Women 's Changing Societal Roles

Women in the nineteenth century lived in a time characterized by gender inequality. At the beginning of the century, women could not vote, could not be sued, were extremely limited over personal property after marriage, and were expected to remain obedient to their husbands and fathers.( women’s suffrage movement 1) In most situations, the men would have to go to work and bring home the money, and the women would have no choice but to stay home, clean the

Throughout the ages women have been stricken with often male-made oppression in many forms on the long, difficult road to their eventual initiation into equal rights. Some aspects of women’s rights today were obtained by questionable means in the past. One such act of liberation by questionable means was the introduction of a class of women in the 1920s known as flappers. These flappers were the beginning of a new wave of sexually and intellectually liberated women. Women of this age wore short skirts and revealing clothing in addition to cutting their hair into bobs and smoking and drinking publicly. These women were also outspoken in many areas,

“In any era, fashion is a reflection of the time and what is going on in the culture politically, socially and economically.”1 The 1920’s witnessed a variety of dramatic changes for women; these changes, such as shorter dresses and stronger attitudes occurred primarily after World War I in spite of the prolonged development of women 's’ rights through 1914 and 1920. With their new hair, fashion styles, and attitudes, women had started what became known as the “Flapper Era”.

The flapper was the harbinger of a radical change in American culture. She was a product of social and political forces that assembled after the First World War. Modernization adjusted the American life. Flapper: A Madcap Story of Sex, Style, Celebrity, and the Women Who Made America Modern by Joshua Zeitz analyzes the people who created the image of the flapper. This work is an incorporation of narrative, statistics, and scholarly work that provide a distinct insight on the “New Woman.” Joshua Zeitz asserts the flapper was not a dramatic change from traditional American values but reflected the “modern” decade under mass media, celebrity, and consumerism.

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 flapper had an indisputable look. The long locks of Victorian women fell on the floors of beauty parlors as young women cut their hair to shoulder length. Hemlines of dresses rose fiercely to the knee. The cosmetics industry prospered as women used makeup in large numbers. Flappers constrained their chests and wore high heels. Many women celebrated the age of the flapper as a female “declaration of independence”. Experimentation with new looks, jobs, and lifestyles was incomparable with the woman in the Victorian Age. The flappers chose activities to please themselves, not a father or husband. But critics were quick to elucidate the shortcomings of “flapperism.” The political agenda grasped by the previous generation was largely ignored until the feminist revival of the 1960s. Many wondered if flappers were trying to express themselves or act like men. One thing was certain: Despite the political and social gains or losses, the flappers of the 1920s sure managed to have a good time.

In the 1930’s, gender inequality was present for countless women based on the time period they were living in. Many women were not allowed to play major roles in their government or society during the time period of the 1930’s. “ For some reason he looked pleased with Jem.’I was wondering when that’d occur to you,’ he said. ‘There are lots of reasons. For one thing, Miss Maudie can’t serve on a jury because she’s a woman —”(Lee 252). Women in the 1930’s were not able to choose their jobs as easily as men.They were not allowed to hold government positions and had many limitations on the jobs they could do. They were expected to cook and do housework for their families. According to Scout from To Kill A Mockingbird, “ it is funny to think of men cooking and wearing aprons”. Men were not seen as cooks for their family; it was the women who made the meals.

The 1920s was a decade of great social change and political conflicts. The roles of women have changed profoundly since the 1920s. During the time of World War 1, many women took the place of the males in factories, hospitals, and any other place men worked. When men returned from the war, women felt they should be entitled to the same rights as men, such as voting. This caused a great debate but in August of 1920, this all changed; the 19th amendment was added to the Constitution, giving women the right to vote. Women felt they were almost as superior as men once they were able to vote. As a result, women felt they could do as they pleased. This is where the term

Lucy Burnhams 15 April 2015 APUSH 1B 1920’s DBQ The 1920’s was a time of riches and brought a new age of commercialization to the United States. Traditional views clashed against the modern views the twenties inherited and therefore caused tensions between new and old ideas. The 1920’s tensions lied under religious, social, and political issues that sparked reform and advanced technology.

The flappers, that began flourishing during World War I, by the 1920’s had become a prominent character with their very own defining characteristics. Around the time of the WWI woman were closer than ever before to gaining women’s rights, giving women the confidence they needed to make change happen(2 2). By the time the war ended, flappers had gained an image of “slender woman in short straight dresses, long beaded necklaces, and bobbed hair, drinking gin and dancing the Charleston (1 167)”4. The flappers were the new woman of the era that were opinionated

The women of the 1920’s were first introduced to society as a generation that spent most of their time cleaning, cooking, and nurturing their children. However, as the “Roaring 20s” came to impact the

The 1920’s was a new era for women, their voices were heard and their ways of life took a complete change. On August 18, 1920, the 19th Amendment was adopted by the United States, which gave women the right to vote, (19th Amendment). With this amendment, women of America had the right to vote next to men. Women in the 1920’s wanted to have fun, and with their voices being heard they made changes to themselves, “Women began to dress as flappers, who were women that were branded as brash for their enjoyment of casual sex, drinking, make up, driving cars and smoking,” (Swartz). Women were exercising their rights to enjoy the same activities that men were allowed to, even though they were looked down upon by the community.

use of fighting for a vote if we have not got a country to vote in?"

At the end of the 18th century and during the 19th century, there were many changes to public ideology that affected the way that women perceived their roles in society. Prior to these changes, women had adopted the beliefs of separate “spheres” separating work into public life and their duties as mothers at home1. Women stayed at home to take care of the children and provide a warm, welcoming home for their husbands to take refuge from public life. Women became aware of their lack of legal and political power after the American Revolutionary War ended as they were denied the right to the same freedoms that granted the right to vote to the white, property-owning male population2. Despite granting women more liberty to run businesses, farms,

A women's role has changed tremendously and is making its greatest impact in our society today. Many years ago, women's contribution to society was limited and controlled by men. Women are standing tall and are playing a major role in many important areas. Women's role has changed at an accelerating rate and have part in areas such as Politics, Professional Training Jobs, Medicine,Business and Law. Formerly they were not part of any political matter, but they have advanced in many aspects. For example, women have attained power and have been growing in political office.