Alice EvansNov 19, 2022

Co-educational schools in 19th century were overwhelmingly located in the American West.

This saved costs & also reflected a Frontier mindset, where women were not presumed incapable of competing with men.

Founders emphasised women’s intellectual equality.

@histodons

Show threadHatta MisraNov 19, 2022

@draliceevans @histodons What were the causes that led to the development of that Frontier mindset? Did the harsher conditions of the frontier, where everyone had to pitch in to build their communities from the ground up, have something to do with it?

#history #USPol #USHistory #feminism

Show threadSam Bosbach
@hattamisra @draliceevans @histodons Part of it, I think, is that these territories needed to market themselves to women. The populations of these areas was heavily male, so territorial governments trying to achieve statehood wanted more women to settle there and start families so that the population would stabilize and grow. I'm not a trained historian though, so an academic can please add more context to my thinking.
Nov 20, 2022 at 4:34amWeb
Show threadDavidASmithNov 20, 2022
@s_bosbach @hattamisra @draliceevans @histodons This is one of the maps I always show my classes when we talk about the roots of the #19thAmendment. It indicates what you’re thinking—that whatever the reason may be, western states we more likely to have voting rights for women. Wyoming did so before it even became a state.
Show threadSam BosbachNov 20, 2022
@DavidASmith For sure! The populist west led the way for women's rights. Look how late the east held out! Wild.
Show threadDavidASmithNov 21, 2022
@s_bosbach As you probably know for sure, some New England states had property qualifications for voting until the 1820! For me, it all really hints at the injustices possible when states have the sole power of setting voting rights. There’s no peep on this from the national government until 1865.
Show threadSam BosbachNov 21, 2022
@DavidASmith Wildly, only the fair interpretation of the Equal Protection Clause prevents a state from implementing property requirements to vote TODAY. Theres no affirmative right to vote anywhere in federal law, only unlawful forms of restriction (race, sex, age>18, tax payment).