AMERICAN DREAM: FEMALE CIVIL RIGHTS

what was the position of women in the 1910's? (their voting, their work, etc)

-disenfranchised (before WW1)

-the war enabled women to work, however, there was still a huge pay gap.

-Last ones hired, first ones fired.

When women could vote (after 1920), why was this not the end of the female suffrage movement?

many women still did not vote and even more women voted the way their husbands told them to

What was the position of women in the 1920's? (society, voting, work)

-Flappers and the de-sexing of women

-could vote but some didn't, and some voted the way their husbands told them to

-last hired, first fired

-pay gaps

Overview of the 19th amendment

18 August 1920- ratified by president Woodrow Wilson.

Gave women the Franchise

What was created in 1920 which helped female employment?

The Women's Bureau of Labor

How did the women's bureau of labor help female employment?

female employment rose from 7.6 million to 13 million

How did the Great Depression affect women?

many women became the main breadwinners of the family

How did the New Deal affect women?

Women were not directly affected by the new deal as its main priority was men

how did Mrs. Fannie B. Peck help the female movement in 1930?

she created the Housewives League of Detroit which fought to advance the economic status of African Americans. This became a national organisation that campaigned for the rights of African American Housewives.

what happened in Women's work in the build up to the Second World War?

-The 1940 Selective Training and Service Act - prepared to draft men into the military and train women to fill their jobs

-Before the War was entered only 16% of married women worked in 1940 due to childcare problems which the 1941 Lanham Act dealt with by extending childcare provisions.

What did the 1941 Lanham Act do, and what does this show?

The 1941 Lanham Act extended childcare provisions allowing more women to work for the war effort (originally only 16% of married women worked).

-By 1944 there were 130,000 children in daycare

-This shows positive change can be made

Women position in the 1940's

-women were depended on to work during the war effort (around 3 million women in agriculture in 1943)

-Between 1940 and 1945, female employment rose from around 27% to nearly 37%

What were some of the post-war attitudes to women at work?

-After the war, married women working was accepted by society

-attitudes of husbands had also been altered; in 1936, 82% of people thought that married women should not work; in 1938, it was 78%; in 1942, it was only 13%

-However, the end of the war did return to traditional roles, and this was strongly encouraged by the media. (retail advertising)

what did the 1950's show for the female movement?

-a return to tradition

-women only eared around 50% of what men did

-'a woman's place was in the home'

-Suburbia

How did Suburbia affect the female movement?

-Suburbs generated a subset of women with far too much time of their hands - the 1950's female stereotype!

what did the 1960's show for the Feminist CRM?

1961- JFK called for a commission of enquiry on the 'status of women'

1963- Equal Pay Act (never fully ratified)

what were the problem with the 1963 Equal Pay Act?

-inadequate daycare facilities for women

-Hotel and domestic work was not included in minimum pay rates

Who was Betty Friedan and what did she do for the Feminist CRM?

-in 1966 she created the National Organisation for Women (NOW)

-NOW attempted to; get equal rights in the constitution, ban sex discrimination in the workplace, get maternity leave rights, have control over reproductive rights.

Who was Phyllis Schlafly and what did she do for the feminist CRM?

-she created STOP ERA (stop the 'equal rights amendment')

-created eagle forums to support family values and campaign against abortion rights

-concerned about losing tax privileges and benefits because of an ERA

what great 1970's strike gained traction to the movement?

-on the 50th anniversary of gaining the vote, the protest 'Don't Iron While The Strike Is Hot' happened.

-the strike gained significant publicity for the NOW membership (rising from 1000 in 1967 to 40,000 in 1974)