Skip to content

Women’s Participation in Party Politics by Afnan Abu Qahouq

Afnan Abu Qahouq
Dr. Kopelson/ Libby Taylor
Hy103-006
Feb. 25, 2015
Election of 1816
Women’s Participation in Party Politics
Hillary Clinton: Hi, I’m Hillary Clinton
Sarah Palin: And I’m Sarah Palin
Hillary Clinton: We decided to make a campaign discussing the women’s participation in party politics during the election of 1816 in the Federalist Perspective. Sarah, Can you tell the audience who were the federalist and how they supported the women’s participation in politics?
Sarah Palin: Oh yes, you betcha Hillary! In the election of 1816, there were two political groups. The Federalist Party who favored the British and the supporters of George Washington and Alexander Hamilton. And then there were the Democratic Republican, who were also known as the Jeffersonian, who favored the French and supporters of Thomas Jefferson and James Madison. The Federalist were more in favor of women’s political participation. They “urged women to demonstrate their support publicly by attending partisan meetings, gatherings, and events” (p.84). For example, Federalists “welcomed women to commemorations of Washington’s birthday and later to ceremonies in honor of his death” (84). “By appearing at such activities, women both affirmed their partisan affiliations and expanded the basis of popular political participation” (p85). By the way Hillary, do you know what federalists used to call the Democratic Republicans?
Hillary Clinton: What Sarah?
Sarah Palin: They used to malign them as “Atheists”, “Jacobins”, or “Democrats” (p.84).
Hillary Clinton: Sarah, remember, let’s try to keep the dialogue PG-13. Back to discussion, women’s participation was seen as an “affirmative choice” (p.85). There were many ways women contributed in their presence to support the Federalists by “marrying men of the same party, wearing color and symbols of the party”, or even joining their husbands to sing in some political events (p.85). For example, the Federalists women “wore golden eagles or black cockades on their dresses or hats” (p.85-6). Participation in politics for women also led to “new opportunities to involve themselves in politics such as homespun, boycotting goods and attending public gatherings in support of their chosen political causes” (p.113). “As ‘female politicians’, they asserted their political opinions and made choices of everything from servants to spouses based on their party affiliations” (p.113).
Sarah Palin: Hey Hillary, I can see Russia from here!
Hillary Clinton: (A thought in her head) Why didn’t I get Michelle Obama to help me with the campaign ad?!