2. Women in the workforce
As men left their jobs to become soldiers, women took
their place and adapted a new role in society
• In Britain alone, nearly 2 million women replaced
men in their jobs
• In Britain and France, women occupied 35% of the
workforce
3. New Roles
Women were needed to work jobs formerly
occupied by men:
new factory positions
land
construction and transport
hospitals (at home and at war)
industry and engineering: ammunition, building
ships, loading and unloading coal
4.
5. • Although women were doing men’s jobs, they were not
receiving equal pay
• HOWEVER, their incorporation into the workforce
inspired new responsibility and independence
• women began to fight for equal rights and treatment
• suffragist movements demanded that women
received the right to vote.
• number of women in labor unions increased 160%
from 1914 -1918
