(1848-1920)
A WebQuest
Designed by:
Lauren Day-Lewis
SLM 521
Fall 2004
Introduction:
Women were not granted the right to vote until 1920! During the U.S. colonial times, voting was limited to adult males who owned property. The early 19th century experienced changing social conditions, including the idea of equality, which led to the beginning of the women’s suffrage movement. More women were receiving educations and increasing their interest in politics. Also, many women were beginning to question why they were not allowed to vote. So, many women across the country banded together to fight for their rights. This WebQuest will allow you to determine the methods and strategies women used to gain their rights, as well as important figures who contributed to the women’s movement.
The Task:
Working in groups of three, you will use the internet to find out and document information about the Women's Suffrage Movement. This movement began in 1848 and ended in 1920, when the 19th Amendment allowed women the right to vote. Your job is to find out how and where the Women's Suffrage Movement began, what reforms were demanded, and what strategies and methods were used by women to attain the reforms that were demanded. As a group, view the resources to find more background information on the movement. Create a list of important events and historical figures who contributed to the movement. After you visit each site and obtain more information, each member of your group will research a different period of time during the movement. Since the women's fight for suffrage lasted for almost 75 years, focusing on a certain time frame will allow you to gather specific details and information about that time period. Again, before each member chooses a period of time to research, take some time to view the resources you will be using for this activity (websites listed in the Resources section).
As you review the resources, use the following questions to guide you as you search for background information:
Women were not granted the right to vote until 1920! During the U.S. colonial times, voting was limited to adult males who owned property. The early 19th century experienced changing social conditions, including the idea of equality, which led to the beginning of the women’s suffrage movement. More women were receiving educations and increasing their interest in politics. Also, many women were beginning to question why they were not allowed to vote. So, many women across the country banded together to fight for their rights. This WebQuest will allow you to determine the methods and strategies women used to gain their rights, as well as important figures who contributed to the women’s movement.
The Task:
Working in groups of three, you will use the internet to find out and document information about the Women's Suffrage Movement. This movement began in 1848 and ended in 1920, when the 19th Amendment allowed women the right to vote. Your job is to find out how and where the Women's Suffrage Movement began, what reforms were demanded, and what strategies and methods were used by women to attain the reforms that were demanded. As a group, view the resources to find more background information on the movement. Create a list of important events and historical figures who contributed to the movement. After you visit each site and obtain more information, each member of your group will research a different period of time during the movement. Since the women's fight for suffrage lasted for almost 75 years, focusing on a certain time frame will allow you to gather specific details and information about that time period. Again, before each member chooses a period of time to research, take some time to view the resources you will be using for this activity (websites listed in the Resources section).
As you review the resources, use the following questions to guide you as you search for background information:
- What date marked the beginning of the Women's Suffrage Movement?
- Desribe the conversation that took place at the afternoon tea party in upstate New York.
- What woman voiced her concerns for women's rights at this tea party? What were her concerns?
- Describe the "Declaration of Sentiments".
- Where did the first Women's Rights Convention take place?
- Who attended the first convention?
- What other conventions, gatherings, or meetings were held to promote women's rights?
- What other issues were discussed at the conventions?
- http://www.legacy98.org/move-hist.html
- http://www.mith2.umd.edu/WomensStudies/ReadingRoom/History/Vote.html
- http://www.suffragist.com/timeline.htm
- http://dpsinfo.com/women/history/timeline.html
- http://www.historychannel.com/exhibits/woman/timeline.html
The Process:
10. As a group, create a poster - draw the chart on posterboard and include the information that each student has found.
11. Groups will present poster to the class - *each group member is expected to present the information on the period of time they chose*.
12. Turn in your handwritten notes, lists, answer to questions, or any other data you collected during this assignment.
- Split up into groups of three.
- Go to the Resources section of this page and view each resource.
- Take notes or create a list of important dates, people, events, etc. as you view each website.
- Include answers to the questions listed under the Task section in your
notes.
- As a group, discuss the information provided at each website.
- Each group member will choose a specific time period to research in further detail:
- 1848-1869
- 1870-1899
- 1900-1920
- Visit each web site again on your own (not as a group) and only research the time frame you chose.
- As you gather more information about your period of time during the movement, take detailed notes.
- Important dates, events, people
- The reforms that were demanded
- Strategies and methods used to to attain reforms
- Obstacles faced during that time period
- Progress made during that time period
- Rights granted/changes to the constitution
10. As a group, create a poster - draw the chart on posterboard and include the information that each student has found.
11. Groups will present poster to the class - *each group member is expected to present the information on the period of time they chose*.
12. Turn in your handwritten notes, lists, answer to questions, or any other data you collected during this assignment.
| Describe: |
1848-1869 |
1870-1899 |
1900-1920 |
| Reforms Demanded (What
did women want?) |
|||
| Women who contributed/Important
historical figures |
|||
| Strategies/Methods to attain the reforms demanded
(conventions/meetings, etc.) |
|||
| Obstacles faced/overcome
|
|||
| Progress/Goals Accomplished |
|||
| Rights granted/Changes
to the Constitution |
|||
| Additional Information |
Evaluation:
| 1-Bare Minimum |
2-Developed |
3-Accomplished |
|
| Group Collaboration/Cooperation |
Little effort in contributing to group discussions.
Little effort in finding the answers to background information questions. |
Providing a few thoughts to group discussions. Locating the answers to a few questions. |
Providing comments on each resource and discussing
information with group members. Participating on finding the answers to each question and documenting each answer. |
| Content in Chart/Poster |
Includes only a few dates and one or two women who
contributed to the movement. Each section in the chart only includes a few words. |
Includes important dates, people who contributed to
the movement. Lists a few accomplishments and at least one method used by suffragists to obtain their goals. |
Includes important dates, people, and methods to gain
suffrage. Includes a description of the reforms demanded, obstacles faced during that time period, goals accomplished, and rights that women gained. |
| Presentation |
One or two sentences explaining the chosen period of
time and one or two events that occured during that time. |
Briefly discussing the women who played a major role
in the movement at that time and one of the methodsused at that time. |
An explanation of the period of time you choose and
the major events that occured during that time period. Includes methods
used by suffragists, obstacles they faced, goals/achievements accomplished,
and rights women won. |
| Handwritten notes containing answers to questions,
a list of major and other information gathered. |
Only five brief answers. Less than one page of notes. |
Answers to the majority of the questions. At brief list of events. One or two pages handwritten total. |
Answers to all the of the background information questions. A detailed list of important events and notes recorded. A total of three pages handwritten. |
Conclusion:
Now that you and your group have researched the Women's Suffrage Movement, you have developed a better understanding of the struggle many American women endured to gain suffrage. By dividing the labor of this project and researching different time frames, each one of you has become an expert on a particular period of time during the movement. I hope that this activity has allowed you to realize why women fought so hard for the right to vote and how they finally gained this right. I also hope you now have a better understanding of the importance of voting and a better appreciation of the right to vote in the United States!
Now that you and your group have researched the Women's Suffrage Movement, you have developed a better understanding of the struggle many American women endured to gain suffrage. By dividing the labor of this project and researching different time frames, each one of you has become an expert on a particular period of time during the movement. I hope that this activity has allowed you to realize why women fought so hard for the right to vote and how they finally gained this right. I also hope you now have a better understanding of the importance of voting and a better appreciation of the right to vote in the United States!