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Assignment 01

From time, women were never known as delegates or people in position of power, more often as the wives of those who were in power.  Women never really had an identity of their own. Politically, socially, and economically, women were always inferior to men, especially when married.  Davis’ purpose of this chapter was trying to prove to us the power of women, no matter of race or economic status.  In this chapter we see two women, whom both attended the Seneca Convention, but for very different reasons.  Charlotte Woodward, a White Woman, motives for signing the Seneca Falls Declarations was because of the oppression she felt being inferior to men economically.  Although she was a working women from home, the men in her family felt entitled to her money because legally the men were in control of her money.  However, Sojourner Truth, an ex-slave, vocally expressed her aspirations to be free not only from her racist oppression, but from her sexist domination. While Woodward focuses on the economic inequality, Truth touches more on the social issue of women seen as the “weaker sex” by explaining her ability to overcome the horrible experiences she went through, and picking herself up through every situation. She tells everyone she was able to go through that because of the strength of being a woman.  Her words were so touching, it leaves everyone in shock and awe. From this we can see the difference in the oppression or black and white women (middle class).  This gave us a sense of the difference in their struggles of being a women. Overall, we get the sense that Davis’ purpose was to  expose the diversity of women empowerment. We can see women from different races, backgrounds, and economic status, coming together to overcome the one most significant issue they all have in common, gender inequality.