Women's History

Women's Rights on Trial

Women's Rights on Trial contains 101 key trials of historical importance to American women since the settlement of the colonies. The editors used five criteria in selecting the trials that appear in the book: Does the case set a precedent? Is it representative of an historical period? Is it a judicial landmark? Does it offer an historical contrast to an earlier trial in the book? And finally, is it interesting? The following 12 representative trials from the book are presented here in their entirety:

Mary Dyer Trials: 1659 & 1660

Griffith v. Griffith's Executors: 1798

Pennsylvania v. Addicks: 1813

United States v. Susan B. Anthony: 1873

The Triangle Shirtwaist Fire: 1911

Roe v. Wade: 1973

Weinberger v.Wiesenfeld: 1975

Meritor Savings Bank v. Vinson: 1986

In the Matter of Baby M: 1988

The Tailhook Scandal: 1994

Ireland v. Smith: 1995

United States v. Virginia: 1996