Timed DBQ

DBQ Amy
discuss the barriers women have worked for more equal treatment in society. Consider the goals and methods of such campaigns.
In many different time periods and in many different areas women were shown to have good influences in politics and society
In many different time periods and in many different areas women were shown to have good influences on politics or were argued that could have good influences if they were allowed to. In 1899 Anna Manning comfort showed this in The Public 2. Black people were very discouraged from having anything to do with politics, especially the women. She argued that the women were being taxed even though they "take up the white man's burden", most likely she was referring to the way that the white people made the women work just as hard as a man, and she thought that they should be able to get involved in politics and have a voice because they worked hard (Doc #1). In 1954 the Women's Charter at the Founding Conference of the Federation of South African Women had similar opinions. These strong women thought that all women should have the right to vote and be elected to state bodies. All laws that denied women of equal rights should be removed, along with removal of laws that restricted free movement, and prevented or hindered the right of free association and activity on democratic organizations and to cooperate with all organizations. These women obviously thought that women could be a great help and influence to politics because they worked very hard to achieve these goals and listed all their ideas in a campaign (Doc #2). Yet another example of women influencing politics can be seen in 195 B.C.E, by Livy, a Roman Historian. A new law had been made that limited women of using any expensive goods. The women banded together and had such a powerful influence that "after that there was no doubt that all the tribes would repeal that law". The women felt they should be able to use the goods because the government could definitely still afford it (Doc. #3). Closer to the modern day was in 1995 by a Nobel Prize Laureate, Aung San Suu Kyi, who said "no war was ever started by women", wars are often for political causes, so Mr. Kyi must have thought that women could have a positive influence on politics (Doc #6).
Another area where women were thought to have the ability of good influence was in the societies. Anna Manning Comfort, mentioned earlier, thought that it wasn't fair that women were denied their franchise even though they shared in the conflicts and labors of everyone else (Doc 1). In 1954 women wanted rights to make a difference in their society. They wanted equality, no discrimination, the right to full time employment with promotion oppurtunites, free education with the protection of mother and child, and proper homes. If these things could be achieved in their society, they felt that it would be a step closer to world peace (Doc 2). In 1995 the Nobel Prize Laureate mentioned earlier stated that in conflicts women and children are the ones who are forced to suffer, women have never started wars. Women have always been nurturing and kind. Therefore, empowerment and education of women will only result in good.
In contrast, there were some people who thought women would are a negative influence. In 100 CE, Ban Zhao who was a leading female confucian scholar and imperial historian said that women should always do as they were told. They should listen to thier elders even if the person was telling them it was the wrong thing to do (Doc 4). In 1820 Raja Rammohan Roy wrote about the ritual of burning widows alive with their deceased husbands. He considered it a kindness to society since the widows would not be able to remarry or gain money, and therfore would be no benefit to society, so it was a kindness to kill them in this way (Doc 7).
In conclusion, over many time periods in many different areas there were things to compare and contrast about the ways women attempted to get more equality and how they were looked at. One can compare the ways they gave to politics and society because both areas had good contributions from women. The major point of view in these documents was that women were very restricted but still did or still could have brought down the barriers and had good contributions and more equality. An additional document that could be helpful would be a document from Europe.