Women civil rights - 1865-1960

Question 1

What is significance of prohibition?

Answer 1

• meant greater participation in public life for women.
• gained experience in publicity and mobilising support for a national cause.

Question 2

WCTU growth stats?

Answer 2

• 1880s: 160,000 members
  1920: 800,000 members

Question 3

Who led the WCTU?

Answer 3

Frances Willard - successful in persuading local legislatures to ban alcohol.

Question 4

How did the 14th + 15th amendment (abolitionism) affect women?

Answer 4

Neither the 14th or 15th referred to women in its rhetoric

Question 5

What is the significance of abolitionism on women?

Answer 5

Abolitionists felt African Americans commanded their first responsibility, not women.

Question 6

What is the NWSA?

Answer 6

the National Women Suffrage Association. (1869)

• formed by Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Stanton
• specifically focused on women’s suffrage - no ties with abolitionism.

Question 7

What is the AWSA?

Answer 7

• The old link with abolitionism was maintained - viewed 18th amendment as progress
• Led by Lucy Stone
• They included men.
• Suffrage cause was weakened by their divide, as they had different strategies.

Question 8

How were the NWSA and AWSA different?

Answer 8

AWSA were a one-issue organisation whereas NWSA took a broader view, and opposed male domination in a number of spheres.

Question 9

How was there early progress in some states for suffrage?

Answer 9

allowed some women to
vote:

• Wyoming in 1869,
• Utah in 1870,

Question 10

How were the Amendments challenged?

Answer 10

• Susan B. Anthony and 150 other women tried to vote in 1872 elections
• They voted then were arrested for malpractice.

Question 11

Which supreme court ruling stopped women from voting

Answer 11

Minor v. Happersett (1875)

Question 12

How was WW1 important economically in the development of women’s rights?

Answer 12

• war increased economic activity - meant that women’s contribution to the workforce was important - 11k joined the navy
• similar to the civil war, they gained financial independence, then lost it when men returned

Question 13

What is the LWV?

Answer 13

The NAWSA changed into the League of Women voters (1920),

• persuaded women to vote
• only 5-10% of the NAWSA members joined the LWV.

Question 14

What regulation of women working was there?

Answer 14

• Fair Labour standards Act (1938)
  new minimum wage + max hours
• By 1900, 36% of states had regulated

Question 15

How did Eleanor Roosevelt help women rights?

Answer 15

• The first lady pushed for more women in public office.
• Women were significantly represented by the New Deal, because it was thought social reform was appropriate for them, but still faced problems.

Question 16

How did the New Deal still show problems?

Answer 16

• Pensions assumed that the men worked and women looked after the home.
• There was no attempt to secure equal wages.

Question 17

How did WW2 show employment change?

Answer 17

• More women went to work.
• Restrictions to protect men’s jobs removed
• propaganda gave the impression of considerable expansion of opportunity and responsibility for women,

Question 18

How did WW2 show political change?

Answer 18

• Women in state legislatures increased from 144 to 228.

Question 19

What were the losses after the war?

Answer 19

• (1946) 2 million women were fired from heavy industry
• 800,000 lost their jobs in 1945.
• those employed had to accept lower pay and status, and exclusion from key jobs.

Question 20

what was the Equal Rights amendment

Answer 20

• proposed in (1923)
• would explicitly prohibit sexual discrimination
• Passed congress In (1972) - ratified by 35/38 states needed