"Family Devotion"

Most people in the 1800s believed that women belonged in the home. The mere thought of virtuous women entering the corrupt world of politics led many men (and women) to fear the worst: child neglect, divorce, and the complete loss of womanhood. Suffragists rejected the idea that they were already represented at the ballot box—arguing that men failed to promote their interests. They fought for the vote to protect themselves and their families.