Question

Investigate the Equal Rights Amendment on your own. Then, consider the factors that affect change, and explain two key reasons that the Equal Rights Amendment might not have been ratified, based on the ideas in this lesson. Justify your reasons with cited sources.
what I need to know is what do they mean by factors that affect change?

Answer 1

Two key reasons:  Religious conservatives opposed the amendment, and many feared it would make women subject to mandatory military service.

History/details:

The Equal Rights Amendment, formulated as early as 1923 by the National Women's Party, proposed that "equality of rights under the law shall not be abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex."  Feminist groups in the 1960s and 1970s, such as the National Organization for Women, finally succeeded in getting Congress to pass the amendment as a proposed addition to the US Constitution.  It was passed the US House of Representatives in 1972 and by the US Senate in 1972, and then sent to the states for ratification.  

The National Organization for Women continued to be a leading voice in pushing for ratification for the amendment.  However, conservative and religious groups campaigned against ratification.  Phyllis Schlafly was a prominent leader in the conservative opposition campaign against the ERA.  A key point Schlafly focused on was that women would then be subject to military draft and military combat service in the same way as men.  This became the key issue and the Equal Rights Amendment failed to achieve the necessary number of states supporting ratification.

Answer 2

1. After approval by Congress, it had a deadline for state ratification of seven years, and was considered a low priority amongst the turmoil of the 1970s.

2. It was largely pointless. Every state already has some recognition of equal rights for the both sexes in its constitution or statutes, and a body of caselaw supporting the same. Many state legislatures were wary of ratifying an amendment that would expand federal power without really accomplishing anything.