Eleanor Roosevelt's Role Of Women During The New Deal Era

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Eleanor Roosevelt was an influential women during her lifetime. Married to Franklin D. Roosevelt, she was first lady for the longest term in United States history. Even though Eleanor was a private person, she spoke up for what she believed in and used her title as first lady to her advantage. Her ultimate goal was equal rights for women, and she encouraged women all across the United States to be confident in their abilities. Eleanor Roosevelt instituted a change in society during the New Deal Era, and her influence helped her achieve greatness for women all across the United States. When Franklin Roosevelt became president of the United States, Eleanor Roosevelt was happy for her husband. However, she was a private person that valued her …show more content…
These programs were not specifically directed towards women, but Eleanor Roosevelt used her influence as the first lady to change this. She wanted to make sure women had a chance to do as much as possible to contribute to society. One of her main goals or priorities was women’s rights. Eleanor Roosevelt wanted to break the stereotypes in America about women. The Works Progress Administration (WPA) was the program in which many women were employed. It was important to Eleanor Roosevelt and women all across the United States to not only play the role of housewife. One member of a household supporting a family financially was not always sufficient during the New Deal era. It was crucial for both men and women to earn a salary in order to support a family. Women had lower paying jobs than men, but women felt more equal because they had more opportunities. These opportunities were created for them because Roosevelt made the American population aware of the problems. Today, the ideas from the WPA still influence which jobs government funding goes to. This funding is for jobs of all kinds, especially jobs that women frequently have. Eleanor Roosevelt made the idea of career women …show more content…
The Federal Emergency Relief Administration (FERA) was concerned with making libraries available and accessible all throughout the country. Extreme measures were taken so that children could be educated and have libraries to enhance their studies. Another New Deal program that dealt with youth was the National Youth Administration (NYA) which gave young females different opportunities. This program offered many opportunities to young girls from the ages of about sixteen to twenty-five. They were given the ability to work, get a better education, and financial aid was available for them. Eleanor Roosevelt believed in programs like this because she knew that the future of the United States depended on the children. If they did not receive the devices they needed to succeed at a young age, then the United States would not prosper.
During the time of the New Deal, women benefitted from from the Fair Labor Relations Act and the Fair Labor Standards Act. These acts made it legal for women to join unions. Also, these acts created the idea of minimum wage and maximum hours. This meant that women had to be paid a certain amount of money per hour, and this made working more fair. These acts were not made by Eleanor Roosevelt, but two of her goals were accomplished when these acts were carried out. She wanted to try and abolish poverty as well as giving women equal

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