| At the time when Anthony, Cady, and other | | | | As Spiritualism attracted more followers, the women's |
| like-minded individuals were fighting for women's | | | | rights movement also gained momentum, and women |
| equality, Spiritualism was also gaining momentum as a | | | | and other proponents of equality sought a platform |
| religion. This controversial belief system is usually | | | | where they could lecture freely and advance their |
| thought to have started with the Fox sisters in 1848. At | | | | unconventional ideas. Like the Spiritualists, the women |
| this time, the young sisters were living in a cottage in | | | | crying out for equality were considered a controversial |
| Hydesville, New York. | | | | bunch and were also treated as social pariahs in most |
| One evening, the girls began hearing a series of | | | | segments. Christianity, as America's primary religion, still |
| knocks and raps whose source could not be | | | | viewed women as secondary to men. Of course the |
| determined. After some time, they realized that the | | | | feminists disagreed wholeheartedly with this, and as a |
| sounds were really attempts at communication, and | | | | result, many turned their backs on the Christian |
| the girls soon devised a code so they could | | | | churches. However, in spite of their lack of a formal |
| understand. Using a predetermined number of knocks | | | | religious affiliation many of them were still spiritual |
| to indicate "yes" or "no," the sisters were able to ask | | | | people who sought places where they could worship |
| questions and receive answers. What they learned | | | | or pray without having to sacrifice their beliefs in |
| was startling. The knocks, it seemed, were coming | | | | female equality. Spiritualism became their answer. |
| from the spirit of a peddler that had been murdered | | | | Because the religion was more open to these "radical" |
| and buried in the cottage's cellar. Once word about the | | | | notions, it became a haven of sorts for people who |
| spiritual communication got out, the Fox sisters | | | | didn't agree with the traditional ideas of Christianity and |
| became quite famous. They traveled to New York | | | | the mainstream public. Many of the women's rights |
| City and other parts of the country serving as | | | | movement's strongest supporters had ties to |
| mediums who could talk to the dead. | | | | Spiritualism, including Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady |
| During this time, Spiritualism as a religion began to take | | | | Stanton, and Ascha W. Srague. |
| form, and there were soon several followers. Many of | | | | Though at first glance Spiritualism and the women's |
| the people who associated themselves with | | | | rights movement seem as though they would be |
| Spiritualism were political reformers, abolitionists, | | | | unrelated, it is clear that at the height of the movement |
| non-Christians, and other who bucked the conventions | | | | there were strong ties with the Spiritualist religion. With |
| of 19th century society. As such, they were often | | | | its more relaxed views on female equality and |
| criticized and unfairly judged by mainstream America, | | | | women's suffrage, Spiritualism was an attractive option |
| who deemed them immoral atheists who were | | | | for feminists and their supporters seeking an arena in |
| poisonous to the God-fearing public. | | | | which to speak. |