from Women Fight for the Vote

Question

"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
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
gives Anthony's own words on the same topic.
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 about clearly differ in emphasis from "Women Fight for the Vote"? woman suffrage.
(from "Women Fight for the Vote" by U.S. Capitol Visitor Center)
from The Trial of Susan B. Anthony
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.
(from An Account of the Proceedings on the Trial of Susan B. Anthony by Susan B. Anthony)
• 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.
• 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.

Answer 1

The primary difference in emphasis between the arguments presented in "Women Fight for the Vote" and those given by Susan B. Anthony in "The Trial of Susan B. Anthony" lies in the specific focus and strength of her claims regarding women's rights and citizenship.

1. "Women Fight for the Vote" focuses more broadly on the historical context of women’s suffrage, emphasizing how Anthony's trial raised public awareness around the issue of woman suffrage and the larger political implications. It likely presents Anthony's argument as part of a collective movement, highlighting the impact of her actions on sparking activism and advocacy for women's rights.

2. In contrast, Anthony’s own words in "The Trial of Susan B. Anthony" are more personal, reflecting her immediate indignation at the injustice of her conviction and the broader implications for all women. She emphasizes not only the wrongness of her individual situation but also the systematic denial of rights to women as a whole. Her argument is grounded in the framework of citizenship and the fundamental rights that should be accorded under the Fourteenth Amendment, framing her trial as an attack not just on her, but on the rights of all women.

The statement that best matches this emphasis is:
4. Anthony argues that without the fundamental right to vote, women lose all other rights of citizenship.

This choice encapsulates her assertion that voting is a cornerstone of citizenship and is closely tied to all the other rights and privileges that come with being a citizen. Thus, she articulates that the denial of the vote represents a broader denial of rights and personhood for women.