Final answer:
In the mid-1800s, women primarily worked for the right to vote, part of the women's rights movement that sought suffrage through different means, culminating in the passage of the Nineteenth Amendment in 1920. The answer is option C.
Step-by-step explanation:
Women's Rights Movements in the Mid-1800s
In the mid-1800s, the primary cause that women worked for was suffrage, and the right to vote. This effort was part of a broader women's rights movement which began among women active in the abolition and temperance movements. The most substantial progress towards women obtaining greater control over their lives during this period included gaining rights over the wages they earned and, in some places, the ability to sue for these wages. However, it was not until the Nineteenth Amendment was passed in 1920 that women won the right to vote nationally, a culmination of decades of advocacy and reform efforts that arose from women's increased participation in public life and formal education.
The quest for women's suffrage was complex, involving various organizations with differing strategies. Some worked at the state level, while others, like the Congressional Union, aimed for national suffrage. These efforts saw various tactics employed, from speeches to more radical protests. Women's fight for suffrage and the push for civil rights continued even after the passage of the Nineteenth Amendment.