Women Voting at the Polls in New Jersey, 1800 Believe it or not, the first American women voters liv
Women Voting at the Polls in New Jersey, 1800 Believe it or not, the first American women voters lived way back the 18th century! In 1776, early state constitutions granted American women the vote in New York, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and New Jersey. Through the 1770s and 80s, these rights were slowly stripped away. By the ratification of the American constitution in 1787, New Jersey was the only state left that allowed women’s suffrage. Most states gave the vote to those who could meet certain property and wealth requirements, but New Jersey was unique in not specifying race or gender in their qualifications - meaning free African Americans and unmarried women (widowed or single) who owned 50 pounds’ worth of property could, and did, vote. Unfortunately, this was rescinded in 1807, after a local election was overturned due to massive voter fraud, leading legislators to place the blame on minorities. Said legislator John Condict, “It cannot for a moment be supposed…that the authors of the constitution meant to entrust the command of our army, and the direction of our state, either to women, to negroes, or to aliens" [x]. -- source link
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