Opportunities for Women

Running head: OPPORTUNITIES FOR WOMEN

Opportunities for Women
Carolyn Lake
HIS 204: American History Since 1865
Prof. Marisea Stanley
August 20, 2012

OPPORTUNITIES FOR WOMEN Women had it rough back in the 1800’s they were not treated fairly when it came to being equals of society even when it came to jobs they were not giving the same opportunities as men were. They were sort of treated like children they should be seen and not heard. Men did not think women could do work in the same job field nor do a job better than they could. This research will show how things turned around for women and how they proved to be just as valuable in all areas of life after all the discrimination.
Women Rights Women had hard times every way they turned back in the day when it came to standing up for their selves. They were not allowed to work nor keep their kids or even have a chance for a better education to advance in life. Women were not even allowed to own property or sue anybody if something happen to them like getting injured and no one could sue them for any reason. When a woman got married she no longer belonged to herself she was identified through her husband losing all rights to her own identity. “At the outset of the century women could not vote or hold office in any state, they had no access to higher education, and they were excluded from professional occupations. American law accepted the principal that a wife had no legal identity apart from her husband. She could not be sued, nor could she bring a legal suit; she could not make a contract, nor could she own property. She was not permitted to control her own wages or gain custody of her children in case of separation or divorce.” (DH, n.d.) Women are human beings just like men and they should have had the same rights back then like they do today. Today’s women are very independent as a matter of fact some women are the bread winner of the house while the husband stay at home and watch after the kids. Most women have a better education than most men because women are willing to stay in school to have a better chance at life with an education whereas to men the dropout rate is very high.

OPPORTUNITIES FOR WOMEN
Early Modern Period Women were treated unequal to men and they did not have a problem stating that men were more important than they were. But women finally decided to get a voice through literature and art expressing their feelings about the way men treated them in society. Women felt like they had been pushed aside for so many years it was time to be heard how the felt. “In the history of women across the globe, the early modern period is characterized by an increase in women’s literacy, which gave birth to a female literature condemning men’s subjugation of them and arguing for women inherent worth. The rise of female vocal in literature and art is one of the most significant developments of the era.” (GMU, n.d.) In the roaring twenties thing started to take shape and change for women they were being seen in a different light and treated with a little respect. Laws were passed to give women equal rights as men and the new age in technology helped to give women a chance in the world. Things even changed in political ways for women as well. “A woman of 1920 would be surprised to know that she would be remembered as a “new woman.” Many changes would enter her life in the next ten years. Significant changes for women took place in politics, the home, the workplace, and in education. Some were the results of laws passed, many resulted from newly developed technologies, and all had to do with changing attitudes toward the place of women in society.” (NCP, 2004) Some women worked in textiles mill in the 1800’s but not all women; most were just confined to their homes being the homemaker while the husband was the bread winner in the family. “Before the World War I, women typically played the role of the homemaker. Women were judged by their beauty rather than by their ability. Their position and status were directed towards maintaining the annual duties of the family and children. These duties consisted of cleaning and caring for the house, caring for the young, cooking for the family, maintaining a yard, and sewing clothing for all Just before the war; women began to break away from the traditional roles they had played.” (UOW, n.d.)
OPPORTUNITIES FOR WOMEN
Creating GI Jane: Sexuality and Power in the Women 's Army Corps during World War II

Women Serve in the army as well as men and there are gay women who protect their country as well who unfortunately are being discriminated against in the arm forces more than men. The don’t ask, don’t tell seems to be hitting women the hardest. Most women keep their sexual orientation to themselves (Just like some men that are in the arm forces) when they have decided to join the army or air force and etc. because of discrimination. “Now that sexual harassment, gender inequality, and discrimination toward homosexuals in the United States Army are everyday items in the media and subjects of debate by politicians and the general public, it is not surprising that feminist historians are turning their attention to the examination of the status, role, treatment, and possibilities of women in the United States military from the American Revolution to the present. Even those pacifists who reject the concept of military service as a component of the women 's rights agenda are acknowledging that the military, as a crucial institution of state power through which hierarchical order is maintained, calls for historical scrutiny.” (Swerdlow, 1988)
There little choices for the American women from 1863 on back down through the years; women really did not have many choices to make in their lives besides doing the domestic work in the home and have the kids and raising them. There were no opportunities for women outside of the home as far as jobs; their jobs were to stay out of the men way when they came together and to care for the men folks. If it was not for historical events where would women be today? “Historical occurrences are one major factor in the changing of a women status in America. It is because of these certain historical occurrences that paved the way for our modern day women to enjoy the luxuries and freedoms they do today such as being able to participate in politics, working in the medical field (women also were nurses during the war), in engineering and etc. (AE, 2012) Things have change drastically since those days and women are able to express themselves freely in today’s world.

OPPORTUNITIES FOR WOMEN Women were treated somewhat like slaves it seemed with all the different things they were made to do with little choice in the matter. Women today have a choice in the things they will do and those they are not going to do. The Freedom women of today have does not consist of staying at home and doing the childrearing unless she chooses to do so or making their own clothing because 99 percent of women go out and purchase the family clothing. Nannies take a big part in helping raising the kids for women that can afford it. World War II two helped women come along ways because they had to step in a hold down not only the homefront but the work force also; because most of the men were off fighting the war But before World War II “the largely agrarian society of the early1800’s women’s work was concentrated in the home and on the farm, the work was diverse and constant. Women cleaned the home, cooked the meals, mended, made and washed the clothes. All of the medicines, soap and candles were homemade by women. Childrearing and other household chores were within domain of women. Women assisted with work in the fields at harvest and planting and cared for kitchen gardens as well. (Degler, 1980) (URI, n.d.)
When the year 1850 came about women had made their mark and working in 150 different work occupations within the US. Single women (one quarter) were the ones who were occupying the jobs. In places such as “Connecticut and Rhode Island” women made up “one third of the work field”. The women did not receive the same pay as men they only took home “one fourth or a third” of pay working on the same jobs. This was unfair but some people (middle class women only thought this) thought that women were lo rating themselves by working anywhere but inside the home and it was hurting them morally. The times had started to change in society and people were accepting single women working in the workforce in the years of 1880 -1920 because the number of women was growing that were coming employed. People started to think it was about time that this changed started to take place in a male dominate society and the single women who had taken their place in the work force was no longer looked at as being in danger of “endangering their morality” (RI, n.d.)
OPPORTUNITIES FOR WOMEN Women started being important during the war by taking on big jobs that only men took getting paid the same salaries as men. During the 1940 there were only fourteen million women in the work force but that number soon increased in the year 1945 to nineteen million. Women were being hired in places such as the “defense industry, manufacturing companies, chemical and metal factories” and job that had nothing to do with the war. Women started leaving teaching jobs and working as nurses so that they could get higher paying jobs like the men. The Government (Federal) started pushing women to go out into the workforce calling it a “patriotic duty” (RIU, n.d.)
Women did not have much going for themselves when men seem to rule the world; they had no legal rights about much of anything or the chance at a career. Since the 20th century came along women had to fight for the rights that are presented to them today. The most significant matter women were fighting for and to a huge “degree accomplished a reevaluation of traditional views of their role in the” world. (WIC, n.d.) Being considered as the weaker sex women did not get all ample opportunities as men due to size and daintiness from the male point of view. If men were to just think about it the same strength that it took for them to plow fields women were using the same strength to take care of the house hold chores which require the use of muscles as well. Economic status started to change for women the labor laws that were once in effect were being changed because they were limiting women rights in the work field. There were laws that would not allow women to work no more than eight hours throughout the day or allow them to hold a nighttime job or having a superior position that would have them working more than the eight hour shift. Some jobs that women held down would not allow them pick up no more than 15 pounds at a time to once again limiting women to certain jobs. The Equity law that came in to effect in England started to emphasize on women rights instead of the traditional way this law was the beneficial development attached to women rights in America. Women had the right to take their husbands to court and sue them in some places they could buy real estate, leave they husband if they saw fit to do so but the husband got to take the kids and whatever property they owned. (WIC, n.d.)
OPPORTUNITIES FOR WOMEN Women have been able to vote since the 1920’s but their role to be in politics was at an all-time low but in the year of 1917 a woman finally got her chance to have a significant role in politics that change it for women in the years to come. A lady by the name of Jeanette Rankin out of Montana was the first women to become part of the House of Representatives, A black woman (the very first ever) was “elected to the House of Representatives” her name was Shirley Chisholm in the year of 1968, In Arkansas Hattie Caraway was “appointed in 1932 and was in 1933 elected to the United State Senate” and she was the first to take this position as a women. Maine had a woman to serve as the states Senator for a number of 24 consecutive years (1949-1973). There was a long line of women serving as senators in “Oregon, Kansas, Florida and Maryland.” (WIC, n.d.) There even wives that were married to former Governors that got their feet wet in the same field becoming the first women senator of that state these women consisted of “Miriam A. Ferguson of Texas (1925-1927 and 1933 -1935), Nellie Tayloe Ross of Wyoming (1927-1927). A woman by the name of Ella T. Grasso won the Governorship on her own excellence in Connecticut (1974). The largest city in the nation too ever have a woman to serve as mayor was Oklahoma City and her name was Patience Sewell Latting (1971).” Other cities that went on to have women for the first time to serve as mayors were “Chicago, San Francisco and Washington D.C.” (WIC, n.d.) 1984 proved to be a great year for Geraldine Ferraro because a dominant party chose her to run for the vice-president position. There were many women that has went down in history as having been the first women to have had large roles on the political scene; Franklin D. Roosevelt had a woman as his secretary of labor in his cabinet and Former President’s such as Eisenhower, Ford, Carter (had two women to serve in his cabinet and one was an African American which was a first for presidential cabinets). Women proved to be more than just workers around the house as time seem too went on; proven that they could be just as handy and smart as men.

OPPORTUNITIES FOR WOMEN Women had to fight for the rights they have today and there is a lot of history behind those rights that they have to this very day. “In 1776, Abigail Adams wrote to her husband John, "In the new code of laws, remember the ladies and do not put such unlimited power into the hands of the husbands."1 John Adams replied, "I cannot but laugh. Depend upon it, we know better than to repeal our masculine systems."”(ERA, n.d.) White males were the only ones who got to take advantage of the new rights by the Constitution that were promised as we already know stated within this paper when women rights were non-existence they were not able to keep custody of their children, have any property, vote, or keep monies that they earned. The first demand for women rights in the public eye came when a meeting was held in Seneca Falls, New York held by Elizabeth Canton and Laucretia Mott. These two women meet as advocates against slavery they held a meeting with the count of 300 women (some men also attended) which lasted for two days to get authority for women in a civilization where women were being consistently blocked from equal opportunities. The United States was not with taking on the rights women so deserved to have like anybody else. (ERA, n.d.) Once the civil war was over there were three women who was standing up for the rights of women to have a chance to vote like men. These women were Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Canton and Sojourner Truth but these women were fighting in vain to get women a part of the “new constitutional amendments giving rights to former slaves.” (ERA, n.d.) This was the 14th amendment which says that "all persons born or naturalized in the United States" and guaranteed equal protection of the laws” which was and is public knowledge. And the 15th states that the right of citizens . . . to vote shall not be denied or abridged . . . on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude" – but women of all races were still denied the ballot. (ERA, n.d.) The fact that women were still not allowed to vote did not sit well with Susan B. Anthony she tried to vote any way in 1872 in Rochester, N.Y. during a Presidential election. Anthony was sent to jail had a trial and was convicted and fined $100. (ERA, n.d.)
OPPORTUNITIES FOR WOMEN Anthony and Canton never gave up on the voting rights for women but they each died before they could ever vote in the 20th century when things started to turn around for women. Even though these two brilliant women would never get a chance to vote once women were allowed to they still went down in history trying their best to overcome a sexist society that mistreated women. The 20th century was a significant change for women who had finally got more than enough accumulation to win over the right to vote which was the 19th amendment that clearly states “the right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of sex.” It took 72 years for victory to come, but ironically, the most controversial resolution had been written into law first. But many laws and practices in the workplace and in society still perpetuated men’s status as privileged and women’s status as second-class citizens.” (ERA, n.d.)
Conclusion
Women have proven to come farther than they expected in life when it comes to the end of isolation because they prove to excel in all things besides being just house wives. The days of just being on the side line has come to a halt now women are exceling in the military, economically, socially and in technology giving them status in a once male dominating world. Women have proved to be acceptable in society and are no longer discriminated against like in the past.

References
Anti Essays, Historical Developments That Created New Opportunities for Women Retrieved August 20, 2012, from the World Wide Web: http://www.antiessays.com/free-essays/229453.html

Digital History. (n.d.). Women Rights. Retrieved August 6, 2012, from http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/database/article_display.cfm Equal Rights Amendments. (n.d.). The History Behind the Equal Rights Amendment. Retrieved August 20, 2012, from http://www.equalrightsamendment.org/era.htm

George Mason University. (n.d.). Early Modern Period: Views of Women. Retrieved August 6, 2012, from http://chnm.gmu.edu/wwh/modules/lesson4/lesson4

North Carolina Pedia (2004). Women in the 1920s in North Carolina: "A New Woman Emerges". Retrieved August 6, 2012, from http://www.ncpedia.org/history/20th-Century/1920s-women

Swerdlow, A. (1998). Creating GI Jane: Sexuality and power in the women 's army corps during World War II. The Journal of American History, 84(4), 1566-1567. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/224876729?accountid=32521

University of Rhode Island. (n.d.). THE TRANSFORMATION OF WOMEN TO FULL PARTICIPATION IN THE WORKFORCE. Retrieved August 20, 2012, from http://ni

University of Washington. (n.d.). Where Women Worked During World War I. Retrieved August 6, 2012, from http://depts.washington.edu/labhist/strike/kim.shtm

Women International Center. (n.d.). Women History in America. Retrieved August 20, 2012, from http://www.wic.org/misc/history.htm

Women 's Place in American Politics: The Historical Perspective
Louise M. Young
The Journal of Politics, Vol. 38, No. 3, 200 Years of the Republic in Retrospect: A Special Bicentennial Issue (Aug., 1976), pp. 295-335
Published by: Cambridge University Press on behalf of the Southern Political Science Association
Article Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/2129586

References: Anti Essays, Historical Developments That Created New Opportunities for Women Retrieved August 20, 2012, from the World Wide Web: http://www.antiessays.com/free-essays/229453.html Digital History 20, 2012, from http://www.equalrightsamendment.org/era.htm George Mason University North Carolina Pedia (2004) University of Washington. (n.d.). Where Women Worked During World War I. Retrieved August 6, 2012, from http://depts.washington.edu/labhist/strike/kim.shtm Women International Center