WOMEN IN PUBLIC LIFE CHAPTER 9-2

WOMEN IN THE WORKFORCE By the late 19 th century many upper & middle class women had the means & time to devote to social issues while the majority of women were resigned to work for wages outside the home Those in rural areas were forced to raise the children, take care of the home as well as help with the farm chores Women who worked in industry earned a little more the options were far & few in between & as they were barred from union membership By 1900 one in five women worked outside the home with 25% of those jobs in manufacturing, ½ in the garment industry Wages were half of their male counterparts Women did see an increase in those that attended college as by 1890 women graduates outnumbered male graduates Domestic work also claimed a large number of women workers, especially in the African American community

The push for reform would come from those working in industry Dangerous conditions, low wages, & long hours were the norm The push would grow after 146 workers were burned to death at the Triangle Shirtwaist factory Women also began to discuss issues at women's clubs which would grow into reform groups WOMEN LEAD REFORM

By the late 19 th century marriage was not a woman's only option as many entered the workforce or college Many of these women would never marry as half of the educated women would never marry as they remained independent & applied their skills to needed social reform WOMEN IN HIGHER EDUCATION

 The unskilled workers started the reform movement but it was the educated that would strengthen & lead it  Because women were not allowed to vote they would concentrate on social issues such as workplace reform, housing, education, & food & drug regulation  In 1886 the National Association for Colored Women was established (NACW)  In 1848 after Seneca Falls convention Susan B. Anthony & Elizabeth Cady Stanton emerged as a leaders in the fight for women's suffrage founding the National Women Suffrage Association (NWSA)  NWSA would lady merge with another suffrage group forming the National American Woman Suffrage Association WOMEN AND REFORM

Suffragists tried 3 approaches to gain the vote 1.Convince state legislatures to grant them the vote 2.In Court challenging the 14 th Amendment 3.A national amendment By the end of the century only moderate success had been gained in the area of suffrage but considerable progress had been made in the area of food & drug regulation as well as in the workplace A THREE-PART STRATEGY FOR SUFFRAGE