05. 1941-69 - Women and work Flashcards
How was the Second World War similar to the First?
Women replaced men when they went off to fight
How many women entered the work force between 1940 and 1945?
5 million
Did married women also work during the War?
Yes
How many women joined the armed services?
350,000
How had women’s attitudes about work changed by c. 1945?
Unlike after WWI where most women accepted giving up their jobs, in 1945 around 75% of women wanted to remain in paid employment.
What was the Lanham Act?
A law which provided federal funds for childcare
When was the Lanham Act in place?
From 1942, although it was gradually withdrawn up to 1946.
By 1946, only 3 states continued for fund childcare.
How were the attitudes of married women changed by the Second World War?
Many felt they had proven they could raise children – and work.
In the immediate aftermath of the war, what happened to many women?
They were laid off – and their jobs given to men
What role did the media play in the post-war years?
They aimed to reinforce the idea of a ‘woman’s place’ being in the home
What was Dr Benjamin Spock’s famous 1946 book?
Common Sense Book of Baby and Child Care
What did Dr Spock’s book empahsise?
The importance of mothers being at home
How many copies of Dr Spock’s book (Common Sense Book of Baby and Child Care) were sold?
23 million over the next 30 years
How did the divorce rate change between 1940 and 1946?
It rose from 10.2 to 18.2
What was the ‘G.I. Bill’?
It established the right and funding for ex-servicemen to go to college
What was the impact of the G.I. Bill?
There was a huge increase in the numbers of men going to college (university).
The University of Indiana, for instance, increased its enrolment from 4,500 students to 10,300
What was the knock-on impact of more men going to college (university)?
More men entered professional positions – which squeezed out women.
In the post-war years, the number of men in these occupations increased by 40%; the number of women remained roughly the same.
How did the numbers of women in work change between 1940 and 1960?
The number doubled
What percentage of women were working by 1960?
40% (30% of women workers were married)
How had the number of working mothers changed between 1940 and 1960?
A huge increase
1940: 1.5m
1960: 6.6m
What other working trends were evident in the 1960s?
- well-educated wives were entering the workforce, suggesting the the idea of a second income was acceptable
- the tendency of women over 35 to work suggested that women were re-entering the work force after their maternal duties contracted
What broader economic trends were evident in the 1950s and 1960s?
The service industry overtook manufacturing in terms of generating the majority of national income. The services sector was more reliant on female labour (partly because it was cheaper and expanded profit margins).
What was the significance of Russia’s successful launch of Sputnik in 1957?
It made America realise it needed to harness all its talents to win the Space Race
What happened to marriage trends during the 1950s?
Marriage rates hit an all time high.
(The birth rate also increased.)
What key attitude changed amongst more affluent families by the late 1960s?
Two incomes were better than one for providing a good life
What did surveys of children in better-off families with working mothers reveal?
Children with working parents were generally more confident, and daughters tended to admire their mothers more.
Girls also grew up with higher aspirations for themselves.
Was the 1960s a turning point?
Arguably yes in terms of attitudes towards the position and role of women in American society.
