Progressive Era Suffrage Groups
Students will compare the origin, ideology, and individuals associated with the key women of the Progressive Era women’s suffrage movement.
15 minutes (The lesson can also be lengthened into a 45 minute class lesson by having the students write and essay on their topic.)
Students will understand the origin, ideology, and individuals associated with the key women of the Progressive Era women’s suffrage movement.
For gifted/honors students or if class time is limited, have the students research the background information ahead of time (previous class period) and bring their research to class. You can also print out the websites and distribute to the collaborative groups (see below).
- Laptops
- Copies of Handout “Progressive Era Suffrage Organizations” (page 3 in pdf)
- Starter/Hook: Show the students the clip from “Iron Jawed Angels” that outlines the differences between NAWSA and NWP.
- Direct Instruction:
- Provide background on women’s suffrage movement from 1900 to 1920 to the class. Explain to them that:
- The movement for women’s rights began in the 19th century but did not gain momentum until the 20th century.
- The American movement was part of a worldwide movement to gain voting rights for women.
- Suffrage groups differed on methods and approaches to gaining voting rights for women.
- Use the NWHM’s “Crusade for the Vote” to provide background information:
- http://www.crusadeforthevote.org/nawsa-united
- http://www.crusadeforthevote.org/nwp-militant
- http://www.crusadeforthevote.org/progressive-era-reformers
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wf6Crq3dIsA
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HGEMscZE5dY&spfreload=5
- http://nationalwomansparty.org/learn/national-womans-party
- https://memory.loc.gov/ammem/naw/nawshome.html
- Provide background on women’s suffrage movement from 1900 to 1920 to the class. Explain to them that:
- Guided Practice:
- Divide students into groups and have them read “Crusade for the Vote: NAWSA” and “Crusade for the Vote: NWP”
- Have students complete the chart (page 3 in pdf) and questions about the similarities and differences between NAWSA and the NWP. Be sure to remind them to complete the questions.
- Have students discuss their answers to the questions with the rest of the class. Ask the students which group they would have wanted to be part of and why?
- Follow-Up/Independent Practice:
- Students will work in pairs to find a primary source that best reflects the methods and ideologies of NAWSA or NWP. Students will use laptops or cellular devices to research NAWSA at the Library of Congress (see above link) and NWP at the Belmont-Paul Women's Equality National Monument (see above link) to find their primary source.
- Have student pairs present their source to the class and explain why their document best reflects the methods and ideas of NAWSA or the NWP.
Optional: To extend this activity, have students write an essay on the topic and cite their evidence.
UCLA Social Studies Standard 1C: Specify the issues raised by various women and how mainstream Progressives responded to them. [Consider multiple perspectives]
UCLA Social Studies Standards Available Here
Common Core Alignment
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.9-10.1 - Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of primary and secondary sources, attending to such features as the date and origin of the information.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.11-12.1
Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of primary and secondary sources, connecting insights gained from specific details to an understanding of the text as a whole.