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Once again the Republican Party was the vanguard in relation to women. In 1917, Jeannette Rankin, a Montana Republican, became the first woman to serve in the House. Committed to her pacifist beliefs, she was the only member of Congress to vote against entry into both World War I and World War II.
Shortly after Ms. Rankin's election to Congress, the 19th Amendment was passed in 1919. The amendment's journey to ratification had been a long and difficult one. Starting in 1896, the Republican Party became the first major party to officially favor women's suffrage. That year, Republican Sen. A. A. Sargent of California introduced a proposal in the Senate to give women the right to vote. The proposal was defeated four times in the Democratic-controlled Senate. When the Republican Party regained control of Congress, the Equal Suffrage Amendment finally passed (304-88). Only 16 Republicans opposed the amendment.
When the amendment was submitted to the states, 26 of the 36 states that ratified it had Republican-controlled legislatures. Of the nine states that voted against ratification, eight were controlled by Democrats. Twelve states, all Republican, had given women full suffrage before the federal amendment was finally ratified.
The Republican Party - GOP History
The Republican Party was born in the early 1850's by anti-slavery activists and individuals who believed
that government should grant western lands to settlers free of charge.
From the Beginning
Abolishing slavery. Free speech. Women's suffrage. These are all stances the Republican Party, in opposition
to the Democratic Party, adopted early on.
The First Republican
With the election of Abraham Lincoln in 1860, the Republicans firmly established themselves as a major
party capable of holding onto the White House for 60 of the next 100 years.
The Bull Moose
Assuming the presidency when McKinley was assassinated in 1901, President Theodore Roosevelt busied
himself with what he considered to be the most pressing issue, ensuring the Republican principle of competition in a free market.
Leading The Way On the Issues
Republicans fought to abolish slavery, give blacks equal rights and then the vote. Many Republican politicians
risked their careers on that period's "third rail" of politics.
Republican Women
Once again the Republican Party was the vanguard in relation to women. In 1917, Jeannette Rankin, a Montana
Republican, became the first woman to serve in the House.
Republican Principles
I'm a Republican Because…
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Republican National Committee contributed to this report. http://www.gop.com/
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