KATE O’SHEA AND JACQUELYN GENOVESI

Abortion

History of Abortion in the US

Anti Abortion laws first appeared in the early 1800’s laws included forbidding pharmacies from selling an abortion inducing poison to women.

By 1900 abortion was viewed as a felony in every state.

Some activist groups developed their own skills to provide abortions to women who could not obtain them elsewhere. One group in particular known as “Jane” performed abortions for most of the 1960’s.

History of Abortion in the US

Until Roe v. Wade abortion was prohibited in 30 states and legal with specific circumstances in the remaining 20 states.

In Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court ruled that a Texas statute forbidding abortion except when necessary to save the life of the mother was unconstitutional.

The Court arrived at its decision by concluding that the issue of abortion and abortion rights falls under the right to privacy.

United States Supreme Court in 1973

Abortion

Abortion has led to intense public and political debate and discussion amongst American politicians, citizens, and reporters.

A major issue surrounding Abortion involves agreeing on when human life begins whether it is at contraception, birth or at some in-between point.

Abortion when preformed appropriately is one of the safest procedures in medicine.

The Democratic Party on Abortion

The official Democratic statement on abortion is as follows:"The Democratic Party strongly and unequivocally supports Roe v. Wade and a woman's right to make decisions regarding her pregnancy, including a safe and legal abortion, regardless of ability to pay. We oppose any and all efforts to weaken or undermine that right. Abortion is an intensely personal decision between a woman, her family, her doctor, and her clergy; there is no place for politicians or government to get in the way."

http://www.upworthy.com/dont-ask-hillary-clinton-about-abortion-if-you-cant-handle-her-answer?c=reccon1

The Republican Party on Abortion

The official statement on abortion from the Republican Party is as follows: "We support a human life amendment to the Constitution and endorse legislation to make clear that the Fourteenth Amendment's protections apply to unborn children. We oppose using public revenues to promote or perform abortion or fund organizations which perform or advocate it and will not fund or subsidize health care which includes abortion coverage….”