Final answer:
The laws in question have had a profound impact on women's rights, with some being protective in nature and others, like the ERA, causing division among women themselves. Key legal milestones in the struggle for equality include the passing and subsequent challenges to Roe v. Wade, as well as earlier activism that sought to establish women's right to vote and equal protection under the law.
Step-by-step explanation:
The historic struggle for women's rights has been marked by the enactment and opposition to various laws affecting gender equality. Disenfranchisement created a sense of second-class citizenship among women, which spurred action and resistance against gender discrimination. Laws such as protective legislation that limited women's work hours and the kinds of labor, they could perform were seen by many as essential. However, the introduction of the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) caused division, as some women feared it could lead to the repeal of these state laws. Conservative movements, led by figures like Phyllis Schlafly, opined that the ERA would mean the loss of certain protections geared toward women.
The fight for women's rights wasn't just legal battles; feminists also established battered women's shelters, fought against employment discrimination, and sought criminalization of domestic violence. Significantly, the Roe v. Wade decision by the U.S. Supreme Court in 1973 was a landmark moment, making abortion a legal medical procedure nationwide. Nevertheless, restrictions on abortions imposed by various states demonstrate the ongoing challenge to women's reproductive rights and freedoms.
The tireless activism and legal challenges, such as those by Mary Ann Shadd Cary and Susan B. Anthony, underscore the unwavering pursuit of equality under the law, despite setbacks like the repealing of women's voting rights in New Jersey post-Revolution. Over time, the movement saw both victories and defeats, but the overarching goal was the uprooting of not just legal but also societal and customary gender discrimination.