The Long Road to Equality for women
Excerpt from Susan B. Anthony's Address to Congress in 1868
After more than 100 years of struggle, women in the United States finally won the night to vote in 1920. Sulfragist Susan B. Anthony (1820-1906) dedicated her life to the cause of winning the vote for women. In 1866, Anthony read an appeal to the Congress of the United States for the enfranchisement of women.
“To the Senate and House of Representatives:
1. "Woman has always had the right to property and wages, the right to make contracts and do business in her own name. And even married women, by recent legislation, have been secured in these civil rights. Woman now holds a vast amount of the property in the country, and pays her full proportion of taxes. On what principle, then, do you deny her representation?
2. “We propose no new theories. We simply ask that you secure to ALL the practical application of the immutable principles of our government, without distinction of rack, color or sex, And we urge our demand now, because you have the opportunity and the power to take this onward step in legislation. The nations of the earth stand watching and waiting to see if our Revolutionary idea, "all men are created equal," con be realized in government: Crush not, we pray you, the million hopes that hang on our success. Men and parties must pass away, but justice is eternal.
3. "The only tenable ground of representation is UNIVERSAL SUFFRAGE, as it is only through Universal Suffrage that the principle of "Equal Rights to All" can be resized. All prohibitions based on race, color, sex, property, or education, are violations of the republican idea. You assume to be the representatives of 15,000,000 women - American citizens- who already possess every attainable qualification for the ballot. Women read and write, hold many offices under government, pay taxes, and the penalties of crime, and yet are allowed to exercise but the one right of petition.
4. "With man, woman shared the dangers of the Mayflower on a stormy sea, the dreary landing on Plymouth Rock, the rigors of a New England winter, and the privations of a seven years' wait. With him she bravely threw off the British yoke, felt every pulsation of his heart for freedom, and inspires the glowing eloquence that maintained it through the century. With you we have just passed through the agony and death, the resurrection and triumph of another revolution, doing all in our power to mitigate is horrors and guard its glories. And now thank you we have no souls to fire, no brains to weigh your arguments, that after education such as this, we can stand silent witnesses while you sell our birthright of liberty to save from a timely death an effete political organization? No, as we respect womanhood, we must protest against this desecration of the magna Carta of American Liberties; and with an impartiality not to be…
What was the main purpose for Anthony's speech?
- A. to implore Congress to extend the right to vote to women
- B. to clarify the principles that guided the establishment laws in the United States
- C. to describe the role women have played in history in the United States
- D. to remind Congress of the property rights given to women
Correct Answer & Rationale
Correct Answer: A
Anthony's speech primarily aimed to advocate for women's suffrage, urging Congress to extend voting rights to women. This aligns directly with option A. Option B misinterprets the focus of the speech; while principles of governance may be mentioned, the core message is not about clarifying foundational laws. Option C inaccurately emphasizes a historical overview rather than the immediate call to action for women's voting rights. Option D, while addressing women's rights, incorrectly shifts the focus to property rights, which is not the central theme of Anthony's advocacy in this context.
Anthony's speech primarily aimed to advocate for women's suffrage, urging Congress to extend voting rights to women. This aligns directly with option A. Option B misinterprets the focus of the speech; while principles of governance may be mentioned, the core message is not about clarifying foundational laws. Option C inaccurately emphasizes a historical overview rather than the immediate call to action for women's voting rights. Option D, while addressing women's rights, incorrectly shifts the focus to property rights, which is not the central theme of Anthony's advocacy in this context.
Other Related Questions
What can the reader infer about the Gregory brothers from the sentence 'They chose to take themselves out of the fight' in paragraph 2 of the article?
- A. They wanted to reinvent how a landfill business operates.
- B. They decided to follow legal requirements ignored by other landfill owners.
- C. They decided to leave the landfill business altogether.
- D. They wanted to present their model for running a landfill to state and county officials.
Correct Answer & Rationale
Correct Answer: A
The phrase "They chose to take themselves out of the fight" suggests a deliberate decision to step away from conflict, indicating a desire to innovate rather than engage in traditional practices. Option A aligns with this inference, as it implies a focus on reinventing operations. Option B is incorrect because it does not specifically address the brothers’ intent to innovate but rather suggests compliance with existing laws. Option C misinterprets their action as leaving the business entirely, which is not supported by the context. Option D suggests they aimed to showcase their model, but the phrase indicates withdrawal from conflict rather than active presentation.
The phrase "They chose to take themselves out of the fight" suggests a deliberate decision to step away from conflict, indicating a desire to innovate rather than engage in traditional practices. Option A aligns with this inference, as it implies a focus on reinventing operations. Option B is incorrect because it does not specifically address the brothers’ intent to innovate but rather suggests compliance with existing laws. Option C misinterprets their action as leaving the business entirely, which is not supported by the context. Option D suggests they aimed to showcase their model, but the phrase indicates withdrawal from conflict rather than active presentation.
How does paragraph 3 function in the article?
- A. It develops the general point made in paragraph 2 by giving specific examples.
- B. It presents a counterargument to a claim made in paragraph 2.
- C. It discusses general topics that are further developed by concrete examples in paragraph 4.
- D. It provides a transition between a controversial topic begun in paragraph 2 and finished in paragraph 4.
Correct Answer & Rationale
Correct Answer: A
Paragraph 3 effectively supports the general point established in paragraph 2 by presenting specific examples that illustrate the broader claim. This approach enhances understanding by grounding abstract ideas in concrete instances. Option B is incorrect as paragraph 3 does not introduce a counterargument; rather, it reinforces the main idea. Option C misrepresents the function of paragraph 3, as it does not merely discuss general topics but rather focuses on specific examples. Option D fails to capture the essence of paragraph 3, as it does not serve primarily as a transition but as a means to elaborate on the preceding claim.
Paragraph 3 effectively supports the general point established in paragraph 2 by presenting specific examples that illustrate the broader claim. This approach enhances understanding by grounding abstract ideas in concrete instances. Option B is incorrect as paragraph 3 does not introduce a counterargument; rather, it reinforces the main idea. Option C misrepresents the function of paragraph 3, as it does not merely discuss general topics but rather focuses on specific examples. Option D fails to capture the essence of paragraph 3, as it does not serve primarily as a transition but as a means to elaborate on the preceding claim.
And no one could have made any mistake about it but one who had something of the same kind in his head.' In this sentence, Sancho Panza is stating that
- A. he and Don Quixote have a relationship that
- B. he and Don Quixote think alike.
- C. Don Quixote makes hasty decisions.
- D. Don Quixote has a distorted vision of the world.
Correct Answer & Rationale
Correct Answer: D
Sancho Panza's statement implies that only someone with a similar mindset could misinterpret the situation, suggesting that Don Quixote's perspective is skewed. This indicates a distorted view of reality, aligning with option D. Option A is incorrect as it suggests a broader relationship without addressing the specific context of perception. Option B implies that they share thoughts, which does not capture the essence of misunderstanding. Option C focuses on decision-making rather than perception, failing to recognize the core issue of distorted vision. Thus, the emphasis is on Don Quixote's flawed worldview, making option D the most accurate interpretation.
Sancho Panza's statement implies that only someone with a similar mindset could misinterpret the situation, suggesting that Don Quixote's perspective is skewed. This indicates a distorted view of reality, aligning with option D. Option A is incorrect as it suggests a broader relationship without addressing the specific context of perception. Option B implies that they share thoughts, which does not capture the essence of misunderstanding. Option C focuses on decision-making rather than perception, failing to recognize the core issue of distorted vision. Thus, the emphasis is on Don Quixote's flawed worldview, making option D the most accurate interpretation.
Burl refers to the thief as an 'artiste' in the story because
- A. the thief arranges the jars in patterns.
- B. the thief scrawls a drawing on the back of an IOU.
- C. the thief leaves beautiful objects rather than money.
- D. the thief avoids getting caught by being creative.
Correct Answer & Rationale
Correct Answer: A
Burl refers to the thief as an 'artiste' primarily because of the thief's ability to arrange the jars in visually appealing patterns (Option A). This artistic presentation elevates the act of theft to an expression of creativity. Option B, while mentioning a drawing, does not highlight the thief's overall artistic flair as effectively as the arrangement of jars. Option C suggests that leaving beautiful objects is significant, but it lacks the direct connection to artistry implied by the careful arrangement. Option D focuses on the thief's creativity in avoiding capture, which, although clever, does not specifically relate to artistry in the same way as the aesthetic arrangement of jars.
Burl refers to the thief as an 'artiste' primarily because of the thief's ability to arrange the jars in visually appealing patterns (Option A). This artistic presentation elevates the act of theft to an expression of creativity. Option B, while mentioning a drawing, does not highlight the thief's overall artistic flair as effectively as the arrangement of jars. Option C suggests that leaving beautiful objects is significant, but it lacks the direct connection to artistry implied by the careful arrangement. Option D focuses on the thief's creativity in avoiding capture, which, although clever, does not specifically relate to artistry in the same way as the aesthetic arrangement of jars.