Denesia Rollins Mr. McKinney History 134-015 12 March 2012 Analysis Paper #3 The Great Depression and World War II have changed the United States by the Changing Roles for Women. With American men enlisting in the war effort, the work force quickly diminished. Who would "man" the assembly lines in the factories to produce the needed items for the current war? The War marked and important watershed in the women status. With most of the men going into military service, the demand for labor struck up old prejudices about sex roles in the workplace, and the military.
World War I affected many people during its time of war. WWI was known as the war that ended without any country knowing why it started in the first place. From the mid 1914 to late 1918, the lives of women and men changed for the better. The war impacted the men who had to leave their job to support the battle and the women who kept up with the jobs in order to keep the war running. The women went from running the house to running the factory.
1/3 of all Russian babies died before their first birthday. Russia was flailing WWI, unemployment was high – a classic formula for dissent. The partial industrialization of Russia in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, which created an urban working class in places like St. Petersburg and Moscow that could organize against its exploitation through unions and workers councils (known as 'the soviets'). This enabled the workers to work together much more effectively against their bosses than the scattered, isolated, and thus largely de-politicized peasantry. The cities were also connected via trade and communication to the outside world, where intellectuals and workers alike had access to revolutionary ideas from Western Europe such as Marxism.
In the wake of the fluctuation of gender roles, Mason’s women “try to forge new identities and their efforts often include a blatant shrinking of traditionally feminine behaviors or characteristics; sometimes they seem almost completely to be trading roles with the men in their lives.” (Bucher, 59) In “Shiloh”, Leroy Moffitt and Norma Jean are a couple who have been married for fifteen years. As a result of the trucking accident, Leroy is rendered disabled and unemployed. Not only does this incident leave the couple's lives in turmoil, but the changes in their home town in Kentucky, further disrupt their everyday lives. Through this working class couple, Mason shows the metamorphosis in gender roles and its relation to a woman's independence. Norma Jean, the main female protagonist in the story is a "good example of a character who attempts to construct a new identity" (Wilhelm, 77).
It was 1941 and it was wartime for America. 16 million Americans left their jobs and homes for blood shed and battle. Because many Americans left their jobs, factories and shop could not produce as fast. The women were the only hope. The cultural division of labor by sex was going to come to an end.
The first has to do with what is taking place in working class families. The matriarchy Rosin describes is now coming more fully into view. In many cases, it is husbands and fathers who are unemployed and wives and mothers who have paying jobs. This means a huge shift in male function, and many men just exit the family process or forfeit decision making. Rosin refers to these men as “casualties of the end of the manufacturing era.” Across the nation, older men are increasingly unemployed and younger men face little hope of a job in this sector — the virtual birthright of previous
In some parts of the country and in some occupations, such as the Lancashire textile mills, they were expected to carry on working after they married. 2. Why were women workers needed in the war? Women were needed to fill the vacant jobs left by men who had gone to fight. 3.
Dora Rodriguez Professor Rutledge English 1302 29 March 2014 Working Women in America On the 25 March 1911, a fire broke out at the Triangle Shirtwaist Company. One hundred forty-six died on that day, most of whom were women. These young ladies had been locked in during working hours to keep the union organizers out. “The Triangle fire shocked the nation” (Davidson et al. 599).
Joseph Canlas Bergen Catholic AP U.S. History September 26, 2011 The Impact of the Great Depression on Social Groups A decade following the end of World War II, tragedy befell the United States. With the transition from war to a time of peace, factories previously dedicated to the production of warfare supplies (i.e. ammo, artillery, clothing, vehicles) were forced to either shutdown or change their produce. Large amounts of money were used in the demobilization of soldiers and these incoming soldiers were in great need for re-entry into the work force. The size of the army was decreasing at the expense of the labor market, which struck its peak at 1.6 million people.
Balancing Family and Work Life Stephanie Grace SOC 402 Nicole Hanner March 3, 2013 INTRODUCTION America is a driven society. Today more single parents or dual working parents are providing for their children or elderly parents at the highest level in history. The American dream of owning a home, going on a family vacation or even just providing for a family is harder than ever to reach. Many of Americans do not have the ability or knowledge to successfully balance family and work life. The purpose of my paper is to discuss what factors have preceded this change, what can be done to have a healthy balance of family and work life, and what individuals must do to keep a healthy balance.