United States History Unit 2, Chapter 6, Section 2 Women and Public Life United States History Unit 2, Chapter 6, Section 2

During the Progressive Era, Women actively pursued reforms for education, children’s welfare, temperance, and suffrage Main idea

Opportunities for Women: higher education, employment late 1880s women were finding more opportunities for education & employment caused them to look outside the home to work for change and reform in society Opportunities for Women: higher education, employment

Higher Education 1833: Oberlin College in Ohio-first to admit women 1870: 20% of all college students were women 1900: over 33% Most were middle or upper class The American Medical Association (AMA) still did not admit women until 1915 Higher Education

Employment opportunities Expanded in late 1800s for educated middle class women Teachers, nurses, bookkeepers, typists, secretaries, shop clerks, artists, journalists Working class without an H.S. education worked in garment factories These opportunities changed the way women viewed the world Employment opportunities

Gaining political experience Women worked to end child labor, improve children’s health, promote education 1912: Lillian Wald founded the Federal Children’s Bureau which tended to the well being of children Gaining political experience

Movement which called for a ban on making, selling, and distributing alcoholic beverages Major organizations: Woman’s Christian Temperance Union (WCTU) headed by Frances Willard and the Anti-Saloon League supported by Billy Sunday and Carry Nation Prohibition

1919-ratified-Prohibited the manufacture, sale, and distribution of alcoholic beverages 1933 repealed by the 21st amendment because unpopular 18th Amendment

African Americans not welcome in reform organizations, so they formed their own 1896: National Association of Colored Women (NACW) Harriet Tubman- underground railroad conductor-member 1916: over 100,000 members Civil Rights

15th Amendment 1868: gave vote to African American men, but not women Spurred suffragists into action 15th Amendment

1869- National Woman Suffrage Association (NWSA) founded by Susan B 1869- National Woman Suffrage Association (NWSA) founded by Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton 1869-American Woman Suffrage Association (AWSA)- with Henry Ward Beecher as its president, aligned with the republican party and worked exclusively on winning the right to vote on a state-by-state basis 1869-Wyoming first territory for women votes 12 states approved before nationwide approval Women Organize

1869-1906: testified before congress for women’s suffrage 1872: Illegally voted in Rochester, NY Fined $100, not allowed to testify Susan B. Anthony

Anti-suffrage arguments Voting would interfere with women’s duties at home or would destroy families Women did not have the education or experience to be competent voters Believed most women did not want to vote Liquor industry feared women would vote for prohibition Some churches were against it-felt families should be represented by the man Anti-suffrage arguments