Women's Impact On Early American History

Women have always played a critical role in the history of many great countries such as America. However, their role has always been overshadowed by male chauvinism and this has blinded the society making it fail to see the achievements and contributions of women to the society and to the nation. The essay below focuses on how women have been able to influence the American history positively by changing how things are done and changing the perception of the community on what women can achieve. The essay below has also focused on specific areas in which women have excelled in and how they have changed the history of America. Women such as Eleanor Roosevelt and Michelle Obama fully redefined the role of a first lady in America.

A woman’s job in life was to be a good mother and a good wife, period. Although feminist movements were now on the horizon, the subject of women standing up and speaking out for their rights was extremely controversial. As a feminist, Kate Chopin incorporated feminism in The Awakening through characters such as Edna Pontellier and Mademoiselle Reisz. Because the subject matter was so controversial and taboo, Chopin received a lot of negative feedback when she published the novel, with readers calling it “morbid, vulgar, and disagreeable.” The reactions Chopin received in response to her novel are very similar to how the people within Edna’s society react to her journey of a spiritual awakening.

Many women who were considered feminists in this era were also supporters of Jim Crow laws and believed that African Americans were part of society’s problems. Feminism throughout this time period was also exclusive to women of the middle-class because workingwomen and poor women did not have the luxury of technology and worked out of necessity rather than for autonomy. Another issue with this part of the movement was that once a woman had children, she was no longer considered worthy of the rights she had while she was unmarried and childless (Nolan, 370). The birth of the feminist movement in the progressive era paved the way for tackling complex women’s issues into the 1930s.

Hooks, who would face the most adversity in her life compared to Taylor Mill and Feltd, growing up in the working class as an African American. This adversity would turn out to be hope, as she saw the many issues faced by women, African Americans and by Feminists themselves. Hooks who had a poorer more turbulent background would petition many more issues having a much different view of equality, then the upper middle class Taylor Mills and Feltd. It’s clear that these people’s backgrounds shaped what they would fight for, how they would do it and in the end their own views of

Although she loves being a housewife she struggles with societal and personal views of her job. Continuously being considered as second-class citizens, women didn’t have many of the rights males in the US are granted and some cases still do. Women accept

Freedom meant political representation and access to political decision-making. By achieving the right to vote, women became able to get rid of corrupt leaders, develop new legislation to eliminate discriminatory laws and elect trustworthy political leaders who share similar interests. For African American women, freedom meant the abolition of slavery and segregation. They were denied access to certain jobs and faced several obstacles in their struggle for equality.

Opportunity, freedom, a vote, strength, independence, an interpretation during the late nineteenth century of the idealistic human rights that women strived for, qualities seemingly more eccentric than those of the current era. The question of what it meant to be human lingered in the minds of so many women, few of whom held the confidence to speak their opinion against the societal norms that had for so long depleted the value of women. Following the Civil War, women and African Americans fervently fought for enfranchisement; however, to the woman 's dismay, only blacks received this right. Women;s rights activists turned to literature to vocalize their beliefs. Kate Chopin, a famous American writer, was one of few who spoke out and shaped

Feminists emphasized, and continue to emphasize, that gender roles are social constructions that amount to a system of oppression. Feminists argued for equality, both political and social, for women, as well as fundamental changes in their roles in the home. The questions raised about gender also paved the way for entirely new movements, such as the movement for gay rights. Some of the issues taking frontline in discussions for women rights in mainstream Western societies today include reproductive rights, pay equality, and equality of educational

Women can make as much money too. On the other hand, the most common female sexual script that we are familiar with is women are not suppose to further their education. They are usually asked to be a good wife by staying at home and taking care of the children and cook for the husband. Rationally speaking, educated women can do all that too. Plus

They wanted equality for women of all races. We needwomen such as them fighting for our rights. We can learn so much from the Guerrilla Girls just bybrowsing through their art selections. Their art may have not been the most appropriate form ofart but it was no worse than the nudity women were used for. The Guerrilla Girls are still active today.

Traditionally women were limited from political participation and primarily performed the women’s role in the home (Nelson, 2008). However, during and after the war of 1812, the women supported the men emotionally, politically and physically by running the family business and performing other duties typically performed by men. Duties entailed shipping supplies, planting and harvesting crops, and even manufacturing. The social and cultural views of women during the war of 1812 began to shift, in part credited to the political skills of Dolley Madison. Dolley’s political power and involvement changed the minds of American politicians from abandoning the charred remains Washington DC, for “higher ground”, instead the decision was made to rebuild

Contrary to popular beliefs, the women of ancient Rome had more autonomy than believed. In fact, “Roman women of all classes had much greater personal freedom than women in other parts of the Mediterranean”. Unlike the Greek women, they had “private” rights such as the right to owning/selling a property in her own name, suing for a divorce and the right to make a will or be beneficiary in a will. Which, compared to women's rights today, this is hardly a dent. The women belonged to the “pater familias” (head of the household or father) and needed their permission to do business.