1. Declaration of Sentiments

When, in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one portion 
of the family of man to assume among the people of the earth a position 
different from that which they have hitherto occupied, but one to which 
the laws of nature and of nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to 
the opinions of mankindrequires that they should declare the causes that 
impel them to such a course.

We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men and women are 
created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain 
inalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of 
happiness; that to secure these rights governments are instituted, 
deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. Whenever any 
form of government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of 
those who suffer from it to refuse allegiance to it, and to insist upon 
the institution of a new government, laying its foundation on such 
principles, and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem 
most likely to effect their safety and happiness. Prudence, indeed, will 
dictate that governments long established should not be changed for light 
and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shown that 
mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to 
right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But 
when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same 
object, evinces a design to reduce them under absolute despotism, it is 
their duty to throw off such government, and to provide new guards for 
their future security. Such has been the patient sufferance of the women 
under this government, and such is now the necessity which constrains them 
to demand the equal station to which they are entitled. The history of 
mankind is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations on the part of 
man toward woman, having in direct object the establishment of an absolute 
tyranny over her. To prove this, let facts be submitted to a candid world.

He has never permitted her to exercise her inalienable right to the 
elective franchise.

He has compelled her to submit to laws, in the formation of which she had 
no voice.

He has withheld from her rights which are given to the most ignorant and 
degraded men, both natives and foreigners.

Having deprived her of this first right of a citizen, the elective 
franchise. thereby leaving her without representation in the halls of 
legislation, he has oppressed her on all sides.

He has made her, if married, in the eye of the law, civilly dead. He has 
taken from her all right in property. even to the wages she earns.

He has made her, morally. an irresponsible being. as she can commit many 
crimes with impunity, provided they be done in the presence of her husband.

In the covenant of marriage, she is compelled to promise obedience to her 
husband, he becoming, to all intents and purposes, her master, the law 
giving him power to deprive her of her liberty. and to administer 
chastisement.

He has so framed the laws of divorce, as to what shall be the proper 
causes, and in case of separation, to whom the guardianship of the 
children shall be given, as to be wholly regardless of the happiness of 
women, the law, in all cases, going upon a false supposition of the 
supremacy of man, and giving all power into his hands.

After depriving her of all rights as a married woman, if single, and the 
owner of property, he has taxed her to support a government which 
recognizes her only when her property can be made profitable to it.

He has monopolized nearly all the profitable employments, and from those 
she is permitted to follow, she receives but a scanty remuneration. He 
closes against her all the avenues to wealth and distinction which he 
considers most honorable to himself. As a teacher of theology, medicine, 
or law, she is not known.

He has denied her the facilities for obtaining a thorough education, all 
colleges being closed against her.

He allows her in Church, as well as State, but a subordinate position, 
claiming Apostolic authority for her exclusion from the ministry, and. 
with some exceptions, from any public participation in the affairs of the 
Church.

He has created a false public sentiment by giving to the world a different 
code of morals for men and women, by which moral delinquencies which 
exclude women from society, are not only tolerated, but deemed of little 
account in man.

He has usurped the prerogative of Jehovah himself, claiming it as his 
right to assign for her a sphere of action, when that belongs to her 
conscience and to her God.

He has endeavored, in every way that he could, to destroy her confidence 
in her own powers, to lessen her self-respect and to make her willing to 
lead a dependent and abject life.

Now, in view of this entire disfranchisement of one-half the people of 
this country, their social and religious degradation, in view of the 
unjust laws above mentioned, and because women do feel themselves 
aggrieved, oppressed, and fraudulently deprived of their most sacred 
rights, we insist that they have immediate admission to all the rights and 
privileges which belong to them as citizens of the United States.

In entering upon the great work before us. we anticipate no small amount 
of misconception, misrepresentation, and ridicule; but we shall use every 
instrumentality within our power to effect our object. We shall employ 
agents, circulate tracts, petition the State and National legislatures, 
and endeavor to enlist the pulpit and the press in our behalf. We hope 
this Convention will be followed by a series of Conventions embracing 
every part of the country.

2. Resolutions

WHEREAS, The great precept of nature is conceded to be, that "man shall 
pursue his own true and substantial happiness." Blackstone in his 
Commentaries remarks, that this law of Nature being coeval with mankind, 
and dictated by God himself, is of course superior in obligation to any 
other. It is binding over all the globe, in all countries and at all 
times; no human laws are of any validity if contrary to this. and such of 
them as are valid, derive all their force. and all their validity, and all 
their authority, mediately and immediately, from this original; therefore,

Resolved, That such laws as conflict, in any way with the true and 
substantial happiness of woman, are contrary to the great precept of 
nature and of no validity, for this is "superior in obligation to any 
other."

Resolved, That all laws which prevent woman from occupying such a station 
in society as her conscience shall dictate, or which place her in a 
position inferior to that of man, are contrary to the great precept of 
nature, and therefore of no force or authority.

Resolved, That woman is man's equal, was intended to be so by the Creator, 
and the highest good of the race demands that she should be recognized as 
such.

Resolved, That the women of this country ought to be enlightened in regard 
to the laws under which they live, that they may no longer publish their 
degradation by declaring themselves satisfied with their present position, 
nor their ignorance. by asserting that they have all the rights they want.

Resolved. That inasmuch as man, while claiming for himself intellectual 
superiority. does accord to woman moral superionty. it is pre-eminently 
his duty to encourage her to speak and teach. as she has an opportunity, 
in all religious assemblies.

Resolved, That the same amount of virtue, delicacy, and refinement of 
behavior that is required of woman in the social state, should also be 
required of man, and the same transgressions should be visited with equal 
severity on both man and woman.

Resolved, That the objection of indelicacy and impropriety, which is so 
often brought against woman when she addresses a public audience, comes 
with a very ill-grace from those who encourage, by their attendance, her 
appearance on the stage, in the concert. Or in feats of the circus.

Resolved, That woman has too long rested satisfied in the circumscribed 
limits which corrupt customs and a perverted application of the Scriptures 
have marked out for her, and that it is time she should move in the 
enlarged sphere which her great Creator has assigned her.

Resolved, That it is the duty of the women of this country to secure to 
themselves their sacred right to the elective franchise.

Resolved, That the equality of human rights results necessarily from the 
fact of the identity of the race in capabilities and responsibilities.

Resolved, therefore. That. being invested by the creator with the same 
capabilities. and the same consciousness of responsibility for their 
exercise, it is demonstrably the right and duty of woman, equally with 
man, to promote every righteous cause by every righteous means; and 
especially in regard to the great subjects of morals and religion, it is 
self-evidently her right to participate with her brother in teaching them, 
both in private and in public, by writing and by speaking. by any 
instrumentalities proper to be used. and in any assemblies proper to be 
held; and this being a self evident truth growing out of the divinely 
implanted principles of human nature, any custom or authority adverse to 
it. whether modern or wearing the hoary sanction of antiquity, is to be 
regarded as a self-evident falsehood, and at war with mankind.

Resolved, That the speedy success of our cause depends upon the zealous 
and untiring efforts of both men and women, for the overthrow of the 
monopoly of the pulpit. and for the securing to women an equal 
participation with men in the various trades. professions. and commerce.