"Women Fight for the Vote" gives an account of Susan B. Anthony's legal argument for the right to vote. The Trial of Susan B. Anthony gives Anthony's own words on the same topic.

Question

In 1872, Susan B. Anthony cast a ballot for a federal election in New York. She was arrested and put on trial. In court, she argued that her action was legal under the Fourteenth Amendment, which gave citizens How does Anthony's argument in The Trial of Susan B. Anthony most the right to vote. Her highly publicized trial raised public awareness clearly differ in emphasis from "Women Fight for the Vote"?
about woman suffrage.
1. Anthony argues that although the government is wrong. women will uphold the rule of law.
2. Anthony argues that although a battle has been lost, women will continue to fight for the vote.
Your honor. I have many things to say; for in your ordered verdict
of guilty, you have trampled under foot every vital principle of our government. My natural rights, my civil rights, my political rights, my judicial rights, are all alike ignored. Robbed of the fundamental privilege of citizenship, I am degraded from the status of a citizen to that of a subject: and not only myself individually, but all (women), are, by your honor's verdict, doomed to political subjection under this, so-called, form of government.
3. Anthony argues that without a chance to speak in their defense, women are denied their rights.
4. Anthony argues that without the fundamental right to vote, women lose all other rights of citizenship.
(from An Account of the Proceedings on the Trial of Susan B. Anthony by Susan B. Anthony)

Answer 1

In comparing the two texts—"Women Fight for the Vote" and "The Trial of Susan B. Anthony"—the emphasis in Anthony's own words during her trial reflects her assertive stance on the principles of justice, citizenship, and rights, particularly concerning women.

1. Legal Foundation and Rule of Law: Anthony's assertion that the government is wrong yet claims that women upholding the rule of law indicates a belief in the inherent morality of women's rights, regardless of the law itself. This perspective is nuanced, focusing on the integrity of women as citizens who are wrongfully denied their rights.

2. Perseverance in Advocacy: While the second argument indicates a sense of lost battles (highlighting the challenges faced in the suffrage movement), it also underscores a determination to continue fighting for the vote. This sense of unyielding resolve is critical to her appeal and contrasts with more general statements about the suffrage movement.

3. Lack of Representation: Anthony’s emphasis on women not having the chance to voice their rights in her trial highlights the systemic exclusion from the political process, which serves to amplify her claims of injustice. This personal and immediate experience contrasts with broader discussions about woman suffrage that may not capture this urgency.

4. Essential Nature of the Vote: Lastly, Anthony argues that the loss of the right to vote equates to the loss of all other rights of citizenship. This point underscores the vote's fundamental importance, reinforcing her belief that without it, women are marginalized in every aspect of civic life.

Overall, while "Women Fight for the Vote" may provide a historical context and summaries about the movement's objectives, Anthony's trial speech reveals her emotional and philosophical commitment to civil rights, emphasizing personal accountability and the immediate struggle against injustice. The trial becomes a pivotal moment where the abstract fight for women's rights is illustrated through her lived experience and indignation at the system that denies them.