What Makes Rosie The Riveter's We Can Do It ! Campaign

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The 1940’s was a time where American women stepped up to help their country in a time of war, "but most of these women -- the famous and the obscure -- had one thing in common: they did not think of themselves as heroes. They followed their consciences, saw something that needed to be done, and they did it…". Rosie the Riveter on the "We Can Do It!" poster was made by the War Production Co-Ordinating Committee to persuade women to work in factories and shipyards during World War II. From World War II till the present, the "We Can Do It!" poster has symbolized women empowerment. The "We Can Do It!" advertisement uses ethos and pathos to persuade women to join the workforce. Rosie the Riveter is the name given to the woman seen in the "We …show more content…

She stands before a yellow background, with a blue speech bubble stating "We Can Do It!" Rosie the Riveter is seen with a red and white poke-a-dot bandana and a blue jean shirt. On the jean shirt, is a pin or logo of a woman. Rosie the Riveter has a serious and stern look on her face and her arm is flexed in front of her. She uses her other hand to move the sleeve of her jean shirt. In the bottom right-hand corner of the advertisement the words, "War Production Co-Operating Committee" can be seen in bold, white letters. Although the woman in the photo is known as Rosie the Riveter, she was a symbol of a women’s movement rather than one specific woman. The United States Government began the "Rosie the Riveter Campaign" to persuade women to join the workforce. The United States began this movement after men left for war during World War II. With a majority of the working population away, the government was in desperate need of a supplemental work force. The trend began in 1942 when the "We Can Do It!" advertisement was created for the Westinghouse Power Company. The “We Can Do It!” advertisement made Rosie the Riveter a symbolic figure of empowerment for women in the workforce. A year after the creation of the "We Can Do It!"

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