How Bicycles Changed Women’s Lives | Origins: The Journey of Humankind

there are always consequences to what we

there are always consequences to what we create often unintended and some can

create often unintended and some can

create often unintended and some can cause serious problems but sometimes

cause serious problems but sometimes

cause serious problems but sometimes those unintended consequences are for

those unintended consequences are for

those unintended consequences are for the best nowhere is this more true than

the best nowhere is this more true than

the best nowhere is this more true than with our advancements in transportation

with our advancements in transportation

with our advancements in transportation one early ride came to symbolize freedom

one early ride came to symbolize freedom

one early ride came to symbolize freedom for an entire gender’ Illinois 1893

for an entire gender’ Illinois 1893

for an entire gender’ Illinois 1893 Frances Willard the famous fighter

Frances Willard the famous fighter

Frances Willard the famous fighter women’s rights experienced the wind in

women’s rights experienced the wind in

women’s rights experienced the wind in her face for the very first time on the

her face for the very first time on the

her face for the very first time on the seat of a safety bicycle I think it’s

seat of a safety bicycle I think it’s

seat of a safety bicycle I think it’s hard for us to imagine today what it is

hard for us to imagine today what it is

hard for us to imagine today what it is like to be literally trapped inside your

like to be literally trapped inside your

like to be literally trapped inside your own house women were literally trapped

own house women were literally trapped

own house women were literally trapped at home in the 19th century their

at home in the 19th century their

at home in the 19th century their clothes trapped them because we’re so

clothes trapped them because we’re so

clothes trapped them because we’re so heavy they weighed up to 25 pounds and

heavy they weighed up to 25 pounds and

heavy they weighed up to 25 pounds and they couldn’t get about they were

they couldn’t get about they were

they couldn’t get about they were dependent on a man to either put them on

dependent on a man to either put them on

dependent on a man to either put them on a horse or put them in a carriage and

a horse or put them in a carriage and

a horse or put them in a carriage and take them there

take them there

take them there the bicycle offered them a way of

the bicycle offered them a way of

the bicycle offered them a way of freedom how do you write it with great

freedom how do you write it with great

freedom how do you write it with great courage and dexterity on which you are

courage and dexterity on which you are

courage and dexterity on which you are very capable how do you pedal wearing

very capable how do you pedal wearing

very capable how do you pedal wearing such cumbersome things carefully you

such cumbersome things carefully you

such cumbersome things carefully you return she who succeeds in gaining the

return she who succeeds in gaining the

return she who succeeds in gaining the mastery of the bicycle will gain the

mastery of the bicycle will gain the

mastery of the bicycle will gain the mastery of life and the two things that

mastery of life and the two things that

mastery of life and the two things that must occupy your thoughts to the

must occupy your thoughts to the

must occupy your thoughts to the exclusion of everything else first the

exclusion of everything else first the

exclusion of everything else first the goal indeed and today’s goal will be

goal indeed and today’s goal will be

goal indeed and today’s goal will be that plow okay then the first is the

that plow okay then the first is the

that plow okay then the first is the goal and the second the momentum

goal and the second the momentum

goal and the second the momentum requisite to reach it exactly don’t look

requisite to reach it exactly don’t look

requisite to reach it exactly don’t look down ain’t directly

shame on you madam go home to your

shame on you madam go home to your husband

it’s the same as with all reforms

it’s the same as with all reforms sometimes they seem to lag then they

sometimes they seem to lag then they

sometimes they seem to lag then they barely balance and away they go again as

barely balance and away they go again as

barely balance and away they go again as merrily as if they never been stretching

merrily as if they never been stretching

merrily as if they never been stretching to stop at all the freedom of movement

to stop at all the freedom of movement

to stop at all the freedom of movement Frances Willard found her bicycle helped

Frances Willard found her bicycle helped

Frances Willard found her bicycle helped her give her speech on time a speech

her give her speech on time a speech

her give her speech on time a speech about another kind of freedom equal

about another kind of freedom equal

about another kind of freedom equal rights for women and let them know the

rights for women and let them know the

rights for women and let them know the world was made for women too

world was made for women too

world was made for women too [Applause]

[Applause]

[Applause] [Music]