1880-1920's

Department stores, Chain stores, and mail order's houses were how retail sales and distribution techniques of the late nineteenth century made goods and conveniences formerly enjoyed by city dwellers available to Americans in small towns and the countryside. Americans no longer had to make their own clothes but, now they had the leisure of picking and buying clothes from a department store. Due to chain stores buying in preparing food had changed. A new industry of packing and selling foods had been invented. The mass production and new development of tin can had inspired an industry of canned foods. Refrigerated railroad cars and iceboxes made it possible for perishable food items to be kept fresh. These developments brought a healthy improvement

In early America, women were expected to take care of the household and of the children. However, writers such as Anne Bradstreet and Judith Sargent Murray wanted to emphasize the importance of education for women. The two texts by these authors that will be discussed are the poem, “The Prologue” by Anne Bradstreet and the essay, “Desultory Thoughts upon the Utility of Encouraging a Degree of Self-Contemplacency, especially in Female Bosoms,” By Judith Sargent Murray. A theme seen prominently throughout both texts is fairer treatment of women through education. Although both women do believe in opportunity for women in education, Bradstreet focuses more on the idea that women should have more acceptance in the intellectual world by men while Murray however, emphasizes the importance of women to be raised properly which resulted in them understanding their self-worth.

Articles written during a specific period gives the future population an idea of the issues present during that time. Before the United States became independent, woman education was limited to the skill needed to be a good wife and proper mother. Particularly, upper-class woman were the only ones that had the resources to gain an education. Most middle and lower class focus primarily on the education of their males. European education influence Colonial America’s educational system. Since there weren’t any establish convents schools in the colonies, tutors were primarily hired and later on schools were incorporated. During the first years of schooling, new England girls went to a coed school called “dame school”. In the dame school, girls were thought to knit and sew. Many girls got the chance to go to the town school. However, some town school in new England prohibited girls from attending. In the south, girls got the

Following World War I, Americans were left with scarce amounts of job openings and a poor economy. Several were left fearing the communists, who the Americans believed were going to overthrow the government. This caused Americans to resent those who were not accepting to return to the “traditional” American values. With the 1920’s, there came both a rise in conservatism and liberalism, but only one was revolutionary, described by Merriam-Webster.com as,”Constituting or bringing about a major or fundamental change.” Furthermore, different presidents advocated for different political stances. Republican Presidents, Warren Harding and Calvin Coolidge, advocated America to have a conservative government and return to normalcy, while Republican

The nineteen twenties can be summed up as one of the most important improvements on theatre, paintings, music, building, and culture.

The period between 1820 and 1840 was a highly changing period for politics in the United States. The passing of the Federalist Party ended the two party system that also included the Democratic Republicans. The Era of Good Feelings was ushered in and campaigns and elections hereon out were changed drastically. Campaigns, running mates, and an increase in suffrage especially transformed the elections in 1824, 1828, 1832, 1836, and 1840.

J. Paul Getty describes the 1920s as “ … the period of that Great American Prosperity which was built on shaky foundations.” The 1920s was an age that consisted of many social and political changes throughout America. The changes occured dramatically in these three different topics: economics, racism, and women’s suffrage. It created more jobs and more opportunities for the American people, fixed the major problems of racism against African Americans, and changed women's norms by making the “housewife” perspective less common, and driving more women towards a rebellious era. These three changes of the 1920s made it to become famously known as “The Roaring ‘20s.”

The 1920’s were mainly known for the beginning of the Harlem Renaissance, Prohibition, and the generation where women were guaranteed the right to vote. The 1920’s has been argued to be either very conservative or liberal, but it can go either way. Although the 1920’s are conservative because of economic reasons involving immigration, the 1920’s are liberally revolutionary because of cultural changes with women and religious changes from the Scopes Trial.

Born in Connecticut during 1787, Emma Hart Willard was the second youngest of seventeen children. Fortunately for Willard and her siblings, her father held progressive views regarding education and the inclusion of women in education. His encouragement resulted in her “[acquiring] an education that was out of the ordinary for girls” (Chadwick, n.d., para. 3). Initially, Willard’s education was self-taught and a significant part of it was her involvement in family discussions. Her parents and siblings made sure to include her in conversations about predominantly male topics such as “politics, philosophy, world affairs and mathematics” (“Emma Willard”, n.d., para. 3). Those discussions only fueled her desire to learn and at the age of fifteen, Willard enrolled in school for the first time. (Chadwick, n.d., para 3). Once she was settled into the Berlin Academy, her local school, she began to progress rapidly. According to the Encyclopædia Britannica (2016), she started teaching at the Berlin Academy two years after her initial enrollment in 1802. Then, in 1806, she was granted the opportunity to be in charge of the Berlin Academy for one term. That opportunity no doubt influenced her later actions regarding the advancement of female education. In 1807, Willard accepted a teaching position in Massachusetts but she did not remain at the position for long. That same year, she accepted a position as principal at a girls’ academy located in Vermont (The Editors of Encyclopædia Britannica, 2016, para. 2). Her move to Vermont proved to be an important step in her life. In Vermont, she met her first husband, John Willard, and was introduced to his nephew, a student at the local college. John Willard’s nephew lived with the couple

The education women received during the romantic era was very different to today. Professor of English at the Arizona State University and author of six books on literature by women, Devoney Looser, explains how women during this time received very little schooling, were taught different materials than men, and were taught in schools that were specifically for their gender (Looser 1). In these schools, they were not taught politics, economics, or classical studies as those topics were specifically for men; instead they would learn art, music, and sewing. Upper-class women and middle-class women were taught how to be proper wives and mothers by learning how to do domestic tasks, such as sewing and needlework (Looser 1). Women who were not

In the early nineteenth century, women were expected to be, “‘angels in the house,’ loving, self-sacrificing, and chaste wives, mothers and daughters or they are… ultimately doomed” (King et al. 23). Women of this time were supposed to be domestic creatures and not tap so far into their intellectual abilities (King et al.). The role of women in the nineteenth century is described:

Education was not equal between the sexes and neither between the classes. Gentlemen were educated at home until they were old enough to attend well-known or lesser schools. A lady’s schooling was

The society always queries about the role of women and for centuries, they have struggled to find their place in a world that is predominantly male oriented. The treatment of women was remarkably negative; they were expected to stay home and fulfil the domestic duties. Literature of that time embodies and mirrors social issues of women in society (Lecture on the Puritans). But, slowly and gradually, situation being changed: “During the first half of the 19th century, women 's roles in society evolved in the areas of occupational, moral, and social reform. Through efforts such as factory movements, social reform, and women 's rights, their aims were realized and foundations for further reform were established” (Lauter 1406). Feminist poets like Emily Dickinson and Anne Bradstreet talked substantially about feminism in different lights in the past two centuries. They were very vocal and assertive about their rights and the ‘rights for women’ in general. While they might have been successful at making a good attempt to obliterate gender biases but still there are lot of disparities between the two genders. Nevertheless, their poetry reflects a deep angst.

The late 18th century can be known as the historical period of the Enlightenment. During this time, society was undergoing drastic changes that would impact people even today. These changes were known as “reforms,” and played a big role in politics and ruling during this time period. One of the bigger reforms of this time was that which would grant women a higher education and place them in a position closer to their male counterparts. The enlightenment authors, Jean Jacques Rousseau and Mary Wollstonecraft, took part in a debate in which they argued about the purpose and education of women. In an article recently written in The New York Times by Nicholas

The role of women in the society is always questioned and for centuries, they have struggled to find their place in a world that is predominantly male oriented. The treatment of women was extremely negative; they were expected to stay home and fulfill domestic duties. Literature of that time embodies and mirrors social issues of women in society (Lecture on the Puritans). But, slowly and gradually, situation being changed: “During the first half of the 19th century, women 's roles in society evolved in the areas of occupational, moral, and social reform. Through efforts such as factory movements, social reform, and women 's rights, their aims were realized and foundations for further reform were established” (Lauter 1406). Feminist poets like Emily Dickinson and Anne Bradstreet talked substantially about feminism in different lights in the past two centuries. They were very vocal and assertive about their rights and the ‘rights for women’ in general. While they might have been successful at making a good attempt to obliterate gender biases but still there are lot of disparities between the two genders. Nevertheless, their poetry reflects a deep angst.