Women's Work In The 19th Century

Many women of the early 1900’s wanted to be treated fairly and equally to their male counterparts. For a long time, it was not even socially acceptable for a woman to work. As a woman’s job in society started involving be part of the work force, many

During the 19th century, change was in the air. Industrialization, involving the movement of labor and resources away from agriculture and toward manufacturing and commercial industries, was in progress. As a result, thousands of women were moving from the domestic life to the industrial world. During the 19th century, the family economy was replaced by a new patriarchy which saw women moving from the small, safe world of family workshops or home-based businesses to larger scale sweatshops and factories.

What are two ways women’s domestic duties are affected by those jobs performed outside the home? “Throughout history, women have made major economic contributions to their societies and families through their labor” (Lindsey, 2011, pg. 273). However, there is old rumors that state women clearly were declined the opportunities to bound in any form of clamorous work of any kind. Though, that is no longer the case today, for many women join the men in the fields, to help process the crops in order to provide much needed nutrients for their families; than ever before. “To explain the world of work for women, sociologists focus on four major types of production in which women have traditionally engaged: producing goods or services for consumption

Women’s history in the United States has always been represented as a struggle for rights. Wealth and status were tied to either their fathers or husbands. In the early 1900s, women were afforded the traditional roles of society. The majority of women worked in the home. If they were of the 18% young or poor women, they also worked in factories as laborers, manufacturing items for the booming industrial revolution (U.S. Department of Labor, 1980). During this time period the workplace was not in compliance with current safety standards. There was no minimum wage yet, work conditions were horrible and they worked long hours, “In 1900, the average workweek in manufacturing was 53 hours,” (Fisk, 2003). Women took “pink

By the late 19th century and early 20th century women were more involved in the workforce. They were doing domestic service, working in factories, workshops, tin and coal mines, farms, etc. Many of the jobs that women were doing required a lot of physical labor, and even though they still wanted or needed to have these jobs they weren’t compensated with a proportional wage. What they received was looked as a second earning for the household and the men of the house whom had far more “skillful” jobs required a higher pay. Truth is, women were the ones doing the difficult jobs and working more than the men were but that was of no importance but to women themselves.

I have to let the readers know how I stumbled upon this topic to introduce where I get my ideas from. It all started in the archive located on the second floor of the library in a dark corner behind a clear glass doors at the Hunter College. I have been attending Hunter College for four years and never have I stumbled on such an amazing place full of live history. I say live history because all the documents and books that are held in the archive are all preserved originals, which fascinated me. Thinking how people who lived more than century ago wrote and read the same things I’m writing and reading about excited me to my very soul. Archive research though fascinating is not an easy task that can be done in within fifteen minutes like how researches are done these days using convenient technologies at hand.

Women's lives and furthermore role in the public eye has changed radically during 1800s. The significance behind females was adjusted and affected within the nineteenth century in the political, economic, and social domains. Despite the fact that their social roles were not altered much, the progressivism, liberalism, and reforms of the period as well as impacts of Industrialization awarded women a considerably more critical role in the public arena and society as a whole. Within the social realm, their role differentiated in the nineteenth century, yet women were still to be subservient to men regardless.

Queen Victoria 's reign saw a great change in industrialisation alongside social change which affected a variety of people and classes.

Barrett’s article articulates the workplace conditions for workingwomen, and how women fought to receive fair wage compensation. By the 1920s, we see drastic increase in the number of women in the workforce due to unregulated living wage and World War 1. At this point in time, 1 out of 4 women are in the workforce, mainly

Throughout history, the woman's role was often perceived as someone who manages the house and takes care of children. Though this belief has mostly changed in modern societies, it was still a largely accepted fact of life throughout the 1800s. Because of this, the period was a pivotal time in the history of a woman's role in England and other western nations. While high class women were enjoying afternoon tea, lower class women were made to work in less than ideal conditions. Women from all classes were faced with a sexist prejudice, due to a misinterpretation of the belief that men and women hold different roles in society.

In the last decades of the nineteenth century, United Stated encountered an urban migration; it was something different and never experienced before. As factories began to open up across the Midwestern and Northern countryside, cities grew up around them. A whole new world was introduced, bringing a mixture of both positive and negative effects into the American society. While the new elite, big businesses, and the American economy in general, enjoyed the benefits of industrialization, many Americans were not so fortunate. Immigrants and former soldiers moved to the cities in search of jobs, money, and new opportunities. This created scarcity in employment and other resources. Cities grew and developed quickly, which caused women to work outside of their homes and farmers felt the difference in urban living. United State was changing because of industrialization. For example, the roles for women had changed greatly in the society because of industrialization. Women who once were caring mothers and housewives became a part of the working class. They didn’t have the time to stay home during the day and take care of their husband and making sure that their children acted properly and were respectful with high moral values. On the other hand, wealthy women considered to be lucky if they were able to stay at home and devote themselves totally to their families. Another example, farmers who were dependent on their skill in farming and the land grew their crops. However, throughout

Before World War I, women were often seen in their homes cooking, cleaning, and sewing, never out working in factories or working at the local train station. However as men were sent off to battle in World War I and jobs needed to be filled women gradually shifted into the workplace. At this point in time women were hired to be bank clerks, steel mill workers, telephone operators, chauffeurs, street car conductors, telegraphers, and boot blacks; all of which were jobs men would usually fulfill. Soon enough big industries and even the U.S. government were in great need of women replacements. Although women were finally breaking into the workforce they were only paid half as much in wages as the men were.

The role of women in the United States has changed dramatically in the last couple of decades. For one, women have taken on responsibilities outside the home, such as joining the paid workforce. While women made up only about one third of the workforce in 1969, women today make up half of the paid workers in the US. Women are also stepping up to lead the country as well as making progress on health issues. Over the past few years women have been able to end gender discrimination, however substantial inequalities still remain. During the “Old English” period women were generally involved in tasks that required little physical work. While men were ox-herders, laborers, swine-herders and so forth women were cheese makers and dairy maids. They were also bakers, not cooks. Women of this time were also entertainers, comedians, and singers. They may have been employed by households or traveling groups. Women were considered “unimportant” during this time and had very little, to no, equality to men.

Today citizens of the United States all have the essential rights to vote in a democracy, regardless of their skin color or gender. This, however, was not the case many years ago prior to 1920. In fact, women or people of color were not allowed the right to vote. Nevertheless, over time the roles of women began to change and with changing roles, women began to be more aware of their rights, thus began to fight for equality. Without the beginning of woman’s suffrage and early women reforms done in the early 19th century, the right of women to vote could have never been successful; changing roles of women from the beginning of the colonization age lead up to the idea of woman’s suffrage.

At this time women were entering the workforce at nearly twice the rate of men, but their work was considered not as good as a man’s work and women’s wages were reduced compared to men’s (1930s 1). While many women were in the workforce, they were discouraged from entering it because many people still believed women belonged in the home, and men did not want women to take their jobs (Garnace 1); due to more women being hired than men during this time period, some may consider this a good time for women, but the reality is women were only hired for new