2. 1865-1914
• 1870 13% unmarried women in workforce
• Society expected once married women give jobs up
• 15th
amendment women excluded from vote
• Fluctuations on womens rights mainly due to:
• Changing economy
• Changing lifestyle of many middle class married women
• Better education
• Attitude of separate spheres did not change
• Majority of women accepted marriage, home and family
life
• Not all wanted Civil Rights such as
• The vote
• Education
• Opportunities in politics
• Employment even when married
• abortion
3. • Growth of manufacturing industry meant
opportunities for working class women expanded
• By 1900 number of working women trebled from
1870
• This was 17% of total workforce
• Invention of typewriter and telephone transformed
area of work previously dominated by men
• Female white collar clerical workers could earn $7
a week
• 1900 949000 women working as teachers,
librarians etc
• 1920 3.4 million
• However still expectation that once married they
would leave workforce
4. • Not progress for all women especially
immigrants
• Cheap, unskilled workers, working conditions
poor
• Had to work 70 hours for $5
• Extreme poverty
• All women workers had no rights in law in
protecting them in workplace
• Federal government held a laissez faire
attitude
• Rights hindered in terms of safety at work
5. • By 1900 better education meant better work
opportunities for some women
• 1900 half of high school graduates were women
• Many delaying marriage and finding work such
as teachers and social workers
• Medicine and law still difficult as dominated by
men
• National Consumer League NCL 1899 to gain
recognition for rights of women in workplace eg:
• Improvement in wages
• Protective legislation for women and children
• Pressure on government to provide aid for
mothers and children
6. • Before WW1 women had no political power
• Middle class women wanted to fight injustice and
inequality
• Temperance (moderate alcohol consumption) was
demanded by women
• Women felt drunkenness threatened and
undermined home life
• Some demanded prohibition (total banning of
alcohol)
• Galvanised women into action which campaign for
political and other rights were unable to do
• Mainly by active protest of Womens Chritian
Temperance Union WCTU-1874
7. Votes for Women 1865-1914
• The fact that 15th
amendment did not include
women infuriated feminists
• Women were split in their aims
• 1890 formation of National American Woman
Suffrage Association (NWSA)
• Support from mainstream women limited
• 1905 17,000 members
• Although 1915 it increased to 100000 this was
only half of those involved in prohibition
8. • 1900 NAWSA tactics were lobbying
politicians, distributing politicians and holding
marches
• 1913 Alice Paul formed Congressional Union
for Womens Suffrage
• Became militant and organising mass
demonstrations
• But prison sentence as she illegally voted in
US election
• But NAWSA did yield some positive impact
• 1918 20 states gave women right to vote
9. • But it was part played by women on home
front in WW1 accelerated federal response
• President Wilson 1919 calls for constituional
amendment for womens vote
• Hence Congress passed 19th
amendment
1920 gave women vote
• NAWSA largely consisted of white middle
class women not appealing to all women
such as AA or immigrants
• Divisions in womens attitude
• Interest of women in political matters was
limited
• Not all women wanted vote
10. Conclusion 1865-1914
• Significant change in American economy
• Enhanced opportunity for unmarried white
women
• Vast majority such as AA immigrant gain
little rights
• Right to vote gained but right in social and
economical terms little change
11. 1915-40
• Ww1 opened up opportunity for married women to enter
workforce
• Industrial expansion increased job opportunities for
unmarried women
• Many earned good wages for the 1st
time but still paid
less than men
• 1917-18 1 million women working in industry
• But WW1 did not change accepted role for married
women
• Clear expectation that women would give up job after
war
• But broadened horizons for women
12. • 1920s US massive expansion of manufacturing
industry
• Boom created more jobs for unmarried women and
made life easier at home for married
• Availability of buying on credit meant working class
families could afford car and refrigerator
• Working class married women increased from
22.8% to 28.8%
• Women entering workforce increased by 2 million
• But opportunities in law and medicine still limited
• Still faced wage discrimination
• Men showed resentment towards female factory
workers
• 1930s female union membership increased from
265000 to 800000
• Unions for women exclusively white
13. • October 1929 depression
• Opportunities for women quickly receded
• 1936 American poll suggested 86% were
against women working
• 26 states imposed a ban on married women
working, only Louisiana passed law but then
unconstitutional but shows opposition
attitude
• Roosevelts New Deal helped to some
extent not solely for women
• Social Security Act 1935 welfare benefits
for poor families, benefited married women
but not specifically for them
14. • Aid to dependent children 1935 helped
women with young families who couldn’t work
• But this aid was largely given to white women
• Fair Labour Standards Act 1938 set
minimum wage levels but men still earned
more
• AA women still suffered due to discrimination
• Main benefits applied to female white workers
• Whilst some social and economic
improvement, progress in politics still
overwhelmingly slow
15. • Men and some women regarded politics as too
dishonest and disreputable for women
• Immediate response in gaining vote was not
enthusiastic by women
• Majority of women voted as their husbands did and
showed little interest in vote
• By 1939 only 9 women entered politics
• Frances Perkins 1933 secretary of labour and 1st
female member of the Cabinet
• Neagtive reaction to this highlighted the entrenched
prejudices of politicians and businessmen
• Whilst she actively promoted reform she did little to
increase womens chances in politics
• Right to vote did not empower women
16. • Whilst vote was achieved little was done to
use the vote in order to improve conditions
and increase opportunities for women
• Divisions hindered progress
• Anti-feminist groups opposed equal rights
• Some focussed more on specific social
reform
• Women divided in their aims meant progress
seriously impeded
• Success in social legislation was also limited
• The Shepherd Towner Act 1921- maternity
funds but was terminated in 1929 very limited
impact
17. • 1920s flappers formed bobbed hair, short
clothes
• But they did not represent a social revolution
• Majority of women especially older
disapproved of them
• Little erosion of the acceptance of separate
spheres
• Number of high school graduates began to
grow
• Still strong male resistance to women
entering doctor or law professions
• Overall position of women changed very little
and federal action was needed for a change
18. Birth Control Controversy
• Married women had no right of choice for
child bearing
• AA and poorer white families remained large
• Ignorance about contraception
• Religious beliefs such as Roman Catholics
saw contraception as immoral
• Major obstacle was Comstock Laws 1873
which made sale and distribution of
contraception illegal
• Poorer women used illegal abbortion
19. • Margaret Sanger believed passionately in women’s
right to choose about child bearing
• Her first birth control clinic opened in1916 in New
York but was closed by police
• Yet in 1921 she established the American Birth
Control League (ABCL)
• 27500 members by 1924
• 1923 first legal birth control clinic with financial
backing from John D Rockefeller
• Powerful opposition from religious organisations and
politicians
• Comstock Laws ended in 1938 but still no
recognition for women to choose about child
bearing
• Illegal back street abortion took place for many
especially poorer women
20. The Prohibition Campaign
• 1917 18th
amendment passed banning
alcohol
• Different female pressure groups played a
significant role
• It shows the strength and influence of female
voice
• But still lacked unity and divisions were clear
• Significant women’s organisation and
leadership
• Power of home protection as a justification
for action by women
21. • WCTU continuously promoting temperance
• But turning point in 1893 as formation of Anti-
Saloon League (ASL)
• Had successful lobbying tactics
• 1917 26 states had prohibition laws
• Propaganda was used to promote a national ban
• Some females opposed prohibition campaign
• Even women who once supported prohibition were
showing a change of attitude
• Some wanted to repeal the law
• Anti-prohibition campaign shows how bitterly and
deeply divided women were
• Prohibition spawned a new culture of violence
22. • Women’s Organization for National Prohibition
Reform (WONPR) formed 1929
• Charismatic leadership of Pauline Sabin
• Legislation was not effective as people could still
obtain alcohol quite easily
• 1931 1.5 million members
• They argued that Prohibition had promoted rather
than eliminated drinking
• Leadership highly organised
• Held rallies and lobbied just like WCTU which was
now ineffective
• 21st
amendment 1933 ended Prohibition
• Female campaign decisive in bringing about this
change
23. • Prohibition campaign although successful
due to women did nothing to imporve rights
for women
• Did not improve women’s position and role
especially working class and poorer ones
• Showed that protection of home was what
most American women concerned with
• But it also showed that when women worked
collaboratively change could happen
• Women could be a force to be reckoned if
united for this would have accelerated
change
24. Conclusion 1915-40
• Women’s civil rights made little progress
• Still resistance of male employers and politicians
• Lack of support from mass American women
• Notion of women in home further emerged as
seen by Prohibition
• Gaining vote did little for it didn’t change
women’s status
• Feminists pursuing women’s rights were mainly
a minority
• Opportunities for women remained tenuous
25. 1941-1969 turning point in pursuit of rights
and opportunities for women
• WW2 huge demands on manufacturing industry like WW1
• By 1945 5 million more women working than 1940
• Unlike WW1 during WW2 350000 women joined armed
forces
• Broadened women’s horizons
• 1945 75% of women wanted to remain in jobs
• Married women showed they could take care of home and
work along with children
• But idea of separate spheres not eradicated
• Dr Benjamin Spock published famous book Common
Sense Book of Baby and child Care 1946
• Emphasising mothers role in the home
26. • Unmarried women job opportunities were
expanding
• More jobs open to AA women and immigrants
• Aftermath of war meant women’s
opportunities to enter professional
occupations were reduced
• GI Bill of Rights 1944 meant ex servicemen
access higher education and provided
funding
• Women made little headway in professional
positions
• But for men 40% increase in these
occupations
27. 1960s new age for women in work
place
• Twice as many women working in 1960 than 1940
• Low prestige jobs with wages lower than men
• Idea of second income was becoming acceptable
• Economic change in USA and 1950s service industry
overtook manufacturing
• Such an economy became virtually dependent on female
labour
• Change of attitudes which resulted in greater merging of
male and female roles responsibility in home
• Surveys suggested that children whose mothers worked
were more confident
• 1970s number of unmarried women in workforce
increased
• 1960s can be seen as a turning point for women
28. • 1950s/1960 emergence of women pressure groups
who were clearly focussed on rights
• Still no federal government active role
• More aggressive activism
• Although President Kennedy was 1st
president to
consider women’s role seriously some policies
failed to deliver what was promised (1961-63)
• His refusal to respond to Margaret Sanger that birth
control was responsibility of government showed
limited response
• Civil Rights Act banned discrimination of gender but
Equal Employment Opportunities Act failed to
satisfy demands of women for equality
• Campaign started to become more forceful
29. • Emerging new feminism in 1960s totally rejected the
idea of protecting home/family
• Influential feminist writers: Betty Freidan
• Her influence was pivotal in instigating new feminist
movement
• 1966 she formed National Organization for Women
(NOW)
• Using lawsuits to file for change and tackle
discrimination
• By 1968 NOW became more aggressive
• Loss support for as they started to protest for abortion
• Divisions became deeper and anti-feminism became a
potent force
30. Women and Politics 1941-69
• Influence of women in politics diminished
• 1969 only 11 women in Congress
• Men and politicians continuously held
opposition
• Very limited progress in Politics
31. Conclusion 1941-69
• Pressure for equal rights had support from
increasing number of women
• More radical feminism movement saw how
some women tackling separate and
traditional spheres
• Advertised jobs were no longer under
separate male and female heading
• But still women were only in low prestige
jobs
• Still poverty
• No powerful political voice for females
32. 1969-92 women more effective in securing
social/occupational rights rather than in
politics
• Women could now become telephone engineers
• And join police force/fire engine
• More courses in higher education for women as
all male colleges were ending
• 1970/80 gender discrimination decreased by
10%
• But full discrimination not eliminated
• 1970 women 42.8% of workforce
• 47% of women had a job
• By 1989 73.2% married women with children
working outside home
33. • But majority of women still in low prestige
jobs
• There was a ‘glass ceiling’ an invisible barrier
preventing women from entering top jobs
• But by mid 1990s this was improving
particularly for white middle class American
women
• Young educated women were earning 98%
of mens rate of pay
• But federal government still refused to pay
for maternity leave
• By 1992 still no federal law for employers to
provide maternity pay
34. Radical Feminism
• Feminist movement became more radical
• But still divided/fragmented therefore
impact was limited
• 1970s- The Feminists: abolition of
marriage
• Radicalesbians: women only liberated
through lesbianism
• Campaigning for abortion rights
galvanised opposition from women hence
anti feminism emerged
35. • Outpour of extreme views by radical feminist
often influencing younger women
• 1972 1st
edition of ‘Ms’ feminist magazine
published
• Promoted feminist ideals by end of year
200000 copies sold
• It provided a balance to male dominated
publications
• Attitudes of young women towards separate
spheres changing
• Eg: 1968 65% girls wanted to be housewife
before they turn 35 but by 1978 only 25%
36. • During 1970 Pill available to all young
women
• 1st
time it gave women total control over child
bearing
• Opposition to those who hold traditional
views
• 1986 56% of women saw themselves as
feminists
• But feminist still not accomplish all their aims
due to:
• Highly organised anti-feminist group
• No mass support from all women
37. Roe V Wade 1973 –turning point
• Decision in Roe V Wade case landmark in
history of women’s rights
• Womans right to legal abortion
• Most controversial
• Even state legislatures refusing to implement
ruling
• 1976 Congress passed Hyde Amendment
banning federal funding for abortion
• Staunch opposition from religious leaders
• Anti feminist leader Phyllis Schlafly
• Attacks on abortion clinics
• Huge long term impact for it still exists today!
38. Equal Rights Amendment
• Phyllis Schlafly target was to ensure ERA not passed
• ERA presented to Congress repeatedly between 1923
-1970 but rarely made progress
• Women wanted it passed for equal opportunities
especially in work place
• Was passed in 1972
• But by 1979 progress decreased as womens views for
what equality meant were changing
• The ERA treated men and women equal rather than
recognise their distinctive qualities
• 1972 Phyllis Schlafly establish National Committee to
stop ERA
• It posed a threat to home/family
• Phyllis Schlafly used lobbying tactic to ensure no more
states ratify ERA after 1977
• Phyllis Schlafly believed men women different and had
different roles
39. Women in Politics 1969-92
• By 1992 women still not gained secure base in
politics
• Progress made but rather limited
• 1968 20 women put themselves forward for
election
• By 1990 this increased to 78
• Number of women standing for election in
Congress doubled between 1974 and 1994
• Still male opposition
• Many still wanted women to focus on domestic
sphere protecting home and family
40. Conclusion 1969-1992
• Rapid improvement in equal opportunities for
women
• Radical feminism contributed to this change
• Expansion of higher education
• Ending of gender discrimination
• Roe V Wade was a major change
BUT…
• Obstacles to equality remained
• Discrimination in terms of managerial jobs
• Women divided in aims and class/ethnicity
• This prevented them from becoming a powerful
force
