Articles

These learning activities engage students with the history of women advocating for the right to vote. Each lesson uses an item from the National Woman's Party collection or an aspect of the story of suffrage to make connections to broad questions of working for change.

When Carrie Lane Chapman Catt was 13-years-old and living in rural Charles City, Iowa, she witnessed something that would help to decide the course of her life. Her family was politically active and on Election Day in 1872, Carrie’s father and some of the male hired help were getting ready to head into town to vote. She asked her mother why she wasn’t getting dressed to go too. Her parents laughingly explained to their daughter that women couldn’t vote.

These articles were originally published by the Women’s Suffrage Centennial Commission (WSCC) as a part of the WSCC blog, The Suff Buffs. The Women's Suffrage Centennial Commission was created by Congress to commemorate 100 years of the 19th Amendment throughout 2020 and to ensure the untold stories of women’s battle for the ballot continue to inspire Americans for the next 100 years. In collaboration with the WSCC, the NPS is the forever home of these articles

What actions should you take when believe something needs to change? In this learning activity designed for sixth-eighth grades, students examine a flier created by the National American Woman Suffrage Association that lists six reasons that women should be enfranchised across the country by amending the U.S. Constitution. They will analyze the arguments presented by the suffragists. Extend the lesson by creating your own flier.

How can popular culture be used to advocate for change? In this learning activity for sixth-eighth grade, students examine a suffrage illustration modeled on a popular cartoon circulated during Teddy Roosevelt's re-election campaign. They will analyze the use of cultural touchstones to change public perception about an issue and evaluate when they have been influenced by popular culture.

How have signs and banners been used for change? In this learning activity designed for fifth grade, students examine a suffrage banner and compare it to signs used by other protest movements. They analyze how words and slogans have been used as strategies in the history of protest and imagine how they can take a stand in their everyday lives.

How does identity shape our interactions with others? In this learning activity designed for fifth and sixth grade, students examine three photographs of women arrested for protesting for the right to vote. Through discussion, students will identify with different people from history and recognize that people may interact in complex ways.

Have you ever spoken out when you saw someone mistreated? This learning activity designed for fifth graders uses a photograph of Mary Winsor protesting against the imprisonment of suffrage protesters to spark discussion about the responsibility to speak out when you believe something is wrong and needs to change.

When have you needed courage? In this learning activity for fifth grade, students explore questions about when and how to take a stand in their everyday lives. Using photographs of Lucy Burns, co-founder of the National Woman's Party and the woman who spent more time in prison than any other American suffragist, students engage with questions about the courage needed to speak out.

How can art be used to change people's minds? What happens when we leave someone out of the picture? In this learning activity, students evaluate the political cartoons of suffragist Nina Allender to discover how women are represented in her art, and who is left out. Then they will create their own artwork to build understanding, respect, and connection.