Seneca Falls Convention Declaration of Sentiments

Audience

The Declaration of Sentiments was written for several audiences. The first audience was the men and women who participated in the Seneca Falls Convention. Following the form and adapting many of the key concepts of the Declaration of Independence, the Declaration of Sentiments sought to set forth the wrongs done to women and offer a redress of those wrongs. Thus, another audience was the men who served as the lawmakers of the United States, both in the federal government and in each state and territory. These people made the laws and needed to be aware that women were treated as second-class citizens and were not granted all the rights of other American citizens. The last audience was the people of the United States. The document was intended to raise the awareness of all Americans regarding the treatment of women in the nation that proclaimed that “all men are created equal.” Stanton and the other women's rights advocates understood that in order to improve women's legal and social standing, they would need to win the support of those in power as well as influencing popular opinion.