The Road to the 19th Amendment

1
The Road to the 19th Amendment
2
What is the 19th Amendment?

• The 19th Amendment prohibits the state and
  federal government from denying any citizen the
  right to vote regardless of sex.
• This amendment was meant to extend suffrage to
  women.

3
Suffragette Groups

• Starting in 1917 the women of the group, Silent
  Sentinels, protested in front of the White House
  for 18 months to raise awareness of the suffrage
  movement.
• The National Womens Party urged the people not
  to vote for anti-suffrage Senators that were up
  for election in 1918. The group succeeded in
  their mission, the Congress that met in 1919 were
  pro-suffrage and quickly passed the 19th
  Amendment.

4
First Try At Congress

• On January 9, 1918 President Woodrow Wilson
  announced his support for the 19th Amendment.
• On January 10, 1918 the House of Representatives
  narrowly passed the amendment, but the Senate
  obstinately refused to even debate the amendment
  until October.
• In October the Senate met and debated and the
  19th Amendment failed by three votes.
• After the first failure of the amendment the
  National Womens Party lobbied for the election
  of only pro-suffrage Congress members and were
  successful in their lobbying.

5
Second Try is the Charm

• On May 21, 1919 the House of Representatives
  passed the 19th Amendment with a vote of 304-89.
• On June 4, 1919 the Senate passed the 19th
  Amendment with a vote of 56-25.
• The 19th Amendment was ratified on August 18,
  1920 after the 36th and final state, Tennessee,
  ratified the Amendment.
• On August 26, 1920 Secretary of State Bainbridge
  Colby certified the 19th Amendment into adoption.