES AND ACCORDINGLY ALL EXPERIENCE HAS SHOWN THAT MANKIND ARE MORE DISPOSED TO SUFFER WHILE EVILS ARE SUFFERABLE THAN TO RIGHT THEMSELVES BY ABOLISHING THE FORMS TO WHICH THEY WERE ACCUSTOMED BUT WHEN A LONG TRAIN OF ABUSES AND USURPATIONS PURSUING INVARIABLY THE SAME OBJECT EVINCES A DESIGN TO REDUCE THEM UNDER ABSOLUTE DESPOTISM IT IS THEIR DUTY TO THROW OFF SUCH GOVERNMENT AND TO PROVIDE NEW GUARDS FOR THEIR FUTURE SECURITY SUCH HAS BEEN THE PATIENT SUFFERANCE OF THE WOMEN UNDER THIS GOVERNMENT AND SUCH IS NOW THE NECESSITY WHICH CONSTRAINS THEM TO DEMAND THE EQUAL STATION TO WHICH THEY ARE ENTITLED THE HISTORY OF MANKIND IS A HISTORY OF REPEATED INJURIES AND USURPATIONS ON THE PART OF MAN TOWARD WOMAN HAVING IN DIRECT OBJECT THE ESTABLISHMENT OF AN ABSOLUTE TYRANNY OVER HER TO PROVE THIS LET FACTS BE SUBMITTED TO A CANDID WORLD HE HAS NEVER PERMITTED HER TO EXERCISE HER INALIENABLE RIGHT TO THE ELECTIVE FRANCHISE HE HAS COMPELLED HER TO SUBMIT TO LAW IN THE FORMATION OF WHICH SHE HAD NO VOICE HE HAS WITHHELD FROM HER RIGHTS WHICH ARE GIVEN TO THE MOST IGNORANT AND DEGRADED MEN BOTH NATIVES AND FOREIGNERS HAVING DEPRIVED HER OF THIS FIRST RIGHT AS A CITIZEN THE ELECTIVE FRANCHISE THEREBY LEAVING HER WITHOUT REPRESENTATION IN THE HALLS OF LEGISLATION HE HAS OPPRESSED HER ON ALL SIDES HE HAS MADE HER IF MARRIED IN THE EYE OF THE LAW CIVILLY DEAD HE HAS TAKEN FROM HER ALL RIGHT IN PROPERTY EVEN TO THE WAGES SHE EARNS HE HAS MADE HER MORALLY AN IRRESPONSIBLE BEING AS SHE CAN COMMIT MANY CRIMES WITH IMPUNITY PROVIDED THEY BE DONE IN THE PRESENCE OF HER HUSBAND IN THE COVENANT OF MARRIAGE SHE IS COMPELLED TO PROMISE OBEDIENCE TO HER HUSBAND HE BECOMING TO ALL INTENTS AND PURPOSES HER MASTER THE LAW GIVING HIM POWER TO DEPRIVE HER OF HER LIBERTY AND TO ADMINISTER CHASTISEMENT HE HAS SO FRAMED THE LAWS OF DIVORCE AS TO WHAT SHALL BE THE PROPER CAUSES AND IN CASE OF SEPARATION TO WHOM THE GUARDIANSHIP OF THE CHILDREN SHALL BE GIVEN AS TO BE WHOLLY REGARDLESS OF THE HAPPINESS OF THE WOMEN THE LAW IN ALL CASES GOING UPON A FALSE SUPPOSITION OF THE SUPREMACY OF MAN AND GIVING ALL POWER INTO HIS HANDS AFTER DEPRIVING HER OF ALL RIGHTS AS A MARRIED WOMAN IF SINGLE AND THE OWNER OF PROPERTY HE HAS TAXED HER TO SUPPORT A GOVERNMENT WHICH RECOGNIZES HER ONLY WHEN HER PROPERTY CAN BE MADE PROFITABLE TO IT HE HAS MONOPOLIZED NEARLY ALL THE PROFITABLE EMPLOYMENTS AND FROM THOSE SHE IS PERMITTED TO FOLLOW SHE RECEIVES BUT A SCANTY REMUNERATION HE CLOSES AGAINST HER ALL THE AVENUES TO WEALTH AND DISTINCTION WHICH HE CONSIDERS MOST HONORABLE TO HIMSELF AS A TEACHER OF THEOLOGY MEDICINE OR LAW SHE IS NOT KNOWN HE HAS DENIED HER THE FACILITIES FOR OBTAINING A THOROUGH EDUCATION ALL COLLEGES BEING CLOSED AGAINST HER HE ALLOWS HER IN CHURCH AS WELL AS STATE BUT A SUBORDINATE POSITION CLAIMING APOSTOLIC AUTHORITY FOR HER EXCLUSION FROM THE MINISTRY AND WITH SOME EXCEPTIONS FROM ANY PUBLIC PARTICIPATION IN THE AFFAIRS OF THE CHURCH HE HAS CREATED A FALSE PUBLIC SENTIMENT BY GIVING TO THE WORLD A DIFFERENT CODE OF MORALS FOR MEN AND WOMEN BY WHICH MORAL DELINQUENCIES WHICH EXCLUDE WOMEN FROM SOCIETY ARE NOT ONLY TOLERATED BUT DEEMED OF LITTLE ACCOUNT IN MAN HE HAS USURPED THE PREROGATIVE OF JEHOVAH HIMSELF CLAIMING IT AS HIS RIGHT TO ASSIGN FOR HER A SPHERE OF ACTION WHEN THAT BELONGS TO HER CONSCIENCE AND TO HER GOD HE HAS ENDEAVORED IN EVERY WAY THAT HE COULD TO DESTROY HER CONFIDENCE IN HER OWN POWERS TO LESSEN HER SELF RESPECT AND TO MAKE HER WILLING TO LEAD A DEPENDENT AND ABJECT LIFE NOW IN VIEW OF THIS ENTIRE DISFRANCHISEMENT OF ONE HALF THE PEOPLE OF THIS COUNTRY THEIR SOCIAL AND RELIGIOUS DEGRADATION IN VIEW OF THE UNJUST LAWS ABOVE MENTIONED AND BECAUSE WOMEN DO FEEL THEMSELVES AGGRIEVED OPPRESSED AND FRAUDULENTLY DEPRIVED OF THEIR MOST SACRED RIGHTS WE INSIST THAT THEY HAVE IMMEDIATE ADMISSION TO ALL THE RIGHTS AND PRIVILEGES WHICH BELONG TO THEM AS CITIZENS OF THE UNITED STATES IN ENTERING UPON THE GREAT WORK BEFORE US WE ANTICIPATE NO SMALL AMOUNT OF MISCONCEPTION MISREPRESENTATION AND RIDICULE BUT WE SHALL USE EVERY INSTRUMENTALITY WITHIN OUR POWER TO EFFECT OUR OBJECT WE SHALL EMPLOY AGENTS CIRCULATE TRACTS PETITION THE STATE AND NATIONAL LEGISLATURES AND ENDEAVOR TO ENLIST THE PULPIT AND THE PRESS IN OUR BEHALF WE HOPE THIS CONVENTION WILL BE FOLLOWED BY A SERIES OF CONVENTIONS EMBRACING EVERY PART OF THE COUNTRY RESOLUTION WHEREAS THE GREAT PRECEPT OF NATURE IS CONCEDED TO BE THAT MAN SHALL PURSUE HIS OWN TRUE AND SUBSTANTIAL HAPPINESS BLACKSTONE IN HIS COMMENTARIES REMARKS THAT THIS LAW OF NATURE BEING COEVAL WITH MANKIND AND DICTATED BY GOD HIMSELF IS OF COURSE SUPERIOR IN OBLIGATION TO ANY OTHER IT IS BINDING OVER ALL THE GLOBE IN ALL COUNTRIES AND AT ALL TIMES NO HUMAN LAWS ARE OF ANY VALIDITY IF CONTRARY TO THIS AND SUCH OF THEM AS ARE VALID DERIVE ALL THEIR FORCE AND ALL THEIR VALIDITY AND ALL THEIR AUTHORITY MEDIATELY AND IMMEDIATELY FROM THIS ORIGINAL THEREFORE RESOLVED THAT SUCH LAWS AS CONFLICT IN ANY WAY WITH THE TRUE AND SUBSTANTIAL HAPPINESS OF WOMAN ARE CONTRARY TO THE GREAT PRECEPT OF NATURE AND OF NO VALIDITY FOR THIS IS SUPERIOR IN OBLIGATION TO ANY OTHER RESOLVED THAT ALL LAWS WHICH PREVENT WOMAN FROM OCCUPYING SUCH A STATION IN SOCIETY AS HER CONSCIENCE SHALL DICTATE OR WHICH PLACE HER IN A POSITION INFERIOR TO THAT OF MAN ARE CONTRARY TO THE GREAT PRECEPT OF NATURE AND THEREFORE OF NO FORCE OR AUTHORITY RESOLVED THAT WOMAN IS MAN'S EQUAL WAS INTENDED TO BE SO BY THE CREATOR AND THE HIGHEST GOOD OF THE RACE DEMANDS THAT SHE SHOULD BE RECOGNIZED AS SUCH RESOLVED THAT THE WOMEN OF THIS COUNTRY OUGHT TO BE ENLIGHTENED IN REGARD TO THE LAWS UNDER WHICH THEY LIVE THAT THEY MAY NO LONGER PUBLISH THEIR DEGRADATION BY DECLARING THEMSELVES SATISFIED WITH THEIR PRESENT POSITION NOR THEIR IGNORANCE BY ASSERTING THAT THEY HAVE ALL THE RIGHTS THEY WANT RESOLVED THAT INASMUCH AS MAN WHILE CLAIMING FOR HIMSELF INTELLECTUAL SUPERIORITY DOES ACCORD TO WOMAN MORAL SUPERIORITY IT IS PREEMINENTLY HIS DUTY TO ENCOURAGE HER TO SPEAK AND TEACH AS SHE HAS AN OPPORTUNITY IN ALL RELIGIOUS ASSEMBLIES RESOLVED THAT THE SAME AMOUNT OF VIRTUE DELICACY AND REFINEMENT OF BEHAVIOR THAT IS REQUIRED OF WOMAN IN THE SOCIAL STATE ALSO BE REQUIRED OF MAN AND THE SAME TRANSGRESSIONS SHOULD BE VISITED WITH EQUAL SEVERITY ON BOTH MAN AND WOMAN RESOLVED THAT THE OBJECTION OF INDELICACY AND IMPROPRIETY WHICH IS SO OFTEN BROUGHT AGAINST WOMAN WHEN SHE ADDRESSES A PUBLIC AUDIENCE COMES WITH A VERY ILL GRACE FROM THOSE WHO ENCOURAGE BY THEIR ATTENDANCE HER APPEARANCE ON THE STAGE IN THE CONCERT OR IN FEATS OF THE CIRCUS RESOLVED THAT WOMAN HAS TOO LONG RESTED SATISFIED IN THE CIRCUMSCRIBED LIMITS WHICH CORRUPT CUSTOMS AND A PERVERTED APPLICATION OF THE SCRIPTURES HAVE MARKED OUT FOR HER AND THAT IT IS TIME SHE SHOULD MOVE IN THE ENLARGED SPHERE WHICH HER GREAT CREATOR HAS ASSIGNED HER RESOLVED THAT IT IS THE DUTY OF THE WOMEN OF THIS COUNTRY TO SECURE TO THEMSELVES THEIR SACRED RIGHT TO THE ELECTIVE FRANCHISE RESOLVED THAT THE EQUALITY OF HUMAN RIGHTS RESULTS NECESSARILY FROM THE FACT OF THE IDENTITY OF THE RACE IN CAPABILITIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES RESOLVED THAT THE SPEEDY SUCCESS OF OUR CAUSE DEPENDS UPON THE ZEALOUS AND UNTIRING EFFORTS OF BOTH MEN AND WOMEN FOR THE OVERTHROW OF THE MONOPOLY OF THE PULPIT AND FOR THE SECURING TO WOMAN AN EQUAL PARTICIPATION WITH MEN IN THE VARIOUS TRADES PROFESSIONS AND COMMERCE RESOLVED THEREFORE THAT BEING INVESTED BY THE CREATOR WITH THE SAME CAPABILITIES AND SAME CONSCIOUSNESS OF RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR EXERCISE IT IS DEMONSTRABLY THE RIGHT AND DUTY OF WOMAN EQUALLY WITH MAN TO PROMOTE EVERY RIGHTEOUS CAUSE BY EVERY RIGHTEOUS MEANS AND ESPECIALLY IN REGARD TO THE GREAT SUBJECTS OF MORALS AND RELIGION IT IS SELF EVIDENTLY HER RIGHT TO PARTICIPATE WITH HER BROTHER IN TEACHING THEM BOTH IN PRIVATE AND IN PUBLIC BY WRITING AND BY SPEAKING BY ANY INSTRUMENTALITIES PROPER TO BE USED AND IN ANY ASSEMBLIES PROPER TO BE HELD AND THIS BEING A SELF EVIDENT TRUTH GROWING OUT OF THE DIVINELY IMPLANTED PRINCIPLES OF HUMAN NATURE ANY CUSTOM OR AUTHORITY ADVERSE TO IT WHETHER MODERN OR WEARING THE HOARY SANCTION OF ANTIQUITY IS TO BE REGARDED AS A SELF EVIDENT FALSEHOOD AND AT WAR WITH MANKIND FROM SENECA FALLS DECLARATION ON WOMEN'S RIGHTS REPRINTED IN THE ANNALS OF AMERICA VOLUME 7 1841 1849 COPYRIGHT 1976 BY ENCYCLOPEDIA BRITANNICA
