Progressive Era Women Essay

The Progressive Era was a period in American history that lasted from 1890s-1920s. The Progressive Era was a time where America was experiencing urbanization and industrialization. It was also a period where many immigrants were migrating from the south. This caused crowded areas and high disease and death rates. Women made much progress between the Progressive Era to the 1920s. Women were concerned with the rights of women on the grounds of political, social, and economic equality to men. During the Progressive Era, women addressed issues including labor, temperance, clubwomen, the reform movement, the peace movement, women’s suffrage, and war. Women formed organizations to address these issues. African American women played an important role …show more content…
In the Progressive Era, middle-class, white married women did not work outside the home. The average woman worker was young and single, or widowed, divorced, and women of color. Women who worked, worked in fields, factories, and as domestic servants. African American women, in particular, worked as domestic servants in large numbers. However, during the Progressive Era, new jobs were opening in department stores, and clerk/telephone operators. More and more women were beginning to be educated and were entering white-collar professions. Some women even found jobs as lawyers, doctors, journalists, and scientists. Because of the changes occurring in the labor force, a phrase was established for these women as the “New Woman.” The “New Woman” was represented as a young, college educated, career perusing, and looking for a marriage based on equality woman. Although women were becoming more active in the work force, the working conditions for these women were harsh. In 1891, The National Consumers League (NCL) …show more content…
As the social, political, and economic problems of the Progressive Era became increasingly apparent, clubwomen turned to reform efforts. Women’s clubs often began working at the local level, and expanded their efforts to the state and national level. These clubs worked on an almost inestimable number of issues. Clubwomen fought to improve schools, public health services, and sanitation. Others worked to protect the environment, and to reform local government. The most important clubs included the National Education Association, the Daughters of the American Revolution, the Women’s Trade Union League, the National Consumers League, and the Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA). In 1890, many women’s clubs came together to form the General Federation of Women’s Clubs (GFWC). The GFWC brought together women’s clubs from across the nation to share expertise and undertake coordinated campaigns. Primarily, women reformers in the club movements wanted to pass reform legislation. However, many politicians were unwilling to listen. Women began to realize that in order to achieve reform, they needed to win the right to vote. Thus, the woman suffrage movement became a mass