1. Contemporary America

2. Changing Role of Women More women in the workplace and working mothers
More women in non-traditional roles
Sandra Day O’Connor – first woman on the supreme court
Sally Ride – first US female astronaut
Courts helped provide these opportunities

3. Issues of working women
Need for affordable day care
Equitable (fair) pay
Pink collar ghetto – jobs dominated by women; low prestige, low paying jobs (maid, babysitter, receptionist, etc.)
Glass ceiling – perception that women’s career advancement is not equal to men

4. Changing Patterns of Immigration
Most new immigrants are from Asia and Latin America
Reasons for immigration
Political freedom
Economic opportunity
Effects of immigration
Bilingual education/English as a second language
Changing public policy
Politics/voting
Contributions of immigrants
Ethnic foods, music, arts
Role in labor force

5. Space Program
1960s – John F. Kennedy pledged increased support for space program John Glenn – first American to orbit the earth Neil Armstrong – first man on the moon (1969) “that’s one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind”

6. New Technologies
Cable TV/24-hour news (CNN)
Personal computers
Cellular phones
World Wide Web (www)
All of these improve our ability to communicate and access information!

7. Better communication/access to global information
More Advancements
Better communication/access to global information
Telecommuting – working from home via computers
Distance learning – taking classes online
Growth in white collar (office) careers – computer skills now expected by employers
Breakthroughs in medical research (Dr. Jonas Salk – Polio vaccine)
We now live in a “global community”