Woman Suffrage and the 19th Amendment
Access primary sources and activities for a unit on the suffrage movement, from the Seneca Falls Convention to the passage of the 19th Amendment.
This lesson is anchored by nine primary source documents related to the women's suffrage movement, from 1868 to 1920. Students and teachers alike will appreciate that the site includes images of the original documents—not simply transcriptions.
It also has six teaching activities that range from document analysis, to role-play, to student research. Activity three, which asks students to use textbooks, library resources, and documents to make a timeline, can be an effective way of helping younger students understand historical chronology. For older students, activity six, which asks students to write and stage a one-act play, presents an opportunity to interpret and synthesize primary sources. The script for a one-act play commissioned by the National Archives, "Failure Is Impossible," is available as a model.
This lesson also includes links to related websites, including those from the Library of Congress, the National Park Service, the National Register of Historic Places, and the National Women’s History Project.
Yes
Minimal
Includes a one-act play based on archival sources.
Yes
Students are asked to read multiple documents, and there are opportunities for original student writing based on document analysis.
Yes
Activities two and six ask students to assess suffragist strategies and write an evidence-based play, respectively.
Yes
Activity one focuses on these skills, and can be paired with a downloadable Document Analysis Worksheet.
Unclear
Audience is unstated.
No
Teachers may need to supplement the provided materials.
No
Yes
The lesson is designed for easy adaptation by teachers.
Yes