Women in Public Life

1. Women in Public Life OBJECTIVES: Trace women’s growing presence in the turn-of-the-century workforce. Summarize women’s leadership in reform movements and the effort to achieve woman suffrage

2. Women in the Work Force • The cult of domesticity began to wear off during the Industrial Revolution • Many African American and immigrant women began to labor as domestic workers • Laundresses, cooks , maids • By 1900, many women were working in factories, bottling, canneries, tobacco, garment industry. As business expanded, women began to take “white collar” jobs • Teaching, stenographers, bookkeepers, typists etc.

3. Women’s leadership in reform • By 1910 about 800,000 belonged to clubs which led to reform activities • New Women’s colleges gave women options beyond marriage • Vassar (1865) • Smith Wellesley (1875)

4. Right to vote • Women formed the NAWSA, National American Woman Suffrage Association • Women fought for suffrage in 3 different approaches • State level (Wyoming 1869) • Pursued court cases to test 14th Amendment • Push for a national amendment • Susan B. Anthony- leader in the women’s suffrage movement • “Would sooner cut off my right hand than ask the ballot for black man and not for women.” • - S.B.A. • Through their efforts, they did not achieve suffrage but brought the issue to the public. • The 19th Amendment was finally passed in 1919.

5. TERMS OBJECTIVES: • Trace women’s growing presence in the turn-of-the-century workforce. • Summarize women’s leadership in reform movements and the effort to achieve woman suffrage • NACW • Suffrage • Susan B. Anthony • NAWSA