Jane Addams' short essay on women's suffrage, “Why Women Should Vote,” first found its way into print in a 1910 issue of the Ladies' Home Journal. In stating her views, Addams was joining the intense debate on the topic that took place at the beginning of the twentieth century in America. The women's movement was a crucial part of Progressivism, and one of its most pressing questions was how women could attain equality with men and reform a society dominated by them. Many women's rights advocates claimed that voting was essential for women to achieve their reformist goals. Addams shared this belief. Yet, contrary to other women's rights campaigners, she rooted her support for female suffrage within the values of domesticity. While many argued that suffrage would help women move beyond the narrow confines of the home, Addams began her essay by situating women's place firmly within the home.
