WoMEN
Essential Question
How does the Flapper represent the "new woman?" Were the 1920's successful for the women's movement?
The Flappers were known as someone who was her own person and not willing to conform to the "status quo". They were risque, daring, provocative, and independent. The 1920's Flappers represents the "new woman" very well while they were the first generation of women who all thought for themselves and had their own ideas and opinions. The 1920's was very successful for the women's movement, because it gave them a voice in society, and they started to create their own type of social group. The 1920s marked a period of new freedom for women in America's modernizing urban culture. The ratification of the Eighteenth and Nineteenth Amendments to the Constitution in 1918-19 brought about the successful culmination of the the temperance and suffrage movement.
The Flappers were known as someone who was her own person and not willing to conform to the "status quo". They were risque, daring, provocative, and independent. The 1920's Flappers represents the "new woman" very well while they were the first generation of women who all thought for themselves and had their own ideas and opinions. The 1920's was very successful for the women's movement, because it gave them a voice in society, and they started to create their own type of social group. The 1920s marked a period of new freedom for women in America's modernizing urban culture. The ratification of the Eighteenth and Nineteenth Amendments to the Constitution in 1918-19 brought about the successful culmination of the the temperance and suffrage movement.
Key questions
How did the flappers change the view of women in the 1920's?
A flapper was a drastic change in comparison to what women used to be like in previous years. They started showing skin with shorter skirts. They started wearing shorter hair and makeup. They had a skinny boyish figure, which was very stylish at the time as well as unisex type of fashion. They drank, smoked cursed, danced, participating in petting parties, voted, and overall took risk. The Flapper attitude was characterized by truthfulness, fast-living, and sexual behavior. They were women that wanted to stay connected to their youth.
What gains did the Women's Movement make during the 1920's?
One of the most significant gains of the Women's movement in the 1920s was the freedom to vote. The 19th Amendment, ratified on August 18, 1920, granted women's suffrage. It was a historic achievement that was long overdue. Then a few years later, another equality movement was started by women, the congressional introduction of the Equal Rights Amendment. Under this law, women
were to be granted federal protections for equality in all aspects of life. In addition to these political gains women also made gains in other territories. They made great gains in education by moving out of the conception of a stay at home women and into the college pathway. At the end of the 1920's they accounted for almost 40 percent of college degrees awarded in the United States,
How was life different for women in the 1920s compared to the Progressive era?
Go to Comparison: 1920's vs. Progressive/ WWI
A flapper was a drastic change in comparison to what women used to be like in previous years. They started showing skin with shorter skirts. They started wearing shorter hair and makeup. They had a skinny boyish figure, which was very stylish at the time as well as unisex type of fashion. They drank, smoked cursed, danced, participating in petting parties, voted, and overall took risk. The Flapper attitude was characterized by truthfulness, fast-living, and sexual behavior. They were women that wanted to stay connected to their youth.
What gains did the Women's Movement make during the 1920's?
One of the most significant gains of the Women's movement in the 1920s was the freedom to vote. The 19th Amendment, ratified on August 18, 1920, granted women's suffrage. It was a historic achievement that was long overdue. Then a few years later, another equality movement was started by women, the congressional introduction of the Equal Rights Amendment. Under this law, women
were to be granted federal protections for equality in all aspects of life. In addition to these political gains women also made gains in other territories. They made great gains in education by moving out of the conception of a stay at home women and into the college pathway. At the end of the 1920's they accounted for almost 40 percent of college degrees awarded in the United States,
How was life different for women in the 1920s compared to the Progressive era?
Go to Comparison: 1920's vs. Progressive/ WWI
Comparison: 1920's vs. Progressive/ WWI
Change and Continuity: During the Progressive Era women's main efforts worked toward reforms in politics and for workforce conditions. During the Progressive Era the status of women was changing rapidly in the, for the most part, middle-class white married women still did not work outside the home. The few women workers of the time were primarily young and single, or widows, divorcees, poor married women, and/or women of color. Women continued to work in agriculture, factories, and as domestic servants. African American women, in particular, worked as domestic servants in large numbers. .Although in the 1920's woman had begun to change. The modern woman was born. This was a woman that was very independent, out-going, glitzy, and risky. Women during the 1920's were far less conservative compared to the women in the Progressive Era. There were some reforms that took place during the Progressive Era, but the 1920's formed the known figure of the "modern women" along with the reforms that followed.
primary source (APparts)
Author - There was no specific author listed, although the advertisement was created by Pert Rouge. This was a woman's beauty company during the 1920's that emphasized flapper style fashion and make-up.
Place and Time - The advertisement was published in the 1920's and in New York. New York was where a lot of flappers lived during the 1920's and this advertisement most likely convinced even more women to follow the flapper way.
Prior Knowledge - I know that a flapper was a fashionable young woman intent on enjoying herself and flouting conventional standards of behavior. I also know that during this time period women were testing out new ways of expressing themselves.
Audience - The audience is most likely flappers and women looking to change the way they look and dress. The source also could be intended to get new women to try their product. If the audience was different the advertisement would most likely now be intended for women.
Reason - This source was produced during the time because the market was there and the overall purpose was to get women to buy their product.
The Main Message - The main message is that they have a great product that every woman will love and thus should buy.
Significance - This source is very significant because it shows how women were changing during the 1920's.
Place and Time - The advertisement was published in the 1920's and in New York. New York was where a lot of flappers lived during the 1920's and this advertisement most likely convinced even more women to follow the flapper way.
Prior Knowledge - I know that a flapper was a fashionable young woman intent on enjoying herself and flouting conventional standards of behavior. I also know that during this time period women were testing out new ways of expressing themselves.
Audience - The audience is most likely flappers and women looking to change the way they look and dress. The source also could be intended to get new women to try their product. If the audience was different the advertisement would most likely now be intended for women.
Reason - This source was produced during the time because the market was there and the overall purpose was to get women to buy their product.
The Main Message - The main message is that they have a great product that every woman will love and thus should buy.
Significance - This source is very significant because it shows how women were changing during the 1920's.
Thinking Like a Historian & Change and continuity
Through Their Eyes:
After World War One, women started to change and they took an opportunity to break free from the normal structure of society. They took a chance and created a new image and lifestyle for the young women in the 1920's and it is now known as the "modern" style for women. They wanted to have fun, and they changed the way most of the world viewed women. They thought women had basically no rights. However, some men loved the new women. They were more fun and more appealing to some of the men. In order to succeed as a women in the 1920's and follow this new type of modern women, a women had to be appealing, independent, risky, and not afraid to be judged.
Connection to Today: Since the 1920's there has been lots of changes that have positively effected rights for women. There has been amazing gains in this area although equality between sex is not quite equal yet. Like the 1920's women still face lower wages and different treatment because of the misconception of the women's role in the house.
After World War One, women started to change and they took an opportunity to break free from the normal structure of society. They took a chance and created a new image and lifestyle for the young women in the 1920's and it is now known as the "modern" style for women. They wanted to have fun, and they changed the way most of the world viewed women. They thought women had basically no rights. However, some men loved the new women. They were more fun and more appealing to some of the men. In order to succeed as a women in the 1920's and follow this new type of modern women, a women had to be appealing, independent, risky, and not afraid to be judged.
Connection to Today: Since the 1920's there has been lots of changes that have positively effected rights for women. There has been amazing gains in this area although equality between sex is not quite equal yet. Like the 1920's women still face lower wages and different treatment because of the misconception of the women's role in the house.
The Big idea
How and why do things change (relating to women)?
During the 1920s things began to change especially for urban and middle class women. This was because of the war many women gained experience from work as they took over the mens jobs. They got the vote in all states in 1920. Housework was also made easier along with other opportunities they gained in society. All these changes were a result of women wanting more. These changes were a result of women getting tired of being at the bottom and accepting their small role at home, and finally breaking out into the "modern women."
During the 1920s things began to change especially for urban and middle class women. This was because of the war many women gained experience from work as they took over the mens jobs. They got the vote in all states in 1920. Housework was also made easier along with other opportunities they gained in society. All these changes were a result of women wanting more. These changes were a result of women getting tired of being at the bottom and accepting their small role at home, and finally breaking out into the "modern women."