Historic time period: 1890–1930
Winning the Vote for Women
Did you know that women in America have not always been allowed to vote? How do women today use their right to vote?
Mama Went to Jail for the Vote tells the story of the woman suffrage movement from the perspective of a young girl named Susan Elizabeth. Explore the story by reading together and then try some of these fun activities to learn more about the people who earned the right to vote for women all over America.
The National Museum of American History has a rich collection of objects from the women's suffrage movement, including three Jailed for Freedom pins, banners from protest parades, buttons, publications, and more.
Read This Book
You can learn more about the woman suffrage movement by reading these books. Click on the book titles below for more information, or visit our complete bibliography.
More Recommended Books
- Elizabeth Leads the Way by Tanya Lee Stone
- I Could Do That! Esther Morris Gets Women the Vote by Linda Arms White
- With Courage and Cloth: Winning the Fight for A Woman's Right to Vote by Ann Bausum
- You Want Women to Vote, Lizzie Stanton? by Jean Fritz
- Jailed for Freedom: American Women Win the Vote by Doris Stevens
- One Woman, One Vote – Rediscovering the Woman Su ffrage Movement by Marjorie Spruill Wheeler (editor)
Featured Book
Mama Went to Jail for the Vote
by Kathleen Karr
Mama Went to Jail for the Vote by Kathleen Karr. Illustrated by Malene Laugesen. Used by permission of Hyperion Books for Children.
Recommended Book
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Read Mama Went to Jail for the Vote
Meet Susan Elizabeth, a young girl who is inspired when her mother pickets the White House to get women the right to vote.
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Activities
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Role Model Medal
Play and Create
Create a pin to honor a female role model in your life, just like the Jailed for Freedom pin given to suffragettes.
Download the PDF » -
Objection and Answer
Learn from Objects
Take a look at pairs of banners with arguments for and against woman suffrage. Guess what might have been the match for a banner that is missing its pair.
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Meet Your Local League
Take a Trip
Meet with a member or attend part of a meeting of the League of Women Voters in your community.
Download the PDF » -
Who Represents You?
Use Technology
Take off on a tour of the web to find out about the people who represent you in Congress, and how they compare to the state they serve.
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