Women Thematic Flashcards
When was the Women’s Christian Temperance Union established?
1874
How many members had the Women’s Christian Temperance Union reached by 1920?
800,000
Which political party gave women a platform in the early period?
The Populist Party. Elizabeth Lease was a well-known orator.
What was the main difference between the NWSA and AWSA?
The AWSA supported the fifteenth amendment and advocated for a state based strategy.
Which two states first gave women the right to vote?
Wyoming (1869)
Utah (1870)
What was the outcome of ‘Minor vs Happersett’? (1875)
The Supreme Court ruled that citizenship did not imply the right to vote.
Which anti-suffrage organisation was established in 1911?
The National Association Opposed to Women Suffrage.
What were common arguments for suffrage?
They often did not invoke democratic principles. Usually they suggested that women voting would help to ban alcohol, help with social reforms and with matters relating to children. Arguments against suggested that female involvement in politics would undermine their special place in the home.
When was the NAWSA formed?
1890, at its peak it reached 2 million members
How were the NAWSA impactful during WWI?
The idea of a liberal alliance against Germany made states more receptive to NAWSA arguments. They were able to defeat two anti-suffrage senators.
What were initial limitations to the 19th amendment?
i) Married women had to re-register as individuals
ii) Many women had difficulty travelling to polling stations, especially with children
iii) AA women remained disenfranchised in the South
What was turnout in the 1920 Presidential election for women compared to men?
Women 36%
Men 68%
How many women were in Congress by the outbreak of WWII?
9, which is about 2% of all Congress members.
How many of the NAWSA members re-joined the League of Women’s voters?
10%
What were divisions in the League of Women’s Voters?
Some like Jane Addams wanted to campaign on women’s issues, while others like Carrie Chapman Catt wanted women to integrate into political life and develop into equal citizens.
What is evidence of increased female representation within government during the New Deal?
Francis Perkins was made Secretary of State for Labor. Roosevelt appointed 22 women to senior positions within his government.
Compare women’s representation in Congress in 1941 to 1961.
1941: 9
1961: 19
Compare women’s representation in Congress form 1961 to 1979.
1961: 19
1979: 20
Demonstrate that the largest progress in female representation took place in the 1980s.
1979: 20
1991: 32
However, still only represented 7% of Congress. Large increases were seen after 1991, this began to take place in the 1980s.
Which organisation was established in 1971 to encourage female unity and to campaign for female candidates for government?
National Women’s Political Caucus.
At which point did women’s turnout equal men’s?
It took until the 1980s.
When was the first female vice-presidential candidate?
1984, she lost.
What was the main role of women at the start of the period?
Dealing with the domestic sphere. The lack of birth control meant that large family sizes took a lot of the time and energy of women.
What was the Flapper Era of the 1920s?
It represented a relaxation of traditional values. Women wore shorter skirts, they went out more, they smoked and they were more ostentatious about their sexuality. However, this was limited in rural America. Some suggested it increased double standards. Increased sexual freedom a problem without contraception.
