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Assignment 1

Davis is trying to take the reader step by step through the history of women during the 19th century while expanding her arguments on race, class and gender. Around the world there are millions of females with different backgrounds but is of great importance for Davis to begin with the role of black women during slavery. Her purpose is to show how their treatment was mostly influenced by profit. Back then a society focus on negotiations between owners to sell and manipulate their slaves in order to gain power a group of people as they also gained profit. However, there started to be a turning point when women realized their value and manifested opposition to obtain freedom. In chapter three, Davis describes and explains the “embryonic” actions of women who were dedicated to fight for independence from men and for their roles in a society with equality. In many different places there were campaigns such as the Anti-slavery Convention and the Seneca Falls Declaration in which women were able to be at least represented by other men or they by themselves had the chance to fight inequality. During the uprising of these events, one historical figure that grabbed my attention was Frederick Douglass. He was  a man who defended the rights of women. Davis mentions how his convincement of the right to vote came from a women. What Davis is trying to tell us by mentioning him is to portray determination, unity and hope for a change in the perspective others had about women having the right to vote. She explains how he was the only one that accepted to fight and had the will to persevere even when he was rejected by the press and other people. He represented a form of freedom to express their values in a family, in a job and in a society. Women wanted to be equally treated and not be a minority. One of the characteristic he had was loyalty even when there was a lot of opposition between males and females. Davis demonstrates that there is possibility to come to an agreement and be open minded to discuss the issues one is experiencing. Overall, each reference she uses clarify and proved the possibility to reach freedom and equality.