This document traces the evolving roles of women in American society from the 13 colonies to present day. It describes how women traditionally worked within the domestic sphere but began taking on new roles during times of war by working in factories and the military. Over time, women gained greater access to education and careers in fields like medicine, law, and business. The document credits events like women's suffrage and the women's movement with causing a shift toward greater professional opportunities and gender equality.

1. F A I T H T E R R Y
Women in American Society

2. Essential Question
Women with professional roles traditionally held by
men in the fields of Medicine, Law, and Business
reveal a gender shift in the work place.

3. 13 colonies
 Young girls were married off at the age of 13.
 Legal “property” of their husbands.
 Worked at home sun up to sun down.
 Chores: Cooking, cleaning, crops, animals, taking
care of children, and making soap and clothes.
 Young girls were trained to be wives and mothers.

5. Before WWI
 Women in the Suffrage movement sold war bonds to
support their families. They also saved up food.
 Overseas Service Unit- Made up of 100 women that
assisted wounded soldiers in Europe.
 Women served as nurses
 Factory workers
 The war increased support for women’s suffrage in
America.

7. During WW II
 Men were going off to fight overseas; women took
the factory jobs they left behind.
 Made higher wages.
 “Rosie the Riveter”
 Women’s Army Corps, Navy Women’s Reserves,
Marine Corps Women’s reserves etc. - 350,000
uniformed
 Helped win the war by supplying armies with
ammunition and food.
 New Orleans- Became steer cart conductors.

8. WWI
 Eisenhower stated that without women, the war
could not have been won.
 Women’s jobs: repaired airplanes, technicians,
nurses, rigged parachutes, desk jobs, and drove
trucks etc.
 Army Nurse Corps- 16 died on the frontline.
 The war made the United States see their need for
women on the front and at home.

9. Present Day
 Women today have careers in a wide array of
professions.
 Graduate from College
 Medicine, Law, and Business
 Support the family financially
 Men and Women now have
equal rights.

10. Medicine
 In the late 1800s, 10% of physicians/ nurses were
women.
 During the 1900s the public was opposed to women
being in the medical field. Stayed like this until the
1970s.
 There are currently more women in Medicine than in
any other point in history.
 Elizabeth Blackwell was the first female admitted
into a medical school.
 American Medical association elected its first female
board member in 1989.

12. Law (2013)
 Before the late 1900s women were not involved in the
profession of law.
 33.3% of the professions in the law field are held by
women.
 46.8% of the people in law school are women.
 Women in leadership positions at the top 50 schools-
42%- (editor and chief 29%)
 51% of Judicial clerks are women.
 There are currently 3 women that hold the position of
supreme court justices.
 27% of state court justices are women.

13. Supreme Court Justice

14. Business (as of 2005)
 Fortune 500 Companies
 Top positions in the Business field
 Women CEOs 1995- 2005 doubled
 10.4 million firms owned by Women
 Women owned- 12.8 million people with jobs
 Women rose in management positions at a higher
rate than women in sales
 Women in professional management positions:
 2000- 21,937973
 2005- 23,582858

15. Cause for the increase of Women in Business
 Masters degrees (40.7% increase)
 1980-147,332
 2005- 350,000
 Doctoral degrees (43% increase)
 1980- 9,272
 2005- 23,300
 Professional Degrees

16. Events that Caused this Shift
 Women’s movement- 1960s
 The right to vote- women’s suffrage (August 8, 1920)
19th amendment
 World Wars
 Education

17. Slide Share
http://www.slideshare.net/FaithAmber/powerpoint-
35196975

18. Video
http://www.nbcnews.com/video/nightly-
news/52039555

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Men, Copyright 2013 © By The American Bar Association. This Information Or Any Or Portion Thereof May Not Be Copied
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