Address To Congress On Women's Suffrage Rhetorical Analysis

Because of sexist opinions of the time, many people believed that a woman had no power to create change, especially in government since she could not vote. Women themselves believed this societal expectation, and although Grimke does not reject society’s idea of femininity and womanhood entirely, she specifically rejects their supposed political incompetence in a rebuttal. Using evidence from general and specific political movements in England, all of which were greatly aided by the support of women petitioning the government, Grimke assured her audience that “When the women of these States send up to Congress such a petition our legislators will arise, as did those of England, and say: ‘When all the maids and matrons of the land are knocking at our doors we must legislate.’” (Grimke, 192) This summary of her somewhat vague past points is similarly nonspecific; however, this is still effective since simply alluding to historical events rather than explaining them was sufficient for an audience that knew more about England and its history than contemporary Americans do today.

Fifty years ago, President Kennedy gave a speech addressing the new law passed. He uses various rhetorical devices to show the audience that this act will be play a key part to creating harmony in America’s society. In JFK’s speech, “Remarks Upon Signing the Equal Pay Act”, he uses parallelism, hortative sentences, and syntax to make his claim that women should no longer be discriminated against through pay. Firstly, JFK uses parallelism to show support for women.

Killing two birds with one stone is exactly what Florence Kelley does in her speech at the National American Woman Suffrage Association convention on July 22, 1905. She argues against unfair child labor laws by utilizing emotional appeal, using rhetorical questions, and employing repetition. Kelley does this in order to convince her audience if women had the right to vote there would be better child labor laws. Kelley’s utilization of emotional appeal invokes a number of different emotions onto the audience.

Before August 18th, 1920, only men could vote in the United States. One person that helped to right this wrong was Carrie Chapman Catt. In Carrie Chapman Catt’s address to Congress on women’s suffrage, she uses logos, pathos, and other rhetorical devices to convince Congress to give women more rights. One tool that helps make this speech as effective as it is is logos. She demonstrates logos when introducing the second reason as to why women’s suffrage is inevitable.

1849 to 1910 was an important time for America. Reforms were happening all across the board, affecting workers, African Americans, and children. It was also very crucial for women’s rights – voting rights in particular. This period saw the beginning of the women’s suffrage movement; however, it also marked the start of anti-suffrage. During this time, society was divided with one of the simplest and most complicated questions of the era: what is the proper role of women?

Catt overall shown that there are better ways to handle anything. First, Catt believed in a more low-key strategy that would eventually force Congress to establish women’s right to vote. Most of the West would already allow women’s suffrage, but Catt made it to where it became a federal amendment to where all states allowed voting for everyone. She wanted a more peaceful way to establish women’s suffrage, and she achieved what she wanted.

She’s goes on to say that “woman are citizens also, they are people and that no state has a right to make any law or to enforce any old law that shall abridge their privileges”. (Anthony, 1872). She very vocal about wanting change in her speech. Change in the in the way things are thought of that will fix was is unreasonable at that

As the elected president of NAWSA, Catt started to establish an international woman suffrage organization in February 1902 known as International Woman Suffrage Alliance (IWSA). Several foreign countries of woman suffrage societies were represented such as Australia, Denmark, Germany, Great Britain, Norway, Sweden, and the United States influencing the cause around the world. In 1915, Catt set a meeting with presidents of the state suffrage associations and arranged a strategical approach of the organization’s purpose. The central intentions to attain the federal suffrage amendment must be done by pursuing the four planned goals part of the “Winning Plan.” First goal to the strategy was to receive resolutions from each state legislature to

President of the National Woman Suffrage Association and leader of the first women’s rights movement, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, in her speech the Seneca Falls Convention Keynote Address in Seneca Falls, New York, convinces the audience to take a stand for women’s rights. Stanton’s purpose is to gather enough people to stand up for women and their right to vote which is imbedded in the Constitution but is taken away from them based off of sex. She adopts a compassionate tone in order to justify to the women who attended the convention that their rights are theirs, but they have to fight to get them. Stanton’s use of logos within her speech helps get her purpose across because it appeals to the audience’s logical side.

By saying this, Eleanor presents the rhetorical device pathos, because she uses inspirational words to grab attention and connect with the listeners in a way that relates to them. She also uses vivid language to truly intrigue the audience to compromise and work together to provide peace for the country. Eleanor uses a strong form of ethos in the quote from paragraph 10 , “ This declaration is based upon the spiritual fact

The diction of Catt’s speech aids in making Catt sound credible and able to effectively connect with her audience. Her use of words like “revolution”, “Rebellion”, “government”, and “leadership” are all things that are oriented towards men. These words evoke feelings of power, authority, and coups, all things that are directed, derived from, and destroyed by men. Her use of the word “our” subconsciously makes the audience feel though they have formed a personal connection, they feel though as they are on Catt’s team and they are all working towards the same goal. The word “Our” functions as both a euphemism and an emotionally appealing word.

Florence Kelly delivered a speech before the convention of the National American Woman Suffrage Association in Philadelphia on July 22, 1905. She used rhetorical analysis such as pathos, anaphora, and logos to enlist working men to vote for the reform of child labor laws. Florence Kelly tries to assert the urgency of the situation to the audience using anaphora. She remarks, “We do not wish this. We prefer to have our work done by men and women.

Anna Howard Shaw uses a serious and persuasive tone in her speech to present her central idea that all citizens; men and women alike, should have the right to vote. Shaw believes that it is not fair to say that New York is a republic and not follow through with it completely. In the text Shaw says, “Now one of two things is true: either a Republic is a desirable form of government, or else it is not. If it is, then we should have it, if it is not then we ought not to pretend that we have it.” This statements shows that Shaw I very serious about the rights that a republican should have.

“I have encountered riotous mobs and have been hung in effigy, but my motto is: Men's rights are nothing more. Women's rights are nothing less.” Susan B. Anthony Susan B. Anthony is considered by some as the founding mother of the women’s suffrage movement in the United States. Her goal: men and women treated equally under the eyes of the law and society. The 19th Amendment in 1920 would be the culmination event for this movement, but the winds of change began blowing in 1848.

In addition she points out that half of the country has already granted suffrage to women. Lastly, she feels women have the right because of “American principles” (Chapman, 1917). American is known as a political leader to other countries, yet they have yet to give women rights. Even though she is a woman, she does a great job of articulating the facts.