KKK in Canada The Ku Klux Klan is an outlawed, racist, ultra-conservative, fraternal organization dedicated to the supremacy of an Anglo-Saxon, Protestant society. Although never successful across Canada, the Klan was briefly popular in Saskatchewan in the 1920s. At most 40000 members

Urban vs Rural In the 1920’s was the first time that more people lived in the cities than the country. Employment – over ¾ of trades jobs were held by males Females were mainly employed in the service sector. (Clerks, secretaries) Education for working class usually ended by grade 8

WOMEN IN THE 1920’S

Suffrage and Prohibition First federal vote in 1917 Military Elections Act Many women joined the Women’s Christian Temperance Movement to make change happen This gave women a new active lobbying/political role when women had very little

The Famous Five 1918 women given the right to vote 1921 first women elected to govt. Agnes Macphail A group of 5 women: Emily Murphy (first female judge), Nellie McClung (teacher), Louise McKinney, Irene Parlby, Henrietta Edwards fought for the right for women to sit in the Canadian Senate.

Under the law women were not considered “persons”. Many women (and men) felt this was wrong so they took the battle to court. This case was famously called “the Persons case” The highest court in Canada ruled…

…women were NOT persons!

The Famous Five appealed to the highest court in the British Empire and in 1929 it ruled women were indeed “persons” under the law 1930 Cairine Wilson was the first woman appointed to the Senate

The Person’s Case

Flappers Flappers made their debut just after World War One

They were called “Flappers” because of their open galoshes which made a flapping sound when they walked (or their dresses or braids from younger girls in WWI) In the 1920’s Flapper” was used to describe bold young women who dressed and acted unconventionally

Some women were more forward. They danced and drank all night Some women were more forward. They danced and drank all night. They had sexual partners before marriage. Many women smoked cigarettes or drank alcohol because it was considered socially unacceptable for women to smoke.

Flappers were rebelling against social norms imposed on women.

Dresses that barely came to their knees Many Flappers took part in a radical new fashion: Dresses that barely came to their knees Short hair (“bob” or “shingle”) Wore more makeup

Dancing the Charleston was frowned upon by stuck-up old schools

Fashion. Why do you think Fashion was important to women in the 1920s Fashion. Why do you think Fashion was important to women in the 1920s? What role does fashion play in women's lives today?

Not all women were flappers. Women still filled “normal” roles in society like moms, nurses, teachers, secretaries, etc.

Other Rights: Birth Control Distributing birth control information was illegal in the 1920s/1930s; people could be imprisoned for up to two years. This discouraged women (and men) from asking about birth control information.

Other Rights: Divorce Rights 1925 women gained the right to divorce if their husbands committed adultery (before this only men could divorce for this reason)

Near the end of the 1920s, flappers were starting to lose their popularity Why?

1929 stock market crash.... The Dirty Thirties or The Great Depression For women the struggle to survive the depression became the most important thing in their lives Flapper women got regular jobs, became wives and moms. They were ‘integrated’ into normal society NYSE