Big Government and Women Flashcards
1
Q
What was the impact of WW1 on women?
A
- Granted women the opportunity to work however once it ended they were fired.
- Gave women the chance to vote (1917).
- League of Women’s Voters established in 1920.
- Women’s votes often influenced by husbands.
- Many poorer women didn’t vote.
- Few black women voted especially in South.
- Only educated white women felt that the vote was a significant change.
2
Q
What was the impact of the Roarings 20s on Women?
A
- Many believed women’s war work had been an exception and that they shouldn’t take jobs away from men.
- Most married women who had to work were obliged to work at home for very low wages.
- Some jobs such as teaching were simply off limits for women.
- Many employers made it a rule not to employ women.
- Single, well-off, predominately white women were most open to change:working in typing pools.
- Between 1910-1940 the number of working women went up from 7,640,000 to 13,007,000.
3
Q
When was the Women’s Bureau of Labour Established?
A
- Aimed to improve women’s working conditions.
- Campaigned for the wider Employment of Women.
4
Q
What was the significance of Flappers?
A
- Young, independent women.
- Worked.
- Cut their hair short.
- Some smoked and drank.
- Behaved like young men.
- Flappers only made up a very small percentage of female population.
- Many reverted back into a domestic role after marriage.
5
Q
What impact did the Great Depression have on Women?
A
- Women who were divorced, deserted or widowed had to take responsibility for themselves and find any work in order to survive.
- 1932 Women’s Bureau of Labour report on women workers in slaughtering and meat packing found that 97% of them worked out of necessity as opposed to desire.
6
Q
How was the Women’s Bureau of Labour perceived during the Great Depression?
A
- Largely ignored due to its sole focus on women.
- Many women saw it as hindering their progress both when it supported and pushed for legislation.
- Supported Muller v Oregon (Women’s working hours should be 10hrs max)
- Pushed for minimum wage legislation yet men were excluded from this.
7
Q
What was the impact of World War 2 on women?
A
- Proved women could do mens work just as well.
- Before USA entered war the 1940 Selective Training and Service Act prepared to draft men and train women to fill their space.
- 1941 Lanham Act’s childcare provision was extended and 130,000 children were in day care by 1944.
- Percentage of women in the workplace rose from 15%-23%.
- Women’s Land Army of America was reformed and had its own newsletter.
8
Q
How did Post WW2 changes impact women?
A
- About 50% of married women who worked during the war left work through choice, social pressure or because federally funded day cares closed in 1946.
- Before the war many women were banned from certain jobs, restrictions were lifted during war and rarely reinstated after leaving more job prospects for women.
- Black and non-white women who had been trained (as nurses/office workers) often continued to work after war.
- More married, white women wanted to enter workforce and were often hired before non-white women.
- Married women’s attitudes had also changed. During the war they learnt many skills which enabled them to work, causing them to develop both an aptitude and appetite for work.
9
Q
What changes did Suburban living make to the lives of women during 1941-1960?
A
- The image of suburbia suggest that the husband went to work while the wife stayed at home. If both parents worked they would have to get childcare which made suburban living more expensive.
- Women who worked were often excluded from the friendship groups of this who didn’t.
- The suburban ideology of the woman: an individual with too much time on her hands. Became the thing to aspire towards.
- As people left the cities for the suburbs, those left behind were left with deteriorating conditions and had to be exceptional and work exceptionally hard in order to progress their circumstances.
10
Q
What were the positive results published by the 1961 Commission of Enquiry on the status of women?
A
- Praised Equal Pay Act (published by congress that year)
- Praised the wider job opportunities available for women in federal government.
- 1958 Education Act demanded job councillors be implemented within schools to offer job advise to young girls.
11
Q
What were the negative results published by the 1961 Commission of Enquiry on the status of women?
A
- Equal Pay Act badly needed enforcing.
- Women made up 1/3 of all workers yet were discriminated against in terms of access to refining, work and promotion.
- Women’s wages were uniformly lower and minimum wage regulations did not apply to low-paid work many women did (cleaning).
- Wasn’t enough daycare to help married women work effectively.
- Report found from a young age girls were not encouraged to work.
12
Q
What did Betty Friedan do and what was the impact of this?
A
- Published the Feminine Mystique in 1963.
- Book was about the constraints of Suburban life and the problems of white, educated married women.
- Book created exposure and was widely debated on TV.
13
Q
What group was Betty Friedan involved in and when was it set up?
A
- National Organisation for Women.
- Betty Friedan was one of NOW’s founding members.
14
Q
What did NOW do?
A
- Held meetings.
- Collected petitions and data.
- Lobbied politicians for change.
- Their work was educating people, campaigning about problems and providing services and support for women.
15
Q
Who were the young radicals?
A
- Second strand to Women’s Liberation Movement.
- Members were mostly under 30, white and middle class.
