Women in the United States won the right to vote with the ratification of the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution on August 18, 1920. The movement for women's suffrage is often traced back to the Seneca Falls Convention in 1848, which marked the beginning of organized efforts for women's voting rights. The 19th Amendment was first introduced in Congress in 1878 and finally passed both houses in 1919 before being ratified by the required number of states in 1920. Thus, it took roughly 72 years from the start of the organized suffrage movement at Seneca Falls until the nationwide legal right to vote was secured for women
. Key milestones include:
- 1848: Seneca Falls Convention, start of the organized suffrage movement
- 1878: First introduction of a constitutional amendment for women's suffrage in Congress
- 1917-1919: Growing political support and passage of the amendment in Congress
- August 18, 1920: Ratification of the 19th Amendment by Tennessee, making it law nationwide
Before the 19th Amendment, some states and territories had already granted women voting rights, starting with Wyoming in 1869, but full suffrage nationwide was only achieved in 1920
