Civil Rights - Women Flashcards
What was the Position of Women in 1865
- Women more involved in Public Life
- Supported abolishment of slavery
- Active campaign against Alcohol, drunkness
- Promoted temperance
- Campaigners for social improvement
First Major Turning Point for Women
Suffrage in Seneca Falls 1848
Second Major Turning Point for Women
- First Anti-Slavery Campaign 1847
- Stowe written book exposing evils
Civil War effects on Women
- Women in charge of households
- Raised funds, tended wounded
Civil War AA knock on effects to women
- Greater Political Rights for AA
- Women believed they’d get greater opportunities
Problems for Women during Civil War Period
- Most men did not support political role for women
- Did not want social equality for women
- Women worked on lower pay in basic jobs
What type of Work did Women do in the Civil War Period
- Sharecropping smallholdings
- Factory work
- Had to do chores as well
- Some women moved to Prostitution
Problems with Family Size for Women in Civil War Period
- Limited birth control
- Big families
- Limited use of contraception (childcare responsibilities)
Summary of Women in Civil War Period
- Greater role in public life
- Often linked to social care, morality and religion
- Tried to have some development with Suffrage for example
What was the 19th Ammendment
-Gave Women the right to Vote
How did the Campaign for Prohibition gain so much support?
- WCTU gained 800,000 members by 1920
- Led by Willard
- Powerful leader in getting area to ban alcohol
How did the Campaign for Women’s Suffrage work?
- Saw the development of AA rights
- Led by Stanton and Anthony
- Formed NWSA 1869, weakened by AWSA, formed NAWSA
- Protested about Women’s suffrage and focused on getting more women to vote
NWSA effect on Congress and Supreme Court
- SC stated Women could not run for congress
- but Local states could allow voting (Utah 1870)
How did states treat Women Votes in early years
- Only could vote if had school age children and married
- Southern states reluctant to give vote to AA Women
+ on how the 19th Amendment was passed
+ 1900s saw British Suffrages
+ Women’s contribution to war was saw apparent
+ NWSA urged Politics to support women
+ Hard Work and Organisations helped pass
- on how the 19th Amendment was Passed
Short term benefits
- Women still had to gain influence in Demo. Rep. parties which were male dominated
- Women’s movements divided on how best to use the vote
- Did not vote in huge numbers in 1920, first election they could participate in
- NWSA attracted fewer then 10% of its former members
Impact on Women throughout years after WW1
- Women suffered discrimination in voting qualifications
- Still restrictions on their right to run for public office and owning land
- 1960s Some states not let married women sign legal contracts by themselves
- Voting dominated by husbands
- 1933 146 women in state legislatures
- 1939 only 2 female state governors
The New Deal effect on Women (Roosevelt)
- Eleanor Roosevelt big supporter of women rights
- Women given places on advisory boards to deal with relief, recovery and reform
- Female cabinet member for first time, Perkins, Secretary for Labour
- 1945 246 women elected for state legislatures
Freedom of Women in 1920
- Clothing less restricted
- More acceptance of freer social and sexual behaviour
- Women expected to give up jobs to unemployed men
+ of Second World War effect on Women
+ Increase in Women working and working in more male based jobs eg factory work
+ Propaganda big influence on Women Working
+ eg Rosie the Riveter
+ More Women in Armed forces, Congress etc
- of Second World War effect on Women
- Women still paid less then men
- Did not take part in major decisions in Military
- Limited provision for childcare (dual responsibilities)
- AA women not as equal as White Women
Why was there a ‘new Feminism’ movement
- Due to AA demanding civil rights
- Women thought they’d also campaign
- E.g Rosa Parks who stimulated ‘New feminist’
What was the Influential Report of American Women 1963?
-Revealed extent of inequality
What was Friedan’s book ‘the feminine mystique’ about?
- 1963
- False attitudes towards women
- highlights people preventing women of their true abilities and potential
What was ‘NOW’ 1966 and their aims
- National Organisation for Women
- Tried to end discrimination
- Even though discrimination made illegal via CR act 1964
What were Women’s demands during 50s/60s
- Wanted equality in education
- Wanted employment opportunities
- Political organisations
- Equal Pay act 1963
- Wanted change to abortion laws
How did the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) go through Constitution?
- 1970 was a campaign for the ERA to Constitution
- 1972 gained enough support to be debated by congress
- Supported by NOW, launched campaigns
- Passed by both houses, accepted by Nxion
- Not ratified by 2/3 majority
What was the Opposition to the ERA
- Schlafly wanted traditional values
- women thought they’d lose respect (traditional)
- Older women feared they’d lose divorce settlements
Roe v. Wade 1973
- issues of abortion
- Reached supreme court in 1973
