Using your knowledge of the time period 1885-1920 and the documents provided, discuss the increasingly complex role of women in a male-dominated American society.

Document A
Source:  Women War Workers

Document B
Source:

Document C
Source:  McClure's Magazine, October 1896

Document D
Source:  The Awakening by Kate Chopin

"It was easy to know them, fluttering about with extended protecting the wings when any harm, real or imaginary, threatened their precious brood. They were women who idolized their children, worshipped their husbands, and esteemed it a holy privilege to efface themselves as individuals and grow wings as ministering angels."

Document E
Source:  E. W. Gustin, c. 1909

Document F
The 19^th Amendment to the Constitution of the United States, Adopted in 1920

The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex.

The Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.

Document G
New York Times (October 19, 1911)

A special Women's Number will be issued with next Sunday's Times. It will contain authoritative announcements on the fashions, including interviews with all the great Paris dressmakers. No women can afford to miss. Next Sunday's Times.

Document H
The Salt Lake Tribune (February 16, 1907)

Essay

Early Roman law describes, "Women are children, forever inferior to men." In American society, during the time period of 1885 to 1920, women contradicted this traditional thought. Captivated by the male dominance, women began to emerge from the restraints imposed upon them by the patriarchal society. The roles of women in society drastically changed during this tumultuous time period.

Maternity, the biological role of a woman, has traditionally been the belief of all society. This is resulting in the stereotype that "a women's place is in the home," and not living up to her full capabilities. "Simple, Strong, Silent, Speedy, a Mother's Machine," (Doc. C), is showing that women are very domestic, do what they are told, without complaints or back talking. A woman's general role was restricted to "idolizing their children and worshipping their husbands" (Doc. D). Instead of working, many women were restricted to domestic tasks-cooking, cleaning, gardening, raising and caring for the children, and attending to the needs of their husbands. "When I married my wife, I married her to wait on me," were the comments that women needed to break free from the traditional belief and be independent.

Jane Addams and Francis Willard exemplified their beliefs through the new establishment of a settlement house. The most famous and one of the first, was the Hull House, which opened in 1889 in Chicago. These settlement houses sought to help immigrant families adapt to the language and customs of their new country. These houses helped women find a very vital profession in society; social work. They helped in the development of sociology at the University of Chicago and promoted a number of new programs for other scientific studies.

Women were becoming more social and taking control of their own lives. Their independence was screaming of opportunities, and seizing the authority is all that they did. Because of their new social relationships, women are freeing themselves from their husbands and divorce rates increase severely, (Doc. B). The traditional clothing, which is to be covered from head to toe and everything hidden, has now been forgotten. Fashion has become important and women care about how they look. Women are started to pamper themselves inside of her kids. She starts shopping and looking for new ads in the paper to find creative things to wear, (Doc. G).

When World War I started most men were called overseas, so women took over the more male dominated jobs. Yes, the women did everything that a man once did. The women went and worked in factories and in other industries, (Doc. A). They took responsibility and held our country together, by doing "male jobs". Even though they aren't as strong and as fast as men; women did the same work in maybe twice the time, but to absolute perfection.

In the expression of women's rights, the need for suffrage was a main priority. In securing this right, the primary proponents were Francis Willard, Eleanor Roosevelt, Jane Addams, Alice Paul, Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and Florence Kelley. In order to influence women's suffrage, the preceding women created political organizations. Alice Paul, founded the National Woman's Party in 1916, which persisted not only for suffrage, but also for the Equal Rights Amendment. Parties such as this, influenced the yearn for success in the suffrage movement, and it allowed for an organization of support. The National American Woman Suffrage Association also allowed for this, it was the largest women's organization. Anna Howard Shaw created this association in 1893. This organization proved to be patriotic toward the war cause. Carrie Chapman Catt, a member of this organization, called for suffrage as a "war measure." These organizations proved to be influential toward the cause of the women, through this, the voices of the women were finally heard. "The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex." (Doc. F) By this, women had left a fossil in the path toward the freedom of individuality.

"Unless men and women should ever become alike (which would be regrettable and monotonous), women must either go on represented or represent themselves," stated by Alice Stone Blackwell in 1915 in the literary piece Objections Answered. Within the period of 1885 to 1920, women's struggle to be an association within the governing and life of society became the reality at which they had dreamed. Through various actions, women influenced not only themselves to be stronger, but they inflamed the combustible society in which they survived. "The true woman will be woman still in whatever situation you place her; and man will become elevated just so far as he mingles in her society in the various relations of life." (Amelia Bloomer)