Civics

Thematic Thread Across U.S. History - Article

Women’s Rights

The Struggle for Women’s Rights in the 19th Century

 

Supreme Court and the Lives of American Women, 1908-2022

Summary: One lesson is focused on the struggle for women’s rights in the 19th century, with a historical role playing activity at the 1848 Women’s Rights Convention and another asking whether the women’s organizations should support the 15th Amendment which did not include the right to vote for women. The second lesson asks students to consider how Supreme Court decisions from 1908 until 2023 have shaped the rights, and the lives, of American women. Students will analyze and develop expertise in one of six Supreme Court cases that relate to the constitutional rights of women. Students will also be exposed to the content, themes, and questions from the other five cases via peer-to -peer instruction. The goal is to introduce students to a broad range of Supreme Court cases that have impacted American women and develop a working knowledge and expertise by using primary sources and secondary sources. The lessons can be used separately during their relevant historical periods or as a full understanding of the changing rights and roles of American women from the 1700s to today.

Overarching Questions:

  • CIVICS: Have the concepts of liberty, justice and/or equality changed during the time period? If so, how and what has been the impact?
  • CIVICS: How well does the government balance individual rights and the common good, including the need to maintain order, safety and a healthy environment, during this time period?
  • CIVICS: Have individuals and groups influenced public policy during this time period? If so, how and what has been the impact?

NJ Student Learning Standards for Social Studies:

  • 6.1.12.CivicsDP.6.a: Use a variety of sources from multiple perspectives to document the ways in which women organized to promote government policies designed to address injustice, inequality, and workplace safety (i.e., abolition, women’s suffrage and the temperance movement).
  • 6.1.12.HistoryCC.13.d: Analyze the successes and failures of women’s rights organizations, the American Indian Movement, and La Raza in their pursuit of civil rights and equal opportunities
  • 6.1.12.CivicsPI.14.c: Analyze how the Supreme Court has interpreted the Constitution to define and expand individual rights and use evidence to document the long-term impact of these decisions on the protection of civil and human rights.

Links for Lesson: