Impact of the New Deal on women (T3)

Question 1

Who was arguably the most influential woman of this time?

Answer 1

Eleanor Roosevelt

Question 2

Who was secretary of Labour 1933-1945?

Answer 2

Frances Perkins

Question 3

Who was the first female ambassador?

Answer 3

Ruth Bryan Owen

Question 4

What expertise did many of the prominent women have?

Answer 4

They had expertise in social work, which was key to the New Deal.

Question 5

Where did Frances Perkins work before govt. appointment?

Answer 5

She was the New York Commissioner for Labour, where she fought for factory investigations and shortened working hours for women.

Question 6

What act did Frances Perkins help to make?

Answer 6

The 1935 Social Security act.

Question 7

What event made government priorities change?

Answer 7

WW2

Question 8

How was the 1933 economy act not good for women?

Answer 8

This forbade members of the same family working for the govt.
75% of people who lost their jobs through this were married women.

Question 9

How much less were women paid than men during this time?

Answer 9

They were paid half of what men were paid. ($535 a year)

Question 10

What is an example of an alphabet agency that forbade women from working entirely?

Answer 10

The CCC

Question 11

What did the Trade Unions think about women working?

Answer 11

They thought that men should be the main breadwinners.

Question 12

What jobs did women tend to work during this time?

Answer 12

Low paid, low status jobs.

Question 13

What event meant that women returned to higher paid jobs?

Answer 13

WW2

- this was because the men left their jobs as they went to war, so women took these jobs.

Question 14

How did Eleanor Roosevelt transform the role of the First Lady?

Answer 14

She was very independent and at time outspoken

• She held 348 press conferences by herself
• She wrote a daily newspaper column in 62 newspapers

Question 15

How did women’s rights in the 1920s change?

Answer 15

Women’s suffrage (right to vote) was allowed in 1920 BUT after this there wasn’t a huge change

Question 16

What did Eleanor Roosevelt do to empower women in politics?

Answer 16

• She created a network of influential women who were given the ear of the President
• “A cordial interlocking of minds”
• The network was a group of women born in the 1880s, who were college-educated and wanted to campaign for social and liberal reform

Question 17

What were ‘domestic feminists’?

Answer 17

• Women who wanted to use their role in the home as an excuse to be in the public sphere - they were issue driven
• Many issues of the 1930s had involved their roles within the home (consumer affairs and social security) - it made sense for them advise

Question 18

Who were some of the iconic female cultural icons of the 1920s and what impact did they have?

Answer 18

• Coco Channel, Clara Bow

- Very little impact: they created cultural and social change but not political or long-lasting change

Question 19

What was the Women’s Trade Union Board?

Answer 19

A group who campaigned for women’s working rights:

• 8 hour workday
• Minimum wage

Question 20

Give at least 2 examples of women who gained prominent political positions during the 1930s.

Answer 20

1. Francis Perkins: ‘Secretary of Labour’, first woman in a political cabinet
2. Ruth Bryan Own: ‘Female Ambassador to Denmark’
3. Molly Dewson: Leader of the ‘Women’s Division of the Democratic Party’

• At the outbreak of WW2 many women lost their political positions

Question 21

In 1940, what % of jobs were filled by men?

Answer 21

90%

Question 22

How did the NRA discriminate against women?

Answer 22

• The NRA only covered half the female workforce

- They sanctioned pay differentiation ($525 per year, half of a man’s wage)

Question 23

In the summer of 1933, relief spending helped how many women? However, how many were still in need?

Answer 23

Summer 1933: relief spending helped 15,000 women but 300,000 were in need

Question 24

How did the New Deal have a positive impact on the lives of women?

Answer 24

• CWA: 300,000 women put to work in ‘she she she’ camps
• Sewing projects: 500 million items of bedding and clothing
• 80% of teachers were women
• WPA school lunch programme: 1.2 billion nutritional meals cooked

Question 25

How many women were put to work in CWA ‘she she she’ camps?

Answer 25

300,000 women

Question 26

What % of teachers were women?

Answer 26

80%

Question 27

As a part of the WPA school lunch programme, how many nutritional meals were cooked?

Answer 27

1.2 billion

Question 28

Give two examples of African American women who represented progress for women in society.

Answer 28

Ella Baker and Mary McLeod Bethune

Question 29

What did Ella Baker do?

Answer 29

Ella Baker began her involvement in the NAACP, she went on to work with Martin Luther King

Question 30

What did Mary McLeod Bethune do?

Answer 30

• In 1936 she was the highest ranking African American woman in government as the Director of Negro Affairs of the National Youth Administration
• She was the leaders of Roosevelt’s Black Cabinet
• 1940 she became the Vice President for the NAACP

Question 31

Who was the leader of FDRs black cabinet?

Answer 31

Mary Mcleod Bethune

Question 32

What happened to the role of women during WW2?

Answer 32

• The social welfare women had been calling for was no longer seen as a priority
• Women in politics became largely dismissed and ignored
• Many women moved and began working in industry

Question 33

After WW2 how many women entered the workforce?

Answer 33

8.5 million women

Question 34

After WW2, what % of women worked in shipyards + airframe manufacturing?

Answer 34

44% worked in shipyards and airframe manufacturing

Question 35

What was not provided for working women after WW2?

Answer 35

Child care was not provided