Essay on The Evolving Role of Women in American History

The Evolving Role of Women in American History The role of American women has changed significantly from the time the nation was born, to the modern era of the 1950s and 1960s. Many people, ... believed that womens talent and energies ... would be put to the better [use] in the new republic. (Clinton 3) Clearly showing that society has seen the importance of the womens talents and that their skills can be very useful, exploited this and thus, the change of the womens role was inevitable. Society has understood that the roles of women played an important role on all parts of life. To understand the significant change in the role of the women is to understand its roots. Traditionally, women in colonial America were limited in†¦show more content†¦The men were involved in clearing the land, plowing, digging ditches, fencing, building, and hunting. (Smith 30) This depicted women in the colonial period as weak and inferior compared to the men. The men handled duties that required strength and especially in outside occupations where this was most important. Women in colonial America were excluded from outside occupations because they were seen as weak and incapable to handle responsibilities beyond housework or the household. Throughout much of early American history, men and women were thought of as inhabiting different spheres. According to this philosophy, men spent most their time and energy outside the home. They worked, transacted financial affairs, participated in political matters, and concerned themselves with the world at large. Women, however, were expected to devote themselves to the domestic spheres--not only performing household chores but also imparting morals and virtues to their children and making home a peaceful sanctuary for their husbands. Many Americans believed that this distinct separation and balancing of gender roles was essential to the harmonious functioning of society. (Bender 46) The home is [womans] appropriate and appointed sphere of action. (Bender 46) This philosophy, that was predominant throughout colonial and post-Revolutionary America, isolated women from having outside occupations as well as the pursuit of political opportunities, and mostShow MoreRelatedRace, Gender , and Ethnic Relations in the United States705 Words   |  3 Pagesto give a clear answer to this question, the relevant history and current events may give clues on the future changes and trends. Since the era of Civil Rights Movements in the 1960s, the societys attitude toward women has changed. According to Rosalind Chait Barnett, director of the Community, Families Work Program at Brandeis University, Womens lives today are dramatically different [from] those of their mothers and grandmothers. Women are making choices that will prepare them for longerRead MoreThe Women Of The 1920 S1125 Words   |  5 PagesSpecifically the women of the 1920’s created the most discussion. They made great strides in women’s suffrage, they became a mass culture, and there was a cultural civil war between the generations. There is more to the ‘20’s woman than just being a flapper. She is free, she is outgoing, and she is rebellious. The flapper woman is just one kind of woman in the 1920’s and in this paper I hope to educate you a little bit more about her as a whole, and argue that in the twenty-first century women are becomingRead MoreWomen Have Shaped Canadian History1359 Words   |  6 PagesWomen have shaped Canadian History The proliferation of Canadian women’s movements, notably their redefining role in society, has had a profound propitious impact on Canada’s identity in the twentieth century. The contribution of Canadian women in the cultural life (sports, the arts and dance), the political impact from the leadership role of a female perspective (Nellie McClung) and women’s economic empowerment all contribute to the shape of Canadian history. Our current Canadian national identityRead MoreThe Home Front Effect in The American Civil War976 Words   |  4 Pagesfor food, clothing, medicine, and shelter (Davis, 2002). The North produced most of the food crops because of the abundant amount of resources and factories they had available. In difference, the plantation-slave system restrained the South from evolving proficient workers and factories. The Confederate favored slavery whereas the Union opposed slavery. On the other hand, the South’s cotton provided them with a huge advantage over the North. The cotton was extremely valuable and contributed to theRead MoreConflicts in Elizabeth Stuart Phelps The Angel Over the Right Shoulder1077 Words   |  5 Pagesa womans need to fulfill her domestic role and her need to develop as an individual. The story was published in 1852, when the American people were struggling with the role of women in society. The author, Elizabeth Stuart Phelps, introduces two opposing possibilities for this role. One is the woman whose entire being revolves around her domestic sphere and who has no individual identity. The other is an individual who, although fulfilling the role of mother and wife, takes time to cultivateRead MoreThe Women s Rights Movement865 Words   |  4 Pageswise woman refuses to be anyone’s victim† (Angelou). As one of the greatest role models for women, Angelou expressed these words that reflect the actions of Jane Addams and Elizabeth Cady Stanton during the Women’s Rights Mo vement in the United States. Jane Addams and Elizabeth Cady Stanton lived at the turn of the century where women were discriminated on based on gender and their inexistent role in society. These women refused to be taken for granted and in doing so they fought vehemently for aRead MoreThe Role Of Visual Arts For Stage Interventions Into The Representation Of The Female Self722 Words   |  3 Pages- in practice and conceptually - the function of the mirror in visual art, with particular reference to the portrayal of women.†¨By drawing from the field of art and literature featuring the mirror and reflection, I will be looking at how the work of contemporary women artists and photographers challenged traditional attitudes and practices. This dissertation will be about women who use visual arts to stage interventions into the representation of the ‘female self’.†¨The female body and mirror haveRead MoreThe Concept Of American Democracy1699 Words   |  7 Pages elusive concept of all times. But if there has to be something more elusive, it will surely be the concept of American democracy. In 1858, Abraham Lincoln is known to have written:  ¨As I would not be a slave, so I would not be a master †¦ This expresses my idea of democracy. Whoever differs from this, to the extent of the difference, is no democracy. ¨ The initial understanding of American democracy takes the form of an antithesis of English colonialism and slavery. Based on this understanding, thereRead MoreEssay on Historical Roles of Men and Women in Leadership1231 Words   |  5 Pagesthose held by women through history, the concept of history that needs to be observed is a vast period of time. For if all or most of known history about humans is not taken into consideration, then much of present day analysis of leadership gender roles might actually start to make sense. The previous sentence was not an error in thought or printing. Much of modern analysis of gender perspectives in leadership and the roles of men and women seem to forget the thousands of years of history and the moreRead MoreAmerica in the 1950s Essay582 Words   |  3 Pagesthe 1950s Society in America during the 1950’s was one that portrayed men and women in very different, but rigid roles. Women were housewives, secretaries, and mothers. Men were providers, war heroes, and businessmen. Television, newspapers and magazines played an important role as well in determining ways men and women should behave. Advertisements for real estate were designed to sell to the â€Å"All-American† family. For example; Dad would be the returned home veteran who is now running the