P R O G R E S S I V E E RA

WOMEN AND REFORM

PROGRESSIVE IDEAS

• *Social Gospel:• Protestant Christian Movement• The Kingdom of God on earth could be achieved not by striving

for personal salvation but in the cause of social justice• *Walter Rauschenbusch

THE OF PROGRESSIVE MOVEMENT;

• Middle Class Women

INDUSTRIAL SYSTEM WAS IN PROFOUND DISORDER. THE MIDDLE CLASS HAD TO FIGHT THE WRONGS OF SOCIETY.

IT WAS A MIDDLE CLASS TASK.* THE RICH WOULDN’T * THE POOR COULDN’T

WOMEN FOR CHANGE

• Think about it: If history was told though the lens of women, it would be a history of peace and social justice

• Historically, women are the “social housekeepers”• Shouldered the burden of humanitarianism • Foot soldiers for charity• Lobbying and running settlement houses

JANE ADDAMS ANDSETTLEMENT HOUSES

• Jane Addams is a poster-child for a female progressive • “Hull House” was a hallmark of social progressivism. • Women began to have a voice and wanted more rights…• Suffrage

*NATIONAL WOMEN’STRADE UNION LEAGUE

• Formed in 1903• Eliminate sweat shop conditions• Effort to organize women in labor union• Inspired by British women

MULLER VS. OREGON*

• 1908• Topic: Sex Discrimination• Restricted the working hours of women as justified by

the special state interest in protecting women's health.• "the difference between the sexes.“• child-bearing physiology and social role of women

provided a strong state interest in reducing their working hours.

REPERCUSSIONS:

• Was this court decision a milestone or a setback for women’s rights?

• Distinguished between two groups of women activists: • Feminists: sought equal-rights feminists • Anti the notion of the separation of the sexes into two stereotyped

gender-roles

*TRIANGLE SHIRTWAIST FIRE

• March 25, 1911• 10th Story NYC building (downtown)• 8th floor fire• Seamstresses• Mostly Immigrant women• 146 jumped or burned to their deaths• They had been locked in so they wouldn’t be caught

slacking on the job.

RESULTS

• Raised public awareness to realities of workplace conditions.

*“FEMINISM”

• A new term during the Progressive era. • Freedom for full personal development

• Militantly pro-suffrage on the basis that they were just as good as men.

WOMEN’S SUFFRAGE: *ALICE PAUL

• Picket • Hunger Strikes in jail• Against state-by-state women suffrage• 19th Amendment passed: 1920—cannot deny suffrage

based on gender • Forced Feeing:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pO70ZjZ0wrw • Parade in Washington:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AtUY-wVLdeY