Written Document Analysis Worksheet: The Declaration of Sentiments

The author of the document is Elizabeth Cady Stanton.

4. In your own words, please summarize the document. What was the authors main claim? What evidence did the author present to support the claim(s)?

The document is about the rights of women. The Declaration of Sentiments was signed by sixty-eight men and thirty-two women who had attended a womens rights convention held in New York. The article urged people to leave behind conventional mindsets of segregating women. The article criticizes men and the society for not letting women vote; denying women a voice of their own; forcing women to submit to laws that are suppressive; preventing women from owning property; forcing women to be totally submissive to the husband; repressive divorce laws, denied women education opportunities, destroying the confidence of women, and paying women very lowly compared to men among other injustices against women.

5. What words or phrases from the document grab your attention? Why?

These words grabbed my attention because they were interesting while some were new to me.

Disfranchisement meaning being deprived ones right especially the right of voting (This word captured my attention because it was new to me)

Degradation which means shaming someone or in dignifying him or her (This word captured my attention because the author used it to emphasize on how women were mistreated)

Monopolize which means to control or dominate something or someone (This word captured by attention because the manner in which it was used was interesting)

Despotism which means dictatorship or tyranny (This word is new to me)

Usurpations which means taking power through force (This word captured my attention because it was new to me)

Prudence which means being wise and cautious (This word captured my attention because it was new to me)

Transient which means a temporary and short-term thing (This word captured my attention because it was new to me)

6. Who was the intended audience for the document?

The document was meant for the whole society but most especially men and the government.

7. Why do you think the document was written?

The document was written to fight for the civil, religious, political, and social rights of women. The rights of women were being infringed just because of their gender. The document wanted to correct the issue.

8. What do you think the document tells us about life in the United States at the time it was written?

The document tells us that gender inequality was highly prevalent in the United States at that time. Women were not even allowed to vote, own property and were supposed to be submissive to men. Although gender inequality is still prevalent, things have at least improved. Currently, women are allowed to vote in the US (though this is not the same in all nations), and they can also own property.

Based, in part, on the Written Document Analysis Worksheet created by the Education Staff, National Archives and Records Administration.