5 Questions
During the 1950s, what was the societal shift in expectations for women?
From working in factories to being encouraged to stay at home as homemakers.
Who were some prominent figures that promoted the homemaker image in the 1950s?
Dr. Benjamin Spock and Ann Landers
What percentage of the workforce was female during the 1950s?
33%
What activities did women who did not work outside the home engage in during the 1950s?
Engaging in volunteer work at places of worship and charitable organizations
How did women's engagement in volunteer work during the 1950s contribute to later movements?
It helped develop important skills that contributed to women's movements of the 1960s and 1970s.
Study Notes
- In the 1950s, there was a shift in societal expectations for women from working in factories during World War Two to being encouraged to stay at home as homemakers, fueled by a propaganda effort portrayed in magazines.
- Dr. Benjamin Spock and Ann Landers promoted the homemaker image, advising women to prioritize their children and husbands above their own needs.
- Despite the emphasis on homemaking, the number of women working outside the home steadily increased in the 1950s, with 33 percent of the workforce being female.
- Women who did not work outside the home often engaged in volunteer work at places of worship and charitable organizations, developing important skills that would later contribute to the women's movements of the 1960s and 1970s.
- The 1950s saw both married and unmarried women becoming a significant part of the labor pool, with many taking on jobs to support their families' standard of living.
Explore the societal expectations and roles of women in the 1950s, from the shift to homemaking encouraged by propaganda to the increasing number of women entering the workforce. Learn about the influence of figures like Dr. Benjamin Spock and Ann Landers, and the impact of women's volunteer work on later movements.
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