In 1848, the Seneca Falls Convention convened in New York; it was the first women’s rights convention. Participants signed the Declaration of Sentiments, which stated that “all men and women are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” (art. VII, sec. 1, cl. 2). The article outlined gender inequality and advocated for an expansion of women’s legal rights and civic engagement.
