1. WOMEN IN PUBLIC LIFE

2. INTRODUCTION Women during the Progressive Era actively campaigned for reforms in education, children’s welfare, temperance, and suffrage (voting rights). READ “The Inside Story” page 177

3. OPPORTUNITIES FOR WOMEN Higher Education Early 1800’s: limited opportunities 1833 Oberlin college in Ohio began admitting women By 1870, about 20 percent of college students were women

4. Opportunities for Women (con’t) Employment Opportunities Job opportunities for education middle class women expanded in the late 1800’s Teachers, nurses, bookkeepers, typists, secretaries, shop clerks Also, businesses such as newspapers and magazines began to hire more women as artists and journalists

5. Opportunities for women (con’t) Working class women & those without high school education: Jobs in industry (such as the garment industry) Change in perspective: many women began to see opportunities beyond the home

6. Opinion / Thought Question: How were opportunities in society limited for women in the 1800’s? How did changes in society change opportunities for women? Are women still limited in opportunity? Are there any areas in which you think women should be limited?

7. Gaining Political Experience Women were leaders in many reforms during the Progressive Era CHILDREN’S HEALTH & WELFARE Many campaigned for the rights of children: ending child labor; improving children’s health; promoting education

8. Gaining Political Experience PROHBITION A movement calling for a ban on the making, selling, distributing of alcoholic beverages Woman’s Christian Temperance Union (WCTU) Frances Willard (head from 1879-1898) Also, many preachers (Billy Sunday)

9. Prohbition (con’t) Cary Nation: woman evangelist who took a hatchet in one hand and a Bible in the other, and “busted up” saloons in Kansas 18 th Amendment: passed by Congress in 1917, ratified in 1919 – prohibited the manufacture, sale, and distribution of alcohol

10. Prohibition (con’t)

11. WOMEN’S SUFFRAGE MOVEMENT Suffragists: those who campaigned for women’s right to vote WOMEN’S SUFFRAGE ASSOCIATION: formed by Cady Santon & Susan B. Anthony 1869 1869 Wyoming Territory: 1 st to grant women right to vote (1870, Utah – later 12 states)

12. Susan B. Anthony tests law Susan B. Anthony wrote pamphlets, made speeches for women’s rights 1872 she and thee others voted in Rochester, NY – arrested, tried, fined

15. Arguments against women voting Interfere with women’s duties at home Destroy families Didn’t have education or experience to vote Thought most Americans did not want Force “unwilling women” to vote Vote for prohibition or other business regulations (business leaders) Replace the “position” of the man (churches)

16. Two Organizations merge… 1890 new organization formed: NATIONAL AMERICAN WOMAN SUFFRAGE ASSOCIATION (NAWSA) Finally, women won the vote nationwide: 1920