Speech study of Susan B Anthony

This speech was given by Susan B. Anthony in court after her arrest for casting a

vote in the presidential election of 1872.Women were not allowed to vote during the

olden days but suffragette Anthony believed in equal rights.

This speech comes under the aspect of politics. She announced this speech in

front of the court to prove to the jury that she had not committed any crime. However, her

message was not only for the audience at the court but for all the citizens of the US. She

convinced the masses that women should have the right to vote since many thought

women did not have the intellectual ability to judge the right person.

Born in February 15th 1820 at Adams, Massachusetts, Susan B Anthony was

widely known suffragist of her generation and has become an icon of the women’s

suffrage movement. She acquired her education in a Quaker boarding school near

Philadelphia. She was an independent and educated lady with higher goals.

Anthony, who never married, was aggressive and compassionate by nature. Her

family actively participated in the anti-slavery movement and temperance (the prohibition

of alcohol) that dealt with abuses of women and children who suffered from alcoholic

husband. Hence, she was a reformist and demanded that women be given the same civil

and political rights as men.

After her arrest for casting a vote, which was considered illegal, she gave this

speech persuading the audience that she had not committed any crime but simply

exercised her rights as a US citizen.

In her speech, she states the Preamble of the Constitution and explains how

the Union was formed for the whole people and not just for male citizens. Similarly,

we find her questioning whether women are persons and explaining that discrimination

against women does not exist in the Constitution.

Susan B. Anthony proves that exempting women from voting would signify that

they are not yet part of the government. Hence, women who also represent US

citizens cannot be excluded from such rights because exclusion would be violation of the

supreme law of the state. Anthony defends herself by stating what is mentioned in the

Constitution. Her opponents must have been speechless. She approached with strong

reasons and proves that she did not commit any crime by voting.

The entire speech is based on a traditional method by making the speech more

clear and persuasive. She recited the Preamble of Constitution in the opening of her

speech to make the audience reflect upon what really has been said in it. Her entire

speech revolves around this. Describing the preamble, she explains that “We” mentioned

in those lines represents every single US citizens, even the females. She tells that “ it is a

down right mockery” for women not to enjoy “blessings of liberty” while they

are kept away from their right to vote and they cannot participate “to form a more

perfect Union.” Her strong evidence convinces the masses that it is not at all a crime for

women to vote. She explains that to differentiate between sexes, disallowing women to

vote, is a violation of supreme law as women also represent US citizens. She even

exemplifies the whole situation and makes her opponents think that they are the ones who

are committing criminal acts. She states to her opponents that if the government disallows

women to vote, it can be considered a case where the rich govern the poor or the

Saxon rules the African or even the fathers, brothers, husbands, and sons dominating the

mothers and sisters, wife and daughters. In her final lines, she asks, “ Are women

persons?” She states that being persons, women are eligible to vote and no state has the

power to deprive them of their right to vote.

With her strong statements, we can assume that the jury felt futility in opposing

her. Her every sentence is meaningful and logical. Her speech must have made the

ordinary people ponder women’s right to vote. However, she was found guilty and

made to pay $100, which she refused to do. She said, “May it please your honor, I will

never pay a dollar of your unjust penalty.”

She was a strong woman who never gave up. She continued to participate and

support women’s suffrage and also revolted supported different abolitions existing in the

society of those days.

In 1920, the government passed the 19th Amendment or also known as the Susan

B. Anthony amendment that grants the right to vote to all the US women over 21.Susan

B.Anthony’s struggle during those times has helped every US woman to enjoy and

exercise their political rights fully. Ms. Anthony stood up to a lot of criticism, which was

fearful in those days.