Carrie Chapman Catt and Her Views/Importance (1859-1947) Carrie Chapman Catt was another leader of the womens

movement in the late part of the 19th century and the first half of the 20th century. First a teacher, she became active in womens suffrage and was picked by Susan B. Anthony to lead the National American Woman Suffrage Association (NAWSA) in 1900. Following in the footsteps of Antony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton she led the organization to pursue a policy of gaining womens voting rights in individual states. In 1913 Catt broke with fellow suffragist Alice Paul who envisioned a national strategy and the passage of a constitutional amendment to enfranchise all American women. Their disagreement was about strategy more than about ultimate aims but led nonetheless to a schism in the womens movement and the formation by Paul of the National Womens Party. Carrie Chapman Catts disagreement with Paul arose from their different views about political change. Chapman was, at least initially, convinced that effective change came from working within the system. Chapman believed in a more conservative methods. Pauls use of more confrontational methods, engagement of the press and partisan based political advocacy went her against her ideas of peaceful persuasion. For a few years (1914-1918) the two groups worked separately and Catt continued her states efforts and allied to President Woodrow Wilson attempted to work for womens suffrage from within the system. She and the NAWSA stayed with their state by state approach, which probably would have worked but most likely would have taken decades longer to finally get full suffrage nation wide. When popular opinion and growing political support backed the passage of an amendment Catt and the NAWSA then supported the movement. After the passage of the 19th amendment Carrie Chapman Catt helped found The League of Women Voters, worked for the establishment of the United Nations and other peace initiatives.