Progressive Reforms Of Women During The 1920's

The Women’s Movement was a symbolic movement in achieving political and civil equality. It assisted women lifestyles in the United States, granting them equal opportunities as men. Therefore, the Equal Rights Amendment guaranteed equal rights with men and the Equal Pay Act guaranteed equal pay. But these opportunities rarely helped women since they were prohibited and discriminated from universities and communal school, young girls have to be taught at home by mothers due to the segregation from males and females. In the 1960s, organizations were predominantly constructed for women since they were driven away from society of men and can’t attend schools and colleges.

Following the Gilded Age in the United States, (U.S.) where prices were high, working salary was low, political corruption was everywhere, child labor was brutal and women were suffering, came the period in history called the Progressive Era. The Progressive Era was a period of social activism and political reform that grew immensely from the 1890s to the 1920s to fix these problems. Although not every part of this progressive movement made big impacts, reformers and the federal government were mildly successful in bringing reform at a national level to correct some injustices such as working conditions, political corruption, child labor laws and women 's suffrage in American life. Doors to the Progressive Era fully opened through the book,

The Progressive Era of the early 1900s was a period of economic growth in the United States. Millions flocked to the cities like New York in pursuit of wealth, freedom, and a chance at making a better life for themselves and their families. As a prime focus during the Progressive Era, women challenged social and political barriers, which led to their empowerment and a new female political agenda. Women began to become more prominent in the workplace and by 1920, nearly 25 percent of employed women had office jobs or worked as a telephone operator (Eric Foner, Give Me Liberty! An American History Volume 2, 700).

Secondly, the creation of unions become quite common during the women’s suffrage movement Majority of these unions consisted on middle-class women, but morally fought for equality and their right to vote too. For example, “Drawing on an egalitarian strain of Enlightenment thinking, one that found expression in the Declaration of Independence’s assertion that all men are created equal, early suffragists maintained that that equality applied to women” (Patterson, 6). These women believed that anyone can vote and they fought for their right to vote. Many issues for women during the nineteenth century worked its way into the the beginning of the twentieth century in regards to voting rights. Many might forget that the during the time of women’s

Women have fought strenuously and diligently to earn their suffrage and have an impact on their society as a whole. Women have yearned to have their voices heard and be able to speak up about their societal concerns specifically in politics. Fortunately, women were able to persist and strive for their ultimate goal: the right to vote, which was stated in the 19th amendment and ratified by three-fourths of the states on August 18, 1920. For women to have reached their goal, they had to go through many propagandas, campaigns, strikes, posters, and protests; however, some were not as persuasive as others. For instance, the poster shown in the document does not provide an empowering message to coax a person to allow women suffrage.

During the Progressive era women had to endure a lot of suffering due to poor living conditions, illness, earning wages no matter what age or race they were. Women activists decided it was time to start speaking out and protesting to receive more equality in society. Different groups of activists, made up of women, fought for women’s rights socially, economically, and politically. Some activists were better known for women’s sexuality. Jane Addams was one of the first women activists who fought for equal wages for women.

The Second Great Awakening was extremely influential in shifting the minds towards reform in people across America. The mentality of the people at this time was closed minded and had acceoted their way of living. Among other factors, Charles Finney played and important role in the success of the Second Great Awakening. “Much of the impulse towards reform was rooted in the revivals of the broad religious movement that swept the Untied States after 1790.” Revivals during the Second Great Awakening awakened the faith of people during the 1790s with emotional preaching and strategic actions from Charles Finney and many other influential preachers, which later helped influence the reforms of the mid-1800s throughout America.

The women 's suffrage movement arose in the eighteen hundreds, and was suffered for until it was nationally approved in Nineteen twenty. During the movement, people such as Susan B. Anthony were highly involved in acts such as petitioning. The movement also consisted people such as Alice Paul, who picketed outside the White House. According to the National Archives and Records, it started when Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and Lucretia Mott lead the first woman’s rights convention at Seneca Falls, NY in eighteen forty eight.

America gained its independence in 1776 with the expectation that every American should have liberty and equality. However, American women did not have the right to vote until 1920, which was almost more than 140 years after the United States was established. Women could do little to protect themselves and promote their careers due to being treated unequally and inferior to men. During the 19th and the early 20th century, women were working hard and fighting for gender equality, so that more and more women could live a better life with basic civil rights in their hometowns. In reality, women’s equality was challenged by traditional conventions in the fields of biological difference in sexes, religion and gender roles, and different perspectives towards these conventions of different people made women’s civil rights controversial.

Susan B Anthony was a women’s rights activist in the 1800’s who led to many of the rights women have today. Born into a Quaker family, Susan B Anthony was incredibly involved with the activist ways of life at a young age. After meeting Elizabeth Cady Stanton in 1852, she dedicated her life to women’s suffrage. Susan B Anthony’s actions led to many of the rights women have today. Her contributions include but are not limited to the right to vote, equal education opportunities, and women’s salary equality.