Women's
History Month, Part 1: American Women
March is the annual celebration of National Women's History
Month, a time to honor the achievements and contributions of
women. The theme for the 2002 celebration is "Women
Sustaining the American Spirit." Get in the spirit and
join the Homeschool Learning Network as we explore some of the
many accomplishments of women in our two-part unit. In Part
One, learn about some achievements of American women.
Throughout the history of the
United States, women have overcome many obstacles to make
important contributions to American society. Women faced
discrimination in many areas, such as education, careers,
legal rights and voting rights.
Education
During colonial times, girls and boys were educated
differently. Girls went to "dame" schools where they
were taught how to read and write. The "master"
schools -- similar to today's high schools -- were for boys.
Girls could attend the master schools, generally during the
summer when boys worked and only if space was available.
In the 1800s, opportunities for women in education began to
improve. High schools and colleges for girls were established.
Some colleges and universities that accepted only young men
began to accept young women. In 1833, Oberlin College became
the first higher education institution for young women and
men. At the beginning of the 20th century, more than one third
of all college students were women.
Women and the Law
In early America, women had few legal rights. Married women
could not own property or make contracts on their own.
During the 1800s, many states began to pass laws that gave
women more control over their lives. Laws were passed that
allowed women to own property, make contracts and have control
of any money they earned. Other laws helped women who had been
mistreated and abandoned by their husbands and women who
became widows when their husbands died.
Women and the World of Work
During the colonial period, a few women had careers in fields
associated with men, such as medicine, law, and ministry. Many
women who earned wages worked in jobs they could do at home,
such as run a boarding house or work as a seamstress.
As industry rose in the 1800s, women began to work outside
of the home in factory jobs. Most worked for long hours with
little pay in poor working conditions. In some families,
children also worked in factories.
During the 19th century, women began to gain acceptance in
certain professional careers, especially teaching and writing.
Women faced discrimination in many other professions, such as
medicine. Women were not accepted into medical universities
attended by men. In the early 1800s, nearly all hospital
nurses were men.
By the beginning of the 20th century, some conditions for
women in work showed signs of improvements. The United States
government passed laws that improved working conditions for
women who worked in factories. More women entered the field of
medicine as top medical schools began to accept women.
Increasing numbers of women entered the work force, mainly
in clerical jobs, factories, service and sale positions.
During World War II, thousands of women joined the military as
nurses and office workers. Many women also worked in
factories, building materials needed for the war effort.
Even though many women worked in the same jobs as men,
women earned less money than their male coworkers. In 1963,
Congress passed the Equal Pay Act, a law requiring companies
to pay women the same wages as men for the same work. However,
by 1970, women still earned only about 55 percent of what men
earned.
Women's Suffrage
During the 1800s, women began to speak up and organize to gain
women's rights. In 1848, the first women's rights meeting was
held in New York. One important issue from that meeting was
women's suffrage -- the right to vote.
Leaders in the women's suffrage movement included Susan B.
Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucy Stone. For many
years, these women and thousands of others across America
worked to get the vote for women. In 1919, Congress passed the
19th Amendment that granted women the right to vote. The bill
became law in 1920.
Women slowly began to gain leadership roles in government.
Today, women hold many different political offices, from local
governments to advisors in the cabinet of the President of the
United States.
Looking Ahead
Although women have made many gains since America's
beginnings, there are areas relating to women that still need
improvements. Some statistics from the United
States Census Bureau for the year 2000 present a hopeful
future for women.
- Just over half of all Americans- -- about 143 million --
were women.
- Most women in America completed high school. Eighty-four
percent of women 25 and above earned a high school
diploma.
- Women outnumbered men in college. Fifty-six percent of
all college students were women.
- Women still earned less than men did, but the salary gap
between women and men decreased. The median annual salary
for full-time working women was $27,355 -- about 73
percent of what men in similar careers were paid.
Sixty-one percent of American women 16 and above worked in
paying jobs.
The Census Bureau also reported that in 1997, more than 5
million businesses in the United States were owned by women.
Learn
More!
General Resources about Women's History
Online Resources
- National
Women's History Month Project
Official site for the National Women's History Month
Project. Find information about events celebrating the
achievements of women, learning activities and more.
- National Women's
Hall of Fame
Web site for National Women's Hall of Fame located in
Seneca, New York. Find information about the museum,
biographies of famous women, nominate women achievers to
be recognized, and learn about the hall's annual poster,
essay and Web contest
for older children.
- Celebrate
Women's History Month!
Find links to curriculum articles, lessons, recommended
Web sites and a book review about women's history.
- Women's
History Month
Great free online resource containing biographies,
timeline, quiz and learning activities about women.
- Women in American History
Find fascinating information about the history of women in
the United States from the 1600s to the present.
- Women's
History Month
Comprehensive research resource about women's history.
- Women
Who Made a Difference
Find information about courageous women and a few general
statistics on women in the 20th century.
- Famous
American Women
Webquest exploring a few notable American women for middle
school age children.
- Women's
Biography Sites
Extensive list and links to sites about famous women
across many fields.
- Women
Who Changed History
An across the grades teaching resource from Scholastic
focusing on five American women who made a difference in
the 20th century.
- Women
of the Century
Learn about some famous 20th century women and explore
many achievements of women that took place during that
period.
- Women
of NASA
Learn about women who work for the National Aeronautics
and Space Administration (NASA), get information about
technology, science and math careers and try some
interesting learning activities.
- Twenty
of the Greatest American Women of the 20th Century
A ThinkQuest created by high school students highlighting
20 famous American women in several fields.
- Women's
History Printables
Get five coloring pages about five famous women from
different backgrounds. This Web page also includes links
to the biographies of the women.
- Voices
From the Gaps: Women Writers of Color
Explore the lives and works of North American women
writers of various backgrounds. (Ages 14 and up)
- Children's
Encyclopedia of Women
A collection of biographies about numerous famous women
created by third and fourth grade children.
- Places
Where Women Made History
Learn about 74 historic places on the National Register
related to women's history.
- Women's
History: Teens
Bibliography of books about famous women for teens, from
Amazon.com
Books
- Ash, Maureen. The Story of the Women's Movement.
Children's Press, 1989. ISBN: 0516047248 (Ages 8-11)
- Cullen-DuPont, Kathryn. The Encyclopedia of Women's
History in America. Da Capo Press, 1998. ISBN:
0306808684 (Parents)
- Fox, Mary Virginia. The Story of Women Who Shaped the
West. Children's Press, 1994. ISBN: 0516447572 (Ages
9-12)
- Freeman, Criswell, editor. Mothers Are Forever:
Quotations Honoring the Wisest Women We Know. Walnut
Grove Press, 1998. ISBN: 188765576X (Ages 4-8)
- Guiteras, Gregory. Famous American Women. Dover
Publications, 2001. ISBN: 0486415481 (Ages 4-8)
- Heinemann Sue. The New York Public Library Amazing
Women in American History. John Wiley & Sons,
1998. ISBN: 0471192163 (Ages 9-12)
- Lafontaine, Bruce. Famous Women Aviators. Dover
Publications, 2001. ISBN: 0486415503 (Ages 4-8)
- Lunardini, Christine. What Every American Should Know
About Women's History: 200 Events That Shaped Our Destiny.
Adams Media Corporation, 1996. ISBN: 155850687X (Parents)
- Nicholson, Lois P. Helen Keller: Humanitarian.
Chelsea House. 1995. ISBN: 079102086X (Ages 9-12)
- Sills, Leslie. Inspirations: Stories about Women
Artists. Albert Whitman & Company, 1989. ISBN:
0807536490 (Ages 9-12)
LESSON 1:
American Women Firsts
Concepts:
Your children will learn about some "firsts"
achievements by American women.
Lesson:
Explain to the children that throughout United States history,
women have made many "first" contributions in
different fields. Tell the children to study the information
from U.S.
Women's Firsts and American
Women Firsts. Then have the children complete our
worksheet. Check the children's answers on our
answer key.
After completing the worksheet, let the children try these
online interactive women "firsts" quizzes:
LESSON 2:
The Right to Vote
Concepts:
Your children will learn about women's suffrage and create a
woman's suffrage poster.
Lesson:
Review with your children the general information about
women's suffrage presented at the beginning of this unit.
Discuss the meaning of the word "suffrage". Ask:
When did American women get the right vote? What amendment
gave women the vote?
Let the children study some images of historical documents,
buttons and other items related to women's suffrage from Political
Culture and Imagery of American Woman Suffrage.
(Note: This online gallery contains 50 images. Click
"next" at the bottom of the page to view the
images.)
Discuss the words and images in the documents. Tell the
children to create a poster relating to women's suffrage using
construction paper, poster board, markers, paints or other
materials of their choosing. Have the children create a slogan
for their poster. When completed ask the children to explain
their slogan and images.
Have the children research additional information about
women's suffrage in the United States from one or more of
these sources:
LESSON 3:
Women in Aviation
Concepts:
Your children will learn about some women pioneers in aviation
and their characteristics.
Lesson:
Discuss the meaning of the word "aviation." Explain
that throughout history, women made great advances in
aviation. Many women aviators had to overcome huge barriers to
achieve their goals.
Have the children read biographies of several women
aviators from Women
in Aviation and Space History. Ask the children to think
about the similarities, differences and characteristics of
these women as they read the information. Then have the
children complete our
Women in Aviation worksheet. Ask the children to explain
their responses.
Additional Resources:
More
Free Lesson Plans for Women's History Month...
Click
here to view more Women's History Month lessons, or browse
the Homeschool Learning Network's daily themes archives.
LESSON 4:
Women Inventors
Your children will learn
about some famous women inventors.
LESSON 5:
Dear Ms. Senator
Your children will learn
about some American women in government and writing letters.
LESSON 6:
Women and War
Your children will learn
about some history of American women's participation in times
of war and in the military.
LESSON 7:
Great Women in the Family
Your children will learn
about collecting oral histories and the achievements of women
in your family.
|
