▁New ▁England ▁town ▁meet ings , ▁beginning ▁in ▁ 1 7 5 6 , ▁at ▁U x bridge , ▁Massachusetts . ▁The ▁women ' s ▁suff rage ▁movement ▁was ▁closely ▁tied ▁to ▁abol ition ism , ▁with ▁many ▁suff rage ▁activ ists ▁gain ing ▁their ▁first ▁experience ▁as ▁anti - s la very ▁activ ists . ▁ ▁In ▁June   1 8 4 8 , ▁Ger rit ▁Smith ▁made ▁women ' s ▁suff rage ▁a ▁pl ank ▁in ▁the ▁Liber ty ▁Party ▁platform . ▁In   J uly , ▁at ▁the ▁Sen eca ▁F alls ▁Convention ▁in ▁up state ▁New ▁York , ▁activ ists ▁including ▁Elizabeth ▁C ady ▁St anton ▁and ▁Susan ▁B . ▁Anthony ▁began ▁a ▁sevent y - year ▁struggle ▁by ▁women ▁to ▁secure ▁the ▁right ▁to ▁vote . ▁Att ende es ▁signed ▁a ▁document ▁known ▁as ▁the ▁Dec laration ▁of ▁Rights ▁and ▁Sent iments , ▁of ▁which ▁St anton ▁was ▁the ▁primary ▁author . ▁Equ al ▁rights ▁became ▁the ▁r ally ing ▁cry ▁of ▁the ▁early ▁movement ▁for ▁women ' s ▁rights , ▁and ▁equal ▁rights ▁meant ▁claim ing ▁access ▁to ▁all ▁the ▁prev ail ing ▁definitions ▁of ▁freedom . ▁In   1 8 5 0 ▁Lucy ▁Stone ▁organized ▁a ▁larger ▁assembly ▁with ▁a ▁wider ▁focus , ▁the ▁National ▁Women ' s ▁Rights ▁Convention ▁in ▁Wor c ester , ▁Massachusetts . ▁Susan   B . ▁Anthony , ▁a ▁resident ▁of ▁Ro chester , ▁New ▁York , ▁joined ▁the ▁cause ▁in   1 8 5 2 ▁after ▁reading ▁Stone ' s