Carrie Chapman Catt

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“The world taught women nothing skillful and then said her work was valueless. It permitted her no opinions and said she did not know how to think. It forbade her to speak in public and said the sex had no orators. It denied her the schools, and said the sex had no genius. It robbed her of every vestige of responsibility, and then called her weak. It taught her that every pleasure must come as a favor from men and when, to gain it, she decked herself in paint and fine feathers, as she had been taught to do, it called her vain.”

Personal Life

Born in Wisconsin, Carrie Lane at the age of seven moved to Iowa where she began preparatory schooling. In 1877, she graduated from high school. Her father refused to provide the money for more education so Carrie taught school for a year, earning enough income to enter Iowa State Agricultural College. In 1880 she graduated from Iowa State College – the only woman among 18 graduates.. In 1883 she became one of the first women appointed superintendent of schools.

 Impact on American History

     Carrie Lane married Leo Chapman, editor and publisher of the Mason City Republican in February 1885. She became his business partner, writing a “Woman’s World” column – but not about food or fashion, rather about women’s political and labor issues, and reminding women that if they wanted the vote, they needed to organize.

     After Leo harshly criticized a local Republican candidate in the paper, he was sued for libel and had to sell the newspaper. In May 1886, he went to San Francisco to find work. However, he caught typhoid fever. Carrie received a telegram about him and left immediately by train, but Leo died before she arrived. She was only 27 years old. Chapman returned to Charles City, Iowa, in 1887 and joined the Iowa Women's Suffrage Association.

     Carrie Chapman married George Catt, a fellow Iowa state alumnus in June of 1890 . George encouraged her suffrage activities. Catt began to work nationally for the National American Suffrage Association. Carrie was asked by Susan B. Anthony to address Congress on the proposed Suffrage Amendment in 1892. Catt assisted in organizing the International Woman's Suffrage Alliance, which began in 1902. Eventually the Alliance incorporated sympathetic associations in thirty two nations.

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Lasting Impact

 She became a dynamic speaker, and exhibited a great talent for organization. Under her leadership, the days of isolated efforts and lost causes would end. More than any other woman except Susan B. Anthony, Carrie Chapman Catt was responsible for securing women's right to vote. In 1915, on the heels of a remarkable effort in New York State, Catt became the head of the National American Woman Suffrage Association and put into effect a secret "winning plan".

She led a push for an amendment to the federal constitution and at the same time continued campaigns in the states to increase the pressure and the numbers of suffrage states. A series of state victories followed in 1917 and 1918. They were only the prelude to a tough national ratification battle until Tennessee finally put the Nineteenth Amendment "over the top" in August 1920. Carrie Chapman Catt also did international work for woman suffrage, repeatedly touring Europe and presiding in international suffrage groups.

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Winning Wilson

In 1915, Catt returned to the United States to resume the leadership of NAWSA, which had become badly divided under the leadership of Anna Howard Shaw. In 1916, at a NAWSA convention in Atlantic City, New Jersey, Catt unveiled her "Winning Plan" to campaign simultaneously for suffrage on both the state and federal levels, and to compromise for partial suffrage in the states resisting change. Under Catt's dynamic leadership, NAWSA won the backing of the House and Senate, as well as state support for the amendment's ratification. In 1917, New York passed a state woman suffrage referendum, and by 1918, President Woodrow Wilson was finally converted to the cause. On August 26, 1920, the Nineteenth Amendment officially became part of the United States Constitution.

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5.  Relation to at least one other person on the list

Carrie Chapman Catt and friend, Jane Addams, collaborated to form the Women's Peace Party, which was in response the start of World War l.

Sources:

http://www.lkwdpl.org/wihohio/catt-car.htm

http://www.east-buc.k12.ia.us/00_01/WH/bsp/bsp.htm

http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/naw/cattbio.html

http://www.greatwomen.org/women.php?action=viewone&id=38

http://www.now.org/nnt/spring-2003/peace.html?printable

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Page created by:  Amanda C.

Avon High School, Avon, Indiana

Date created: 3-24-08

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