19th Century American Women Research Paper

Kim Damon
Dr. Janda
History 1493
April 24, 2017 U.S. History Since 1865

American women from the late 19th Century through the 1970’s fought through discrimination, racism, and sexism. Women struggled to be acknowledged and given the same rights as men. Slowly, through out each century, women’s political, social and legal issues improved, but with challenges. In this essay, I will discuss some of the significant changes that women overcame. During the 19th century women did not have many rights. They were not allowed to vote and they had been not allowed to have active roles in politics or legal issues. After the 13th Amendment was passed in 1865, Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton submitted the petition for an amendment to
Many traveled to the west looking to make more money, and have independence. Women worked doing household duties like cooking, laundry, seamstresses. Some women did venture out to provide sexual services. Women were still struggling and dealing with being underpaid. Women during this period were uneducated and because they were always home maintaining the household duties, they were unskilled. The period between 1880’s and the 1900’s employers started hiring women and children so that they could cut costs because they could pay them much less than the men (Norton, 540). The number of women employees more than tripled. Women were now working more clerical jobs and menial positions. In 1908, there was the Muller vs. Oregon case which made a law stating that women couldn’t work over a certain number of hours because they needed to be home with their children (Norton, 543). This also prevented women from working in high physical demanding jobs. While having a law passed like this is great to make sure women are not overworked, this also shows how the roles of men and women in society and the family life are so different. Women basically must take on more than the men, but are never recognized for this. During the early 1900’s women still battled men. Some women worked in labor unions and the WTUL was founded to help support them in 1903. The WTUL fought for legislation on better hours,
Then we enter the baby boom period and things change a bit. Post war was during 1945 through 1960 and the troops came home. Marriage rates increased and the birth rate was through the roof(Norton, 839). Since families were growing the women now needed to stay home. When we entered the 1950’s people were getting married younger and families became the main focus. During this period is when I see the biggest change in gender roles. Women before this were trying to do the same things as men, have rights and be independent. They basically take a few steps back. While a good portion of women did work during this time, they were still responsible for the household duties and the children. Women who did work work faced discrimination. There would help wanted signs asking specifically for a male or a female(Norton, 860). The women’s movement had disappeared for a little while but when we reached the 1960’s it returned(Norton, 911). Many things were overcome for women during this period. There was the Roe vs. Wade case that stated that it is the womens choice to end a pregnancy(Norton, 913). Women seemed to always have laws controlling them. The progressive reform allowed sterilization to be forced upon women without their consent and they also faced the issues of birth control. Women