Women and Vocational Opportunities in the 20th Century Adithya Mukund, Charlie Blondino, Lara Hakam, Rohan Perisetla

Victorian England Traditional Role - managed domestic affairs and worked in family business Separate Spheres - besides meals, lives were completely separate between male and females Women < Men in physical aptitude Women > Men in morality Make sure men behave appropriately in public life Train next generation to live by gender standards Domestic control → excuse to not give women suffrage Be chaste until marriage No option to take a high-level career or education → secret rebellion

Victorian England Career for a woman: MARRIAGE Qualities to improve marriage prospects: Musical ability Speak a little Italian or French Innocence Virtuous Dutiful

Married Women’s Property Act of 1887 Before: Women COULD NOT own property. Period. Women’s property belonged to their husbands Divorce → no rights to see children and no acceptance in society After Women COULD own property

Women’s Rights Movement ( ) National Woman Suffrage Association (NWSA) - goal to change federal law and oppose the 15th Amendment because it excluded women. American Woman Suffrage Association (AWSA): rejected the NWSA’s agenda as being racially divisive and organized with the aim to continue a national reform effort at the state level. Volunteerism in late 1800s from middle class. Support for: temperance women’s clubs charity organizations. Involvement outside of domestic affairs legitimized the suffrage movement August 26, women got the vote Female vote → decline in voting participation. People started to care less about issues due to influence by special-interest groups

Historical Figures Emmeline Pankhurst led the women’s social and political union (WSPU). The members were called suffragettes and went as far as vandalism and arson. When WWI began, their movement was halted (1914). Nancy Astor: First female prime minister (1919) Margaret Bondfield: First female cabinet minister (1929) Marie Stopes: Opened the first birth control clinic (1921) in England. Amy Johnson became the first women to fly from Britain to Australia (1930). Valentina Tereshkova became the first woman in space (1963) Mary Phelps Jacob: Invented the first bra (1913).

Works Cited Anitha, Sundhari, and Ruth Pearson. "Women and Work in the 19th Century." Striking Women. Striking-Women, n.d. Web. 28 Jan Hughes, Kathryn. "Gender Roles in the 19th Century." British Library. British Library Board, n.d. Web. 28 Jan Lambert, Tim. "Women in the 20th Century." A World History Encyclopedia. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Jan Thomas, Pauline Weston. "A Woman's Place in 19th Century Victorian History." Fashion-era.com. Fashion-era.com, Web. 28 Jan United States House of Representatives. "The Women’s Rights Movement, 1848–1920." History, Art & Archives. Office of the Historian, Clerk of the House's Office of Art and Archives, n.d. Web. 28 Jan