American Women in the 1920

It was not until after the Civil War that these ideas started to change in America. “Dozens of women’s colleges were founded after the Civil War, and many formerly all-male colleges began admitting women.” (Shi and Tindall, pg. 569) By 1900 nearly one-third of college students were women (pg.569) In the early 1900’s women began to liberate themselves from the home, their social roles, and even some of their character traits. New public venues for female interaction were created, from charitable associations to women’s clubs. The increase of female interaction brought a means to change the lack of female influence in government. In 1869 the National Woman Suffrage Association was founded by Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton, which not only campaigned for woman suffrage, but also for new laws to make an abused wife get a divorce easier and for female workers to get higher pay (pg. 712-714) It was not until the spring of 1919 after WWI that the Nineteenth Amendment was passed giving women a Constitutional guarantee of their right to vote (pg. 775). Women gaining the right to vote was one of the greatest social developments that happened in America because since women made up forty percent of the electorate they had the capability to change the course of politics (pg.

The 1920s was the time of prosperity that undertook drastic changes in the political and social lives of Americans. By the end of the decade, American culture have changed from traditional to modern values. This era is also known as the “Roaring 20s” because of the economic growth, jazz, as well as the luxurious lifestyle people of that time experienced. As everyone changes, their culture also takes a turn. Many women had a more open minded way of thinking in terms of their appearances and actions.

The 20s was filled with bright means of entertainment such as flappers, prosperity was fresh in the air and the economy was booming. Progressivism was at its all time boom and companies, economy and inventions and even ideals all seemed to be cherishing this golden age, as well as entertainment industries. New inventions such as the refrigerator were beginning to make lifestyle for families much easier, some of this ease was placed on the shoulders of women. Young women were no longer keeping up with the roles and standards that were tightly binded pre- war times, and general youth was relabeling what the norm was, courting,

The 1920s also brought American women increased personal and sexual freedoms. As the United States steadily urbanized—for the first time more than half of all Americans lived in cities—women could escape the yoke of parental control or repressive marriage by moving into

During the first World War I women were left at home to try and figure out how they were going to care for their families. Their husband, father, and brothers were sent off to war. Many companies around the United States were left with production needs and little to no employees to do the job. In a time period, where women are expected to be confident and independent, they had to also realize they had little to no power in society. They had societal rules that they must stay at home to cook, clean, and care for the children. With the men who were prominent in their lives coming and going from war. These factors caused the birth of a new era. This is the era where women were emerging. Women were changing by being more independent sexually and expressing their emotions through music, poetry, and movies.

In the 1920’s women did not have very many rights. They had just started to work outside of their homes and in the factories. These women wanted to help support their husbands and sons that were away at war during World War I. This gave them a sense of power and led them to wanting more respect than they were receiving from the men. Being a woman was not the only problem that some faced in America, but being an African American woman in America was extremely difficult. This made it hard to find jobs and this affected the black males as well, but the females were hit with a double slam when it came to being a minority. Elizabeth “Bessie” Coleman was an African American woman. She was the first African American woman to receive an aviation license.

The Turbulent Twenties saw a time of change in the United States that allowed oppressed groups to redefine their fight for freedom as well as their place in society. Prominent groups such as the Women Suffragist, African American, and Immigrants had fought for rights and preciously decades and had made great strides by the 1920’s, that still continue to the present day. Yet this decade marked a time for these groups to pass the torch to their younger counterparts who we redefine the fight and their image they displayed to the American public. They would make the controversial choice to discard some of the previous views of those who came before them in the fight for social equality. In their respective strategies to achieve equality from 1920-the

The 1920s was an era of rapid change and major success for the American people. Many factors such as women’s rights contributed to the advancement of America. The 1920s was a age of social and political change that embodied the beginning of modern America by presenting “Lost Generation” literature and innovative technologies such as the Model T Ford.

For many centuries, women and men were not treated equally. After the Civil War, women had many essential successes that helped them earn respect. Throughout all of history women have not been seen as true equals to men. Women did not realize the extent of the matter at hand until after the Civil War.

The economy grew rapidly in the 1920s. The automobile had great impact. Through model changes and advertising, sales were stimulated. New consumer goods such as steel, gasoline, and road construction increased the growth of other businesses. Of all steel output in the 1920s, one seventh was used toward the manufacturing of automobiles. A nationwide search for oil deposits brought workers and money to the Southwest. A numbered highway system supported the rapid appearance of service stations, diners, and motels. As the economy grew, so did technology. The radio brought distant events into millions of homes. The washing machine, vacuum cleaners, and irons made household chores more efficient. With the growing economy, consumer credit allowed

In the 1920’s birth rates dramatically decreased as women were given access to birth control and were educated on health care, allowing women to make discussions about their own lives instead of relying on their husbands. The women’s reproduction movement, led by Margret Sanger, founder of Planned Parenthood, changed society’s view of women’s sexuality, educated women on healthcare and made birth control options more prevalent in the United States, which empowered women to get an education, dive into the work field, and rely less on men. Women were suddenly encountered in the 1920’s by a new freedom to explore life the way a man did without the fear of children holding them back, as written by Mary E. Williams, an American author, and writer

The New Era of America showcases both African Americans' and women's challenges and successes as they entered the 1920s. Women in particular were given increasingly more freedom as they recently gained the right to vote, and they were affected by the cultural shift of the time. The decade was characterized by the representation of the Flapper, who shed the prior values of modesty by breaking social norms and having a more sexualized image. While women gained more independence and freedom socially, they also grew their opportunities in the workplace by taking up jobs more frequently than in the past. However, women were not the only ones to reach new heights, as African Americans also had further advancements in the New Era.

The New American Woman A young bird ready to flap its wings embraces the winds of confidence and equality. This is what it felt like to be a woman in the 1920s. The Gilded Age was a time of great social and cultural change, and spurred women to show more of a presence in the workforce and they started to display behaviors never seen before.

Former president John F. Kennedy once said, “If we cannot now end our differences, at least we can help make the world safe for diversity.” Back in the 1930’s, this was a rare and very unpopular opinion, especially in the south. Blacks suffered extreme discrimination and Jim Crow Laws while women were regarded as foolish and inferior to men. Now, in 2018, there is equality for all, upheld by the law and supported by society. There are many differences in social roles and standards from the 1930’s and in today’s society of equality and opportunity for all.

The 1920s had a big impact on American life all around; however, one of the biggest changes during this time period was in the roles of women. During this time period, women started dressing different, leaving the house, getting jobs, and gaining rights. On top of all of that, they had a bigger role in education, they began taking parts in politics, and divorce became more of a common thing. This may not seem like a big deal to people today, but this was very important at the time. Prior, women had next to no rights. They lived to wait on and please their husbands. Women rarely even left the house. This time period could be said to have paved the way for modern day feminism and women’s roles. This was the time period when they began to be free and stop worrying about how society thought they should live. However, the question still remains: Did the changing roles of women in the 1920s really have a significant effect on women’s roles today? In the next few pages, one will be given examples of women’s role before, during, and after the 1920s. In each paragraph, the roles, rights, impacts, and more that women had at these times will be explained. To conclude, a comparison on how women were thought to act in these different time periods will be made in order to come up with an answer for the question stated above.