Final answer:
Wyoming Territory was the first to grant women the right to vote in 1869. This was followed by other Western states and territories, with Colorado becoming the first state to approve women's suffrage in 1893 through an all-male referendum.
Step-by-step explanation:
First State to Grant Women the Vote
In 1869, Wyoming Territory was the first jurisdiction in the United States to grant women the right to vote, a significant milestone in women's suffrage history. Wyoming did this in an attempt to increase its population. Soon after, other Western states and territories such as Utah, Idaho, and Colorado followed suit.
Notably, Colorado was the first state to approve women's suffrage through an all-male referendum in 1893. Women’s voting rights were often introduced to promote specific social or political agendas, such as countering increases in non-Mormon voters in Utah, rather than solely on the recognition of gender equality.
By 1900, these territories and several others had advanced the cause of female suffrage, leading to recognition of women’s right to vote in not only local and municipal elections but also in state elections.
The push for equal voting rights culminated with the federal government's approval of a women's suffrage amendment in 1919 and its subsequent ratification in August 1920, allowing women across the U.S. to vote in all elections, including the presidential election of November 1920.