Political and Social Change Created by the Actions of Susan B. Anthony

The actions of Susan B. Anthony brought about great change for women. During her lifetime women had very little rights in the American male dominated political and social arena. Susan B. Anthony's actions help to create political change, allowing women the right to vote and married women to own property.

Susan B. Anthony is best known for her work as a suffragist. Her efforts to gain the right for women to vote were tireless and relentless. She spent her lifetime lecturing, gathering petitions, and acting as president and vice present of the National American Suffrage Association. Her persistence never wavered. In 1872 she and a group of women illegally voted in Rochester, New York and were arrested for their actions. Anthony was found guilty and refused to pay the fine ordered by judge. While Anthony did not live to see the passing of the Nineteenth Amendment, allowing women the right to vote, it is noted that without the efforts and persistence of Susan B. Anthony it may have never been passed. The amendment is also known as the Susan B. Anthony Amendment.

The Nineteenth Amendment was crucial for women. By allowing women to vote, it gave women a voice in the political arena. By voting, women were impacting politics and their voices were being heard on issues. No longer could politicians just speak to men's issues. Now politicians needed to note the needs of women and their desires for change. This change would eventually lead to opportunities for women that before were only allotted to men.

In addition to fighting for the right of women to vote, Susan B. Anthony also fought for the right of married women to own property in New York. It was law that women who married were not allowed to own property. Upon marriage women lost the ownership of prior property they owned, and in turn could not sell, trade or collect rent on the property as a married women. Susan B. Anthony, just as with the suffrage movement, spoke, petitioned and relentlessly worked for the right of married women to own property. Susan B. Anthony helped to change this law.

The change created by the New York State Married Women's Property Bill changed many aspects of a married women's life. It afforded her more stability and freedom. Before this law women could be poverty stricken in the event of a divorce or after the death of a spouse. It also gave women the freedom to leave a marriage if she decided to without the fear of living in complete poverty, and losing the custody of her children. The social stature of women was also changed. Women now had buying power, and merchants would soon realize this and offer products women needed and wanted to buy. No longer was it a man's world, where women were considered less than a man in their needs and wants. Socially, slowly women were being accepted as equal and as capable as men.

New York State Married Women's Bill and the freedom for women to vote were the foundation of women's rights to equality and fairness. In this day and age it is tough to imagine a world where women had so very little rights or opportunities. With out the steps taken by women like Susan B. Anthony many of the rights of women today, may have never been realized. Susan B. Anthony's actions gave women a voice in politics and in the social world. Because of Anthony women were heard, they acquired the right to vote, support oneself with their own wages, own land and allowed to raise their own children. The foundation lay by Anthony empowered women and changed America forever.