Why might women at the turn of the century consider the right to vote important enough to devote their lives to fighting for it?

The right to vote within a democratic government allows any citizen of a country to have a say in political matters, and to potentially improve society for groups of people that otherwise would not have the power to change their situation. For women in the United States in the late 1800s and early 1900s, rapid improvements to technology allowed many to expand their lives beyond traditional roles, and to help others who faced similar kinds of hardship and discrimination. By dedicating one's life to a cause such as the women's suffrage movement, gaining the right for women to vote would allow a large group within the United States to enact positive changes for people, as well as to allow future generations to strive for even more rights.