Declaration of

Sentiments and
Resolutions,
Seneca Falls

12/04/2021
The Declaration of Sentiments can be considered not only a political historical
document, but also a public text because it was elaborated in a convention
attended by abolitionists of both genders. Two women, Lucrecia Mott (an
eloquent orator) and Elizabeth Cady Stanton (who created the draft), with other
ones, endorsed the first women’s right convention in Seneca Falls, in New York,
during July 19-20, in 1948.; where they advocated equality with men. This was
a significant event as it marked the first organized demand against the
discrimination suffered by female gender.

We should go back a few decades to see that a small group of women were
already beginning to fight against the limitations imposed on them by society:
woman depended directly on her father or husband, was forbidden to participate
in politics, inherit property, sign contracts and so on. In 1832, associations
against slavery were organized, which allowed ladies to participate. But this fact
was not well seen by part of the abolitionists, so they decided to separate to
form other organizations. In 1840, Lucrecia Mott and Elizabeth Cady Stanton
travelled with their husbands to the first World’s Anti-Slavery Convention in
London. They met there and made plans to organize their own women's rights
congress and break away from the abolitionist cause. They started by
supporting femmes in different areas: prisons, asylums or single mothers.
Shortly before the famous Congress, some rights had been obtained by wives
over the age of 30 to keep their property in marriage. The meeting was place
into the Wesleyan Methodist Chapel, in Seneca Falls.

Stanton (1815-1902) was born in Johnstown, New York. She was an early
abolitionist of slavery and throughout her life a fervent fighter for women's
rights. She founded with Susan B. Anthony the NWSA (The National Woman
Suffrage Association) in 1869, of which she was the first president until 1890.
She focused all her efforts on achieving women's franchise.

This manifesto is similar to Declaration of Independence from 1776 and follows

alike structure. It should be pointed out that in the statement where it says "the
king" they changed it to “the man”, and “the colonies” represent “the women”.
The text deals with aspects as “education and employment”. It also explores
aspects of family, religion, moral, economy and politics.

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In reference to the part of Sentiments: In the first paragraph when it says “one
portion of the family of man” (lines 7-8) it refers to half of mankind or females. A
really key issue is “the laws of nature and of nature’s God entitle them” (lines 9-
10): it means that God has created men and women equal; these laws are
totally different from the rules of men (who have created them), that are
conventional and where adult female are not represented. If this natural
principle is not to be respected, we will state our reasons (“causes”) in this
manifesto. The following paragraph asserts the natural “truths to be self-evident:
that all men and women are created equal” (line 12). The figure of God
(“Creator”) is very important in their conception of natural laws, because he is
the only one who can dictate “inalienable rights” as “life, liberty, and the pursuit
of happiness” (lines 12-13), which are also present in the declaration of
independence. “Governments” are created through “the consent” of people,
because all of us live in a constitutional government. But, if you see that these
natural laws do not apply to you, you can go against these rules: “refuse
allegiance” (line 17). Afterwards they introduce their main aim: “the institution of
a new government, laying its foundation on such principles” (lines 17-18) […] “to
effect their safety and happiness” (line 19). The third paragraph comes to say
that women cannot allow certain grievances such as "abuse and usurpation"
(lines 23-24) or "absolute despotism" (line 25). So, they can no longer tolerate
the domination of men and will have to face them “to demand the equal station”
(lines 27-28). Regarding “injuries and usurpations on the part of man towards
woman” (lines 29-30), “absolute tyranny over her” (lines 29-30), or cruel
conducts, will be well documented, as Stanton will be assisted by her husband
(who is a lawyer), in writing this draft. So that they will be looking for reports
from that time about these attitudes. Next, they introduce fourteen facts or
causes about law, work, education and identity, in this order, which could be
summarized as follows: “Inalienable right to the elective franchise” (line 32):
there was no consensus among women to demand the vote, some felt it was
too radical. “No voice” (line 33) means no represented. They prefer to give
prerogatives to men, whatever they are, rather than to femmes. Being able to
vote is to be a full citizen: only white men, generally middle-class were
considered “citizens”. About property: a woman had no right to access their own
money, they always had to depend on their father or husband. Only wealthy

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widows could have some economic freedom. Men considered female gender as
totally “irrational beings” (line 40), inferior or incapable of taking care of
themselves; while men were rational or superior beings. About “crimes” (line
40), for example, adultery was less tolerated for wife than for husband. They
hint at a similarity with slavery: “obedience” or “her master” (lines 40-41),
evidencing a totally limited right to freedom. In case of “divorce” (line 43), the
children were transferred to the custody of the father. They could apply for a
limited number of jobs, never jobs with a certain amount of responsibility (jobs
that required a university degree). There were girls’ colleges, but no higher
education: they were barred from entering to university. “In church, as well as
state” had “a subordinate position” (line 56): women could be part of society, but
always in a submissive role, of total “exclusion” (line 57). There was a “different
code of morals” (line 59): ladies were much more morally curbed and they were
by nature inferior to men. It was like a natural imposition that female gender was
inferior, as there were many writings about it. Femmes themselves believed that
it was natural to be inferior, because they were led to believe that. For all these
reasons, women will demand equality before the law.

After listing all these injustices, it introduces the authentic reason of the
congress: “this entire disfranchisement of one-half the people of this country”,
“degradation”, “unjust laws”, “feel themselves aggrieved, oppressed, and
fraudulently deprived of their most sacred rights” (lines 67-68), that is, they have
been deprived of their prerogatives by nature. Then, it continues with their true
purpose: “we insist that they have immediate admission to all the rights and
privileges which belong to them as citizen of the United States” (lines 69-70).
What it means that they will strive to obtain equality with men as well as the
franchise. In the last paragraph where they state “we shall use every
instrumentally within our power to effect our object” (lines 72-73) exists parallel
with Pankhurst: the use of any means to achieve their objectives. This
movement was preceding the feminist movement in England. Here adult
females obtained the right to vote earlier, in 1920, because there were no
customs as deeply rooted as in old Europe. In England they obtained it in 1929.
Besides, many colonists were Quakers (who believed that men and women
were equal); these ideas of equality and freedom had a strong influence. Next,

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in “we shall employ agents, circulate tracts, petition the state and national
legislatures, and endeavour to enlist the pulpit and the press” (lines 73-74)
reflects they utilized the media to obtain popular support.

Subsequently they go on to set out their Resolutions, where they establish a

series of arrangements or precepts. For instance, being against women is the
same as being against nature or against God; females are not inferior by
nature, this is because society had created them to be so. In the first paragraph
they cite to “Blackstone” (line 79). He was an 18th century English jurist who
spoke of the difference between this natural law and this artificial rule of man:
man's orders must be made in image and likeness of this natural law, but it was
not always so. Afterward, it lists twelve decisions about different issues: If there
is conflict between these precepts, natural law will always prevail, because it is
superior. So “no force or authority” (line 90) retrains women from being equal to
men, because it is God's will. Women must be represented politically in society
and education. Also, she must be part of the religious community too. Then
they add: we are asked to be refined, delicate, we would also like men to
behave like that. And that we are also allowed “the same transgressions” (lines
101-102). In “the objection of indelicacy and impropriety" (line 103), they
indicate that they would like men to be treated the same as women. Here they
are evidently making intelligent use of irony. Next, they quote the Bible, a text
made by man for man; but God is who represents legitimacy, not man. The
Bible is wrong because it shows an inferior view of femmes. Another relevant
subject was their claim to vote ("franchise”): this was a controversial issue,
because few people were in favour of it. But Stanton insisted on this fact, for her
it was one of the most important topics. In “the identity of the race” (line 114)
they demand equality in everything, in all areas: achieving equality is beneficial
for all. Finally, in the last resolution declares: “it is demonstrably the right and
duty of women, equally with men, to promote every righteous cause” (lines 119-
120) and “her right to participate with her brother in teaching them, both in
private and in public” (lines 122-123). In addition to being able to take part in
social, religious and political life, they want to have access to education. Then, it
follows “this being a self-evident truth growing out of the divinely implanted
principles of human nature, any custom or authority adverse to it, [...] is to be

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regarded as a self-evident falsehood, and at war with mankind" (lines 124-127).
What they are requiring is that these natural precepts have to be transferred
into legislation.

In short, the advertising slogan of that congress sums up what it was really
about: "a convention to discuss the social, civil and religious conditions and
rights of women", by means of female reformers who came from the middle and
upper classes, who had the benefit of certain freedom and with great intellectual
knowledge. The draft was voted on, amended and subsequently signed in this
assembly. They wanted to obtain franchise as well as to be considered
‘citizens’: that they were represented, could defend their political entitlements
and they were also applied the same prerogatives as men.

I find it very ingenious that they came up with the idea of using the Declaration
of Independence, changing the names of “the king” and “the colonies”, as a
parallelism to legitimize the rights of women. It can set in the context of the first
wave of the fight for women’s economic, political and social rights: equality with
men and franchise (late 19th and early 20th centuries). However, they had to
wait until 1920 so that the Nineteenth Amendment to be ratified and therefore
finally obtain universal suffrage.

We can add that it has been an example for future generations: the feminist
movement has gradually won more rights for females and has changed the view
of woman in society. The second wave (1960s-1980s) fought for the role of
female gender in society, in workplace and reproductive rights. The third wave
(1990s-2000s) continued the struggle of her predecessors: equal pay,
reproductive rights, shattering glass ceiling and ending violence against women
all over the world. A new four wave reappeared in 2012, full of passion, with
social-influencing power and demanding change: workplace discrimination,
sexual harassment, transgender rights and so on.

As a woman, I feel great admiration for female characters who have made
history as Elizabeth I, Abigail Adams, Stanton, Mott, Pankhurst and so many
others. They had to live in a man's world and break many barriers, to have what
we have now. But it is still not enough. Now we have to keep struggling in our
day-to-day lives. So, we will go out every 8th of March to demonstrate.

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BIBLIOGRAPHY AND WEB RESOURCES

Mauk, David and Oakland, John. American Civilization. An Introduction.

Routledge, 2018.

Sagredo Santos, Antonia and Arroyo Vázquez, Mari Luz. Anglophone Worlds
from a Historical and Cultural Perspective: United States and others English
speaking countries. Editorial Universitaria Ramón Areces, 2010.

Biography.com Editors. “Elizabeth Cady Stanton Biography”. Biography.com,

https://www.biography.com/activist/elizabeth-cady-stanton. Accessed 27 March
2021.

Rampton, Marta. “Four waves of Feminism”. Pacific.edu, 25 October 2015,

https://www.pacificu.edu/magazine/four-waves-feminism . Accessed 27 March
2021.

Wikipedia Foundation. “History of feminism”. Wikipedia.com,

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_feminism. Accessed 27 March 2021.

Wikipedia Foundation. Seneca Falls Convention. Wikipedia.com,

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seneca_Falls_Convention. Accessed 27 March
2021.