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How Did Ww2 Change The Role Of American Women

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Between 1933 and 1945, the role of American women changed rapidly because of the sudden turn of events. The Great Depression and World War II pushed more women than ever before into the workforce. The New Deal improved working conditions for women, encouraged women’s participation in organized labor, and overcame some racial prejudices against women workers. However, sexism and racism still seemed to remain in the labor force and unions. National and international events significantly shaped the roles played by American women during the Great Depression and World War II. Undoubtedly, experiences from American women varied because of race, socioeconomic position, and marital status. The experiences of American women varied tremendously in regards to race. Although The New Deal overcame some prejudice against non-white, women workers, racism continued. Unemployment rates were especially severe for African American women. During the Great Depression, when white women entered the market as domestic servants African American women lost their regular positions. After the event of Pearl …show more content…

Society discriminated against married, women workers. Some work forces even refused to hire married women, but many married women were forced to find jobs when their husband’s were laid off, this was especially the case for older married women. The single women worked mostly because their families could no longer provide for them. Peggy Terry, A married, pregnant teenager recalls, “ I was pregnant when first started hitchhiking, and people were really very nice to us. Sometimes they would feed us.” Terry obviously had it different than the lost marriage rates during the Depression. In some circumstances, single women would complain about losing thier jobs to married women. (Doc.A) This gave rise to regulations that required teachers and other groups of women employees to quit their jobs once they were

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The ones that suffered the most were the minorities because discrimination had increased. Unemployment increased, men who lost their jobs were embarrassed. Women would go and try to find work, and were often fired if they were married. Women had been accused of taking away jobs from men.

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Women were often seen as secondary earners or homemakers, and their participation in the workforce was undervalued. African Americans faced racial discrimination, which limited their access to employment opportunities and government assistance. While the Great Depression ended, the racial discrimination and perspectives that women were less than men

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Factories and defense plants needed workers, so women were available to take those jobs. Not only did jobs in the labor force open, but also positions in office as well. “As white women, many of whom had been in the workforce before the war, moved into these highly paid positions, African American women… took over white women’s lower-paying position in factories.” Responsibilities of women changed because of this as well. Not only did women have to do the cooking, cleaning, and supporting the children, they had to also do their responsibilities at work.

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African Americans faced even greater discrimination during the 1930s. African Americans faced “inevitable discriminations” (Document I) and the Roosevelt administration took very little action to defend them. Roosevelt was worried about losing white southern democratic voters and did not take a heavy stance on discrimination in the United States during the 1930s. African Americans were seen as competition for jobs and people believed that they deserved a job more than the African Americans did. Both African Americans

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The economic downturn disproportionately affected these groups, and they often faced discrimination in the work force. However, the New Deal programs and rise in labor union helped to improve their economic conditions and increase their representation in the workforce. “As many families moved from farms to cities, the economic role of women diminished. But the Great Depression, which began with the October 1929 stock market crash, compelled more women to seek paid work outside the home in order to aid their families” (Morse, Jane). +++ The great depression also had a significant impact on the global balance of power.

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However, this prosperity would not be enjoyed for a long period of time. Once the Great Depression hit the United States, African Americans were hit particularly hard and were unable to find work. Although this once again changed for the better during World War II, African Americans lost jobs to Caucasian women. Even in battle, African Americans were pushed to fight for American value which they did not receive at home.

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The Effect of Women on the Outcome of World War Two World War II effected women tremendously by taking them out of their comfort zones and chucking them into the work force and pushing them to do most of the work men normally would have been doing. The war also effected women by providing opportunities for them to serve in non-traditional roles; in fact, some of them enlisted into the military to serve the United States. The way the war effected women is that they had to take care of family in addition to performing work normally done by men. It was difficult to find people to watch after kids which made life during this time very difficult. After the end of World War II society in general was effected considering the baby boom.

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During the phase of settlement women received jobs outside the home and even taxing jobs. For African American women, the Revolutionary War impacted their lives. Slavery continued in every state, except for Massachusetts. Many African Americans were continuously abused by their mistresses, and criticized by their male coworkers. (Brooks,2013).

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Married couples were often forced to postpone their desire to expand their family, as they simply did not have money to feed their future children. Women got an enormous pressure from the media. “Movies, radio programs, magazine, books, and even government posters advised a woman how to dress, please her husband, raise her children, and cook her food” . There were also occasional cases where women were advised not to get a job, however, usually the job was in domestic service – like housekeeper, maid, dressmaker, babysitter, waitress, cook

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The job market in War World II was multifarious and women were doing their best to take advantage of it. “Nearly six million American women took up jobs that they had not traditionally held before: in factories, plants, and on farms. Work in wartime production allowed women to express patriotism and gain financial independence.” These industrial jobs were crucial in the wartime effort, so they tended to be better paying and were in large supply.

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In 1900, only six percent of women that were married worked, instead these women were housewives and took care of the home and children. However, fifty percent of non-married women worked, but they likely stopped working once married. Only thirty-three percent women that were divorced or widowed during this time worked, and those that did worked out of need. These percentages are compared to an eighty-six percent of men, married or not, that were employed during this time period.

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More job opportunities began to open up therefore, there was an increased need for skilled workers. Companies thought it was a great idea to hire African Americans who would be more than willing to work, grant them a smaller pay and have their business continue to thrive in the prosperous decade. The white leaders of the industry often took advantage of policies to ensure that African Americans would be confined to the least desirable jobs with the lowest wages (Phillips 33). Within the jobs, workers would also be faced with discrimination. The African Americans would receive death threats in their place of work almost daily and were made to feel as if they were only there to benefit the economy (Phillips 39) For many years in American History, African Americans only received training to be skilled workers, as it didn 't seem necessary for them to receive any further education (Blanton 1).

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Many Americans were now unemployed, and if someone was lucky enough to still have work, their schedules were usually cut down to part-time reducing the amount of income they received heavily. After 1933, the expansion of the New Deal meant that the government now intervened much more evidently in people’s daily lives, employing them and giving them aid, as well as providing new forms of social insurance. A wave of labor strikes and unionization allowed for a new way of thinking about the power of ordinary people and racial and gender divisions. During the Depression racial discrimination was very common, for people were trying to find someone to blame and take their anger out on. Minority workers were normally the first to lose jobs at a business or on a farm.

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After the act was passed, more white women became attorneys, teachers, doctors, and business managers. Black women also became policemen,

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Often, women were unable to live on their sole income due to the fact that few people highered women over men and on the off chance they did, the pay was much less. This inability to live alone caused

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