The debate surrounding the creation and ratification of the Fifteenth Amendment divided one-time political allies over the matter of women's suffrage. What were the arguments for and against including a woman's right to vote in the Fifteenth Amendment? What did this debate say about the boundaries of freedom defined by Reconstruction?

The arguments for including a woman's right to vote in the Fifteenth Amendment were primarily based on the principles of equality and justice. Advocates for women's suffrage argued that if African American men were granted the right to vote, then women, regardless of race, should also be granted the same right. They believed that denying women the right to vote was a form of discrimination and a violation of their rights as citizens. Additionally, they argued that women had been active participants in the abolitionist movement and had played a significant role in the fight for civil rights, and therefore deserved the right to participate in the political process.

On the other hand, the arguments against including women's suffrage in the Fifteenth Amendment were based on traditional gender roles and societal norms. Opponents of women's suffrage believed that it was not the appropriate time to address women's rights and that it would be too radical of a change to grant women the right to vote at the same time as African American men. They also argued that women's suffrage would disrupt the social order and lead to the breakdown of the family structure.

This debate about the inclusion of women's suffrage in the Fifteenth Amendment revealed the limitations of freedom defined by Reconstruction. While the Fifteenth Amendment aimed to grant voting rights to African American men, it did not address the issue of women's suffrage, highlighting the narrow scope of freedom that was being defined at the time. The debate also reflected the deeply ingrained gender biases and societal norms that existed during Reconstruction, which limited the expansion of rights and freedoms to certain groups of people. Ultimately, the exclusion of women's suffrage from the Fifteenth Amendment demonstrated the complexities and limitations of the Reconstruction era in fully addressing issues of equality and freedom for all.