Women Crusaders for Rights

The 20th century brought progress and advances for many people throughout the world. Democracy and individual rights spread, and advances in technology improved people’s daily lives. However, it was also a century of war, conflict and poverty for many others. The United States experienced the devastating Great Depression, which caused the collapse of the economy and loss of jobs and wealth. As the depression spread to the rest of the world, dictators rose to power and abused people’s human rights. New nations and ethnic groups renewed the struggle for rights toward the end of the century and into the 21st century. Individuals led crusades to challenge cultural norms and abusive governments.

Many women led the charge for human rights, democracy and equality. Their opinions and passion are captured in the speeches they made. These primary sources tell the story of events from the perspective of important females that participated or witnessed these events in history. Their backgrounds and prior experiences influenced their roles and the messages they spread in speeches. While they presented facts, they also expressed opinions.

In this module, as you read about the opinions of four important women in U.S. and world history, try to separate facts from opinions in each person’s speech. Also, think about how their backgrounds and experiences may have influenced their opinions.

Module Objectives

By the end of this module, you will be able to:

• Evaluate facts and opinions in a primary source by analyzing the goals and influences of female leaders in the fight for civil rights and democracy.
• Examine how personal experiences influence messages given in public speeches.