Women During The 1920 ' S

1057 Words3 Pages

During the 1920’s women were starting to make more of an overall impact in the United States. Women were known for being the caregiver of the family while the man of the family is the one that strives to generate money for the family’s finances and other necessities. But with women starting to implement their rights, and their new-found freedoms they became essential to everyday life, instead of just the man in the family. Dumenil explains the change in the way of life for women and men during the 1920’s. Even with all the given information Dumenil provides, it is noted that an expansion is needed on how the new freedoms women had effected the men during this time. Dumenil first starts out talking about what the ideal life for women during the 1920’s, which was to be home. In the 1920’s the women had more expectations of being a housewife due to new technologies that assisted them in their duties. The use of electricity in homes rose from 8% in 1907 to more than half in 1920 (127-128). Not only did having electricity make it easier for women to accomplish their jobs faster and more efficient, but so did the new appliances such as irons, toasters, sewing machines, washing machines, and so much more (128). “Food Preparation was simplified by new appliances and the widespread of canned goods,” states Dumenil from The Modern Temper (128). New appliances and technology comes with a price. The women were now considered the biggest consumers for the economy. The men would go to work to earn money for their finances as well for the new and improved devices that were being sold to women through various advertisements. Since all that women were always the one staying home and keeping the home and family in shape the companies aimed their... ... middle of paper ... ...ndmother’s generation (132). The women had a large impact during the 1920’s and how they changed their way of living. Dumenil wrote about several different aspects of subjects that changed for women during this era. What she did not inform the reader about how these changes impacted the men but more on how it impacted the just women. With her source of Courtship in Twentieth-Century America there could be more research done for an expansion on the topic. I think that this source would be a good topic to look at because in the title it states courtship which can relate to how men were affected by the new-found freedom of women in the era. We can learn more about the both sides of what was happening during this age of feminism and how it affected the people. Dumenil goes through important events that happened for women during the 1920’s that changed history forever.

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