“Votes for Women! The Woman's Reason" by the National American Woman Suffrage Association, 1912

In this 1912 broadside published in New York City by the National American Woman Suffrage Association, ten reasons why women should vote equally with men are listed.

Courtesy of Library of Congress, "Votes For Women! The Woman's Reason...," National American Woman Suffrage Association, New York, 1912

Description

The broadside, published by the National American Woman Suffrage Association, includes 10 reasons why women should vote equally with men are listed. The poster was created in 1912, and even made reference to a line made famous by Abraham Lincoln's second inaugural address by stating, "Because women are citizens of a government of the people, by the people and for the people. And women are people."

Transcript of "Votes for Women! The Woman's Reason" Broadside

Source-Dependent Questions

How many of the reasons presented in this publication have to do with taxes or improving public welfare? Why would those issues be strong arguments for supporting women’s suffrage?
The last part of President Abraham Lincoln’s 1863 Gettysburg Address is: "... that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom — and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth." Why would the National American Woman Suffrage Association use that famous text? In what ways is the struggle for women's suffrage similar to and different from African-American suffrage and American-Indian suffrage?

Citation Information

"Votes For Women! The Woman's Reason...," National American Woman Suffrage Association, New York, 1912. Courtesy of Library of Congress