Michelle Temby
Harrah
AP US History/ Period 1
March 5, 2015
FRQ’s: “The Gilded Age”
3. From the 1840s through the 1890s, women’s activities in the intellectual, social, economic, and political spheres drastically challenged traditional attitudes about a woman’s place in society. During this time period, a woman’s role in society was to stay at home and take care of the children and the household while the men worked outside of the home. However, by the late 19th century, women were looking for work and participating in activities outside the traditional views of what was expected of a respectable woman in society; many women were seeking a greater sense of independence and control over their lives, while still making the household their primary responsibility.…show more content… Urbanization and economic expansion enabled entrepreneurs and companies to exploit this new work force of eager, independent women. Although long hours of factory work were somewhat unappealing, young women who challenged traditional views felt that a job outside of the home was an opportunity for independence. However, the low wages, long hours, and social disgrace of being a servant caused a growing number of women to abandon domestic employment and look for better paying jobs in food processing, textile, and garment industries. Although these jobs provided a new found sense of self-sufficiency, few women were paid enough to support homes for themselves. Industrial work for women thus led to a high dependence on a family income based on earnings of the family as a
