Pressure Politics

     Political actions have often, actually primarily, occurred outside of voting booths. From the bread riots of the French Revolution to the sit-ins of the American civil rights movement, ordinary people have voiced their protests in public forums. During the Progressive Era, men and women used printing presses, speakers' pulpits, and public avenues to express their dissatisfaction with the status quo. Denied the vote in most instances, women had no other options besides pressure politics.

    As the 1912 website hopes to convey, the sheer number of images and words, both written and spoken, devoted to the issues of the campaign can easily overwhelm an audience. The activists of the era, however, did not rely solely on words to communicate their desires and beliefs. They also used other forms of pressure politics, particularly parades.

To learn more about the organizations and how they took to the streets, follow the links below.