American Women 1920-1960

Women of the 1950’s through the 1960’s are ridden with male oppression and self-esteem issues. The book Revolutionary Road by Richard Yates and an episode of Mad Men titled The Shoot have a lot in common. The differences and similarities between the leading women in both of these stories from the 1950’s show that times are different today. The women of the 1950’s had a dream for the future and their dream has finally become a reality for American women. From Mad Men, Betty Draper’s dream of becoming a model and in Revolutionary Road, April Wheeler’s dream of traveling the world are actual realities for women today. Their dreams show similarities, differences and the “American Dream” that every woman has.

For the longest time, women’s role in society was very narrow and set in stone. Women weren’t given the chance to decide life for their own, and there was a very sharp distinction of gender roles. Women were viewed as inferior, weak, and dependant. They were expected to be responsible for the family and maintainance of the house. But as the 19th century began, so did a drastic change in society. Women started voicing their opinions and seeking change. Trying to break away from this ideology called “cult of domesticity” was a lengthy, burdensome, and demanding struggle.

The 1920s was a major turning point in American history. Known as “the roaring twenties”, the citizens of the United States enjoyed the new found wealth from the economic turnaround. The United States’ wealth more than doubled as the nation turned into a consumer society. Not all Americans were fond of the changes in society, and not all of the changes were good.

the house becoming the homemaker once the war was over. The 1950s has also been

The 19th Amendment was passed in 1920 by the United States Constitution that allowed women the right to vote. On November 2, 1920 more than 8 million women across the United States voted in elections for the first time. It took

Their clothes became less restricted and flowy, giving them much more freedom to move and work. Where women were once expected to have long hair, short hair was now a sign of freedom. Make-up was popular, and more available. Sales boomed thanks to advertising. In the 1920s, women smoked in public and drove cars, which were not acceptable before the war. Women had more leisure time when labour-saving inventions like vacuum cleaners and washing machines decreased their housework. If they had a car, as many did, they were no longer so bound to the home. Overall, household and domestic consumer goods became more common, and these were targeted at

The 19th Amendment guarantees any woman the right to vote in a political election. Prior to August 18, 1920, this amendment did not exist. This was a very powerful boundary for women to overcome, as it took decades of unrest. Beginning in the mid-1800s “suffragettes,” otherwise known as women who wanted to right to vote in elections, began protesting, lobbying, and attending rallies. Many American citizens found that this was scandalous, unladylike, and a radical challenge to the constitution.

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

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.

On the 18 of August, 1920, the 19th Amendment went through. The U.S. Constitution permitted American women to vote. Before the U.S. made these changes women had to suffer plenty to get the rights they have now a days. One of the biggest struggle was having the freedom to have a voice in the United States of America. This part of history is known as woman suffrage. The women in the U.S. did everything possible to obtain the rights they deserve.

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

I think it is important to take time and actually think about all of the advancements women have made. If you think about it we would not have some of the things we have today due to the women in past standing up for they believe in. There is a quote that I cannot remember off the top of my head, but I know that it is along the lines of saying a woman in general is powerful, but once she realizes how truly powerful she is, you better watch out. “Like Mary Richards, American women in the 1970s were figuring out how to use their new powers to craft a good life” (Collins 241). This quote is amazing because there are so many women that do not see their potential. Everything is just a matter of you can do anything you put your mind to and it was not until the 1970’s that women were starting to come around to see what they were truly capable of.

Paid work for women moved from principally customary female-situated employments to all the more non-conventional and already male-arranged vocations. Ladies ' support in the workforce prompted them to start careers in the field dominated by male in the 20th century. Career yearnings were affected by elements, such as sexual orientation, financial status, race, occupation and instruction level, and parental desires. This paper exhibits how women developed, changed and the challenges they faced in the 20th century in America in the workforce and the advancement of ladies ' careers, improvement and profession goals during the 20th century in United States. Also, gender issues affecting women will be discussed in details during this period and how women played their role in fighting for their rights.

Society for a long time has made the women in its second best. In the past, maybe even today, women were told that they should marry successful men, have children, and be good housewives. Women are told to be “seen and not heard,” as if they were just an ornament to be on display. Sometimes in marriages, women are no more than property, they are expected to assume the identity of being just a wife. For some women, this destiny is known and understood, therefore these women use their womanhood to progress themselves into better suited situations, but for many others this way of life can be a challenge when there is a long for a different type of life outside of their constraints of marriage. Some women want to be free to

Throughout history, women have been seen in many different lights. From a woman’s perspective she is strong, smart, helpful and equal to men. In the eyes of men, she is seen as the weaker being, the housewife, and the caretaker. By looking at the following pieces of writing, one can see that through the centuries, women have struggled to break out of the mold that man had put her in and make themselves known in society as important.