Susan B. Anthony
by Julia from Hillsborough
Introduction
"Heroic behavior is finding the courage to take a significant risk or make a great sacrifice to achieve a noble goal. Heroism always involves a significant or potential cost to the heroic person."
-Unknown
The quote above means that heroism is not easy; it takes a lot of personal courage and guts. It also means that you have to be willing to give up a lot, if not everything, to support your cause and pave the way for others to do the same.This quote relates to my hero, Susan B. Anthony, because she went to jail for trying to vote. She was so dedicated, she was willing to go to jail to support her cause and prove her point. She was also willing to risk everything to fight for her own rights, and the rights of others. The quote above says that a hero is a person who is dedicated, and willing to risk everything they have. Susan B. Anthony is a hero because she dedicated most of her life to the women's rights movement, and to helping women get the right to vote.
|
| Susan B. Anthony |
Larger Than Life
Susan B. Anthony is the reason that women today have the right to vote. Although women did not get the right to vote until twenty years after her death, she was responsible. She was a very courageous and determined person. She was dedicated to her cause, and wouldn't let anything get in the way of her success. Nothing could deter her. She was willing to risk her freedom in order to be able to vote, because it was so important for her and her cause. These characteristics helped Susan B. Anthony, because they gave her the determination and fire that she needed to succeed. For her, failure was not an option.
Susan B. Anthony's Journey
Susan B. Anthony lived in Rochester New York, in a time period where women were looked down on and considered to be less than men. They were considered to be property of whom ever they married. Though women often worked the same jobs as men, they got smaller salaries. Women did not have a say in their government. They could not run for office, or vote. Susan B. Anthony disputed this, and set about to change it. Even as a small child, Susan B. Anthony was exposed to sexism. Her father owned a cotton mill and she observed first hand how men and women were seen differently, hence the difference in their salary. This helped to dedicate and inspire her to work for women's rights.
When Susan B. Anthony was teaching at Canajoharie Academy she, along with her fellow lady teachers were forced to live with a smaller salary than the male teachers. This enraged her, and helped motivate her to change the woman's standard of living. This incident was an social struggle. Although Susan B. Anthony was at the Sons of Temperance meeting (she created the Daughters of Temperance), she was not allowed to speak because she was a woman. This was also a social struggle. Once, Susan B. Anthony turned in a petition with over 10,000 signatures to regulate the amount of alcohol being sold, and it was denied because most of the signatures came from women and children. This was a social struggle as well. Susan B. Anthony was arrested for trying to vote under the fourteenth amendment in 1873. She was sent to jail, and although she got out, she refused to pay the $100.00 fine. This was a social struggle, but resulted in physical confinement. Going to jail proved how dedicated Susan B. Anthony was to her cause, and what she was willing to do to support it. This added a lot of fire into the movement, and inspired many women to do the same. Years later, she met with president Truman to discuss the possibility of women getting the right to vote.
Susan B. Anthony's Main Accomplishment
Susan B. Anthony is the reason that women today have the right to vote. She was a feminist and pioneer in the Women's Rights Movement. She also helped in the abolitionist movement, and was a prohibitionist. However, she was mainly remembered for getting women the right to vote. If she had not succeeded in doing this, society today would be drastically different. Women might still have no say in their government, or in their own lives. In addition, women's voices would not have as much of an influence or impact as they do today. The fact that Susan B. Anthony had to work so hard to get women the right to vote said a lot about discrimination in our society. However, it also said a lot about her. It showed how much spirit and determination she had, and how dedicated she was to having equality.
Conclusion
Susan B. Anthony inspires me, because she never gave up or faltered, even though her road was difficult. She stayed true to herself and her mission, and wouldn't settle for anything less. I also admire Susan B. Anthony, because she had guts. She was a pioneer in the Woman's Rights Movement, and paved the way for other suffragettes to follow her lead. What Susan B. Anthony did took courage, gusto, fire, strength, and determination.
Page created on 12/18/2012 12:00:00 AM
Last edited 12/18/2012 12:00:00 AM
The beliefs, viewpoints and opinions expressed in this hero submission on the website are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the beliefs, viewpoints and opinions of The MY HERO Project and its staff.
