In 1848, at the Seneca Falls Convention, the women’s rights movement formalized its position with the publication of the “Declaration of Sentiments.” The document listed a series of economic, political, and social grievances, pointing out women were not allowed to own property and earned less money than men. As the 19 th century progressed, organizations like the National Woman Suffrage Association (NWSA) and the American Woman Suffrage Association (AWSA) were founded to promote suffrage. Meanwhile, the role of women in society began to change as the country dealt with the Civil War, Reconstruction and later, World War I. Many women’s rights advocates worked closely with the abolitionist cause to secure suffrage for African Americans. African American men were granted the right to vote in 1870 with the passage of the 15 th Amendment. However, it was not until 1920 that women earned the right to vote after the ratification of the 19 th Amendment. It might be difficult for students to envision a time when women were not allowed to vote in the United States. This lesson lets students examine primary and secondary source documents from the 19 th and early 20 th centuries, which illustrate some of the commonly held beliefs among those who supported and opposed women’s suffrage. Students will be asked to discuss some of their own opinions about women’s role in society and will write their own amendment for women’s rights