Susan B. Anthony - Arrested for Voting!

Why Not Me?

The year was 1872. 18th President of the United States Ulysses S. Grant was running for his second term as president. At the time, only men could officially vote, but that didn't stop suffragist Susan B.Anthony from doing everything in her power to cast her vote. Four days before the official vote, Anthony stormed into a Rochester, N.Y., polling station and demanded that her name be added to the list of eligible voters. 

Defying Injustice

Anthony was told by the election official on duty that the state of New York only allowed men to cast votes, but eventually, she persuaded the official to add her name, and the names of 14 other women to the list. On November 5th, Anthony cast her vote for Grant. Thirteen days later, Anthony was the only of the 15 women to be arrested for unlawful voting. She allegedly asked the police officer if her arrest was typical of how police officers arrest men. When he replied that it wasn't, she requested to be arrested properly. 

Guilty of What?

Anthony's trial lasted two days. She was found guilty and fined $100. Anthony told the judge, "I shall never pay a penny of your unjust penalty." 

Discussion Questions

  1. Why do you think Susan B. Anthony chose to vote even though it was illegal for women to do so at the time?
  2. What does Anthony’s request to be arrested "properly" tell you about her views on equality?
  3. How did Anthony’s actions challenge the laws of her time?
  4. Do you think her protest made a difference in the fight for women's rights? Why or why not?

Why Not Me?

In 1872, Ulysses S. Grant was running for a second term as President of the United States. Although only men were allowed to vote, Susan B. Anthony was determined to cast her vote. She went to a polling station in Rochester, New York, and asked to have her name added to the voter list.

Defying Injustice

At first, the election official told her that only men could vote in New York. But Anthony convinced him to add her name, along with 14 other women. On November 5th, she voted for Grant. A few days later, she was the only one of the group arrested for voting illegally. When arrested, she asked to be treated the same way a man would be.

Guilty of What?

Anthony’s trial lasted two days. She was found guilty and fined $100. She told the judge she would never pay the fine because she believed it was unfair.