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Roles Of Women In The 1920s Essay

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After World War I ended in 1918, the United States became a world superpower with a thriving economy. The 1920s was a time of prosperity, symbolized by technological advances, consumerism, and leisure. Along with this affluence, came a movement towards modern values, and as people migrated to large northern cities, these modern values became concentrated in urban areas. As a result, an enormous cultural shift took place that greatly altered the lives of Americans, including women. Women experienced significant political, social, and cultural change beginning in the 1920s, a decade which came to be known as the “Roaring Twenties.” The rise of the feminist movement spawned a new way of thinking for women in what it meant to be a citizen. Previously, women were deprived of essential rights available to men, like the right to own property, claim a legal identity, or vote. Generally, women were dependent on their marital status, and expected to …show more content…

Many women worked in domestic and clerical service as secretaries, telephone operators, and other “gender appropriate” jobs. Women even entered the workforce at a faster rate than men, due to employers willing to hire them at lower wages than most men would accept. Consequently, working women were criticized because they were said to be taking away jobs meant for men. Once the United States entered World War II, most men enlisted as soldiers, creating labor shortages. This increased demand for employees, caused women to replace men in the workforce. The persona of “Rosie the Riveter” inspired millions of females to work in defense industries and support services. Despite this surge in working women, many employers still would not hire African Americans, leading to a push for equal opportunity among union organizers. In 1941, Roosevelt made a step towards equality by issuing Executive Order 8802 which banned racial discrimination in

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