CANADIAN WOMEN AND WORLD WAR ONE

THINK / PAIR/ SHARE First individually, and then in partners, brainstorm a list of all the jobs (paid or unpaid) that a woman might have done in the early 1900s. How might the First World War affect this list? We will then discuss the list in a class discussion; everyone be prepared to provide answers »Minds on »Freeman-Shaw, E., & Haskings-Winner, J. Canadian Sources: Investigated 1914 to the Present. Toronto: Emond Montgomery Publications Limited, 2008 (p ).

CRITICAL QUESTION Did World War One significantly change the role of women in Canadian society?

WOMEN AT WAR Not allowed in armed forces; contributed in other ways Approximately 2400 Canadian women signed up as nurses –Worked at Front Lines or in Army Hospitals Worked as ambulance drivers »Action

NURSES AT THE FRONT Clip from National Film Board of Canada darmistice/viewing/front-lines-nurses-at- the-front/ darmistice/viewing/front-lines-nurses-at- the-front/ Any questions??

WOMEN ON THE HOME FRONT With war the need for supplies increased With men leaving to fight the number of available workers decreased = PROBLEM!! Solution? –The Women of Canada

WOMEN ON HOME FRONT Approx women worked in munitions factories Approx worked as civil servants Thousands more worked in textile factories making uniforms Thousands more worked on farms –Food production increased 4X from 1913 to 1918

WOMEN IN LABOUR FORCE YEARFEMALE POPULATIONLABOUR FORCE PARTICIPATION RATE % % % % Freeman-Shaw, E., & Haskings-Winner, J. Canadian Sources: Investigated 1914 to the Present. Toronto: Emond Montgomery Publications Limited, (p.18-19).

ELAINE’S STORY Read the following story independently and answer the accompanying questions (point form is fine) We will discuss the answers as a class Hux, A., & Jarman, F. Canada: A Growing Concern. Toronto: Globe/Modern Curriculum Press, (p ).

Question #1: List the hardships experienced by workers in the munitions factories  Chemicals caused damage to lungs and skin (burns)  Dangerous work  Risk of explosions  Long hours  Unequal / low pay  Hearing damage from loud machines  Hair could get caught in machines

Question #2: Discuss how the munitions job changed Elaine’s thinking about women’s rights and their position in Canadian society. Gave women a taste of new types of work Made women realize they could do “men’s work” Showed women the benefits of working outside the home Showed unequal ways women had been living Broadened women’s skill base, work experience and education In short, WWI altered the way Canadian women thought about themselves and their place in society

PICTURE ANALYSIS As a class, we will discuss the following pictures –please take notes for homework purposes Discuss: –Who the picture is showing –When the picture seems to have taken place –Where the picture takes place –What the picture is showing

PICTURE #1

PICTURE #2

PICTURE #3

HOMEWORK Using the information taken from the pictures, write one paragraph discussing what change the pictures represent within Canadian society Write a second paragraph discussing HOW these changes affected the individuals involved or Canada as a whole

TICKET OUT OF CLASS Before leaving class, take out a piece of paper Re-visit the original question : “brainstorm a list of all the jobs (paid or unpaid) that a woman might have done in the early 1900s. How might the First World War affect this list?” Briefly re-answer this question based on the new information From this evaluate whether WWI significantly changed the role of women in Canadian society »consolidation