The Role of Women in 1920s America

How did the role of women change in America after the First World War?

The roles and rights of women in America changed in many ways during the years following the First World War, with some gaining more freedom.

What happened to American women in the First World War?

The First World War gave women some opportunities but didn't remove all the barriers that they faced.

• ❖ Women were able to perform the jobs of men who went to fight and made up one fifth of the workforce.
• ❖ They were still expected to stop working if they got married.
• ❖ Most still worked in low-paid, low-status sales and secretarial roles.
• ❖ They could vote in local elections in some states.
• ❖ Most were expected to perform all of the domestic labour and to look after housework and the children.
• ❖ Drinking and smoking were seen as socially unacceptable for women.
• ❖ If they went out, they were expected to be accompanied by a chaperone to check their behaviour.

How did American women work in the 1920s?

During the economic boom of the 1920s, more women were able to work.

• ❖ Two million women joined the workforce during the 1920s.
• ❖ Different types of jobs were available to women, but most worked in traditionally female roles such as secretaries.
• ❖ More married women worked, but this was still a small proportion. By 1929 only 12% were in the workforce.
• ❖ Women did not earn as much as men, even in a similar job.
• ❖ Women from ethnic minorities were usually given the lowest paid jobs. Many worked as servants.

How did the political rights of American women change in the 1920s?

Women's political status changed after the First World War.

• ❖ In 1920, women were awarded the right to vote by the Nineteenth Amendment.
• ❖ Many women chose to vote for the same people as their husbands.
• ❖ By the end of the 1920s there were 145 women in state governments, but only two in the House of Representatives.

What laws were made for women in 1920s America?

Because women could vote after 1920, more laws were introduced to help them by, for example, providing more health and maternity care.

How did the social position of American women change in the 1920s?

Women's role, and ideas about what behaviour was acceptable, changed in the 1920s.

• ❖ More women got divorced.
• ❖ On average, women had fewer children.
• ❖ Most women were still expected to look after the home and children.
• ❖ Many consumer goods were household appliances, which made housework easier and gave women more leisure time.
• ❖ Some women became flappers.