Women's Rights (Individual Freedom, Civic Responsibility)

Chronicles the creation of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, the social and legal status of women in American history, as well as the suffrage and other women's rights movements.

Gr. 7-9. In this entry in the Individual Rights and Civic Responsibilitiy series, the Chings provide a straightforward history of the struggle for women's rights, a history that might surprise girls of today, who are coming of age in a climate of unfettered choice. Readers will see that rights to education, employment, just wages, and equal legal status all came with a struggle. This also examines the tensions that arose within the movement when, in the nineteenth century, the fight against slavery sometimes created differences between white suffragists and groups working on behalf of African American women. In the twentieth century, topics included reproductive rights; the second wave of feminism, which was sparked in part by The Feminine Mystique; and the failure of the Equal Rights Amendment. The authors conclude that although women "have come a long way," they cannot let down their guard. Glossary, list of organizations with Web addresses, and bibliography. Denise Wilms
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