You know that question that most men ask about women, what do women want. Well prior to 1920, women wanted freedom. Ever since the Reconstruction period women started to think about their freedom because women had fewer rights than African American men because of the Thirteenth, Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendment were just passed by Congress. African American men were given the right to vote, while women were excluded. Because women were looked down upon in society, they had less job opportunities, and their wages were much lower compared to men.

In the short term prior to 1887, freedom was not opened to everyone especially the women. Society didn’t think about the rights of women. To divorce during those times required evidence such as adultery, desertion, or extreme abuse to prove that there is a reason for the marriage to end, instead of just filing for divorce paper like today. Even the Supreme Court rejected the idea of women having more rights than men. Myra Bradwell wanted free labor principles for women. However, the Supreme Court rejected the idea because women don’t have the same free labor principles as men do. As the justices declared God had created them to be homemakers not to work outside of the home.

In the long run prior to 2010, women had finally made some progress towards their freedom. During World War I, while men were fighting in the war, women took over the men’s job such as working in factories to support the war. Finally, women’s suffrage finally brought Congress to pass the Nineteenth Amendment, “the right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any States on account of sex.”