19th Amendment — Women's Suffrage
The 19th Amendment was ratified, granting women the right to vote — the culmination of a 72-year suffrage movement that began at the Seneca Falls Convention in 1848.
What Happened
After 72 years of organizing, marching, petitioning, and arrests, the 19th Amendment was ratified on August 18, 1920, when Tennessee's state legislature cast the deciding vote by a single margin. The amendment stated: 'The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex.' Approximately 8 million women voted in the November 1920 elections.
Why It Mattered Then
Women's suffrage was one of the largest expansions of voting rights in American history. It added tens of millions of voters and fundamentally changed American political calculus.
Why It Matters Now
The 19th Amendment is a landmark in the long, still-incomplete project of American political equality. Women's political participation has shaped every major policy debate in American life since 1920.
Key Themes
This event is part of the 1914–1945: World Wars and Global Power era (1914–1945).
Explore This Era →