Woman Suffrage in Colorado: Part A

This question is based on the accompanying documents (1-8). The question is designed to test your ability to work with historical documents. Some of the documents have been edited for the purposes of this question. As you analyze the documents, take into account both the source of each document and any point of view that may be presented in the document.

Historical Context:

Prior to the passage of the Nineteenth Amendment (1920), which gave women the right to vote throughout the United States, several western territories and states enacted legislation that allowed women to vote within their borders, including Wyoming, Colorado, and Utah. In Colorado, the fight for woman suffrage was strongly contested. Both sides of the debate held strong opinions and beliefs and effectively used rhetoric to win supporters. Because the Colorado state constitution required a referendum for women to gain the right to vote, both sides used public debate to argue their points of view.

Task:

Using information from the documents and your knowledge of United States history, answer the questions that follow each document in Part A. Your answers to the questions will help you write the essay in Part B, in which you will be asked to:

  • Identify and discuss two arguments in favor of woman suffrage.

  • Identify and discuss two arguments against woman suffrage.

  • Evaluate both sets of arguments and suggest which side offered the stronger case.

Part A: Short-Answer Questions

Directions: Analyze the documents and answer the short-answer questions that follow each document in the space provided.

   

   


 
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