Question

How and why did the position of Women in American society change in the period from 1877-1914? What are some of the factors that shaped women’s lives? What role did women play in the labor and reform movements of this period and how did these roles evolve over time?

Answer 1

This years saw an extreme transformation of the role of women in American society for several reasons. The first reason was the process of industrialization, which in turn led to the process of urbanization. As industrialization became more common in the United States, factories and large businesses began to be built. This made the process of manufacturing less physically demanding, allowing women and children to operate machinery. This gave women the chance of working outside of the home and earn independent wages, something that had been very uncommon in the past. Work and wages gave women a sense of independence.

On the other hand, urbanization also led to women's liberation. In rural contexts, women were more tightly controlled by their parents, and then their husbands. There were few activities outside of the home, and domesticity was the accepted norm. With urbanization came a different lifestyle. Women had disposable income and were able to enjoy what the city had to offer, such as private housing and certain types of entertainment (like theatre).

The changing role of women during these years led to a growing sense of independence and a desire for freedom and equality. This gave rise to movements such as the suffrage movement, and the movement for equal wages.  Women were very important in the labor and reform movements of the following years. All of these events were very important to the development of feminism.