Video
Part 1: Introduction
Transcript
Hello there! My name is Ranger Kendra and I’m speaking to you from Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts!
Today you’re going to learn about a very important anniversary and an inspiring woman- but first, I have a question for you.
Raise your hand if you plan on voting when you turn 18?
If I were in the same room as you all, I am sure I would see every hand up in the air! Voting is a very important way of participating in government. But did you know that just over 100 years ago, you wouldn’t have been able to vote? That’s right- women did not gain the right to vote until the 19th amendment was ratified in 1920.
And the amendment wasn’t an easy win, either- it took women and their allies decades of advocacy and campaigning to convince the United States that women should have the right to vote. Even after the 19th amendment was ratified, many women were still unable to vote- like Black, Indigenous, and Immigrant women. It would take many more years of continued work to extend the vote and to make sure women had other important rights in society that we all have today.
For example, think about your dream job. What do you want to do when you grow up?
If your answer isn’t being a teacher, a nurse, a stay-at-home mom, or a factory worker, then it’s likely you wouldn’t have been able to have that job until sometime in the last 50 years!
Women had to work hard to gain access to education and wider career options, and the independence they afforded. One woman who dedicated herself to this cause was Catherine Filene Shouse.
Catherine was born in 1896, which means that the 19th amendment was ratified when she was a young woman. However, Catherine continued to advocate for women beyond the right to vote. She envisioned a world in which women could pursue career opportunities that gave them dignity and economic independence. She held many important positions throughout her life and played a key role in the establishment of the national park I am standing in today!
You will learn more about Catherine Filene Shouse in your next activity- a digital scavenger hunt- and then you will get to create a short performance in which you teach your troop or your family about Catherine’s accomplishments. Once you complete these activities you will earn a special patch commemorating the 100th anniversary of the ratification of the 19th amendment – and perhaps you will even follow in Catherine’s footsteps!
Description
Now that you have learned a little bit about the 19th Amendment, Catherine Filene Shouse, and Wolf Trap's place in women's history, you're ready for the next activity!
Duration
2 minutes, 35 seconds
Credit
K. Barat
Date Created
07/31/2020
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