Elyse+Dakin


 * A. Plan of Investigation **

The question of the investigation is **after numerous advancements of women prior to and during the 1920s, what social and economic changes, if any, were made in the lives of women during the roaring twenties?** The purpose of this investigation is to explore the significant changes in women’s lives during this particular ten year period, and if there were any advancements in status. This topic will be centered around the time named the roaring twenties, specifically focusing on the women of the time. The sources will be a mix of primary and secondary, most of the primary coming from Diane Yancey’s //Life During the Roaring Twenties// while most of the secondary sources will be taken from Catherine Gourley’s //Flappers and the New American Woman.// Sean Dennis Cashman’s //America in the Twenties and Thirties// and Ralph K. Andrist’s //The American Heritage History of the 1920s & 1930s// will also be used as secondary sources.


 * B. Summary of Evidence **


 * __ Advancements __**

-In August of 1920, the ratification of the 19th amendment gave women the right to vote [1]. -Women were empowered by the ratification of the nineteenth amendment, one woman remembers that despite the fact their votes might have simply been canceling out those of men or others, they didn’t care, it was the new freedom that mattered [2]. -The same year, Congress created the Women’s Bureau in the Department of Labor. The purpose of this agency was to set standards and “promote the welfare of wage-earning women.” They also worked to improve their working conditions and recommend changes [3].

-The term “flapper” came about in England and was used to describe a girl who flapped but wasn’t fully mature yet, her dresses could transform her into a woman [4]. -Dresses were short, tight, and created the illusion of longer limbs, this created a “boyish” figure that was still turned feminine with excessive makeup and a provocative display of leg [5]. -Women were known as “flappers” because they wore unbuttoned galoshes that flapped when they walked as opposed to the previous fashion of long skirts, long hair and heavy stockings. Now, women had short haircuts, known as a “bob,” and wore heavy makeup [6]. -Flappers also had a new moral code than those in the past. Earlier, unmarried girls were innocent and pure while those married were to be completely devoted to their husband and children. On the other hand, flappers were carefree and had an independent spirit. They behaved in ways that were previously unheard of including smoking, chewing gum and speaking with profanity. They also drank more often and there was an increase in car accidents due to the new habit of drunk driving [7]. -The new woman of post WWI society was represented by the flapper, and these characteristics [8].
 * __ Flappers __**

-With this new freedom and inspiration, some women decided to get jobs. Before the 1920s, women were limited to teaching, nursing or being a secretary. Now, they branched out into additional fields including sales, real estate, publishing, advertising or even opening their own tearoom or beauty shop [9]. -When men left to be soldiers during the Great War, women took up the job of working. When the war ending and the men returned, many left work, but some women remained in the work force [10]. -”Once women tasted independence, both mentally and economically, the didn’t want to go back to being hidden inside a house, even if it did have all the latest modern appliances [11] .” -Some blamed women’s new found spirit on the nineteenth amendment. It made women believe they should be equal in all aspects of life [12]. -Instead of practicing abstinence, it became customary for women to practice temperance [13]. -Samuel Byrne- editor of Observer- “There has been a change for the worse in the past year in feminine dress, dancing, manners, and general moral standards. The causes are the lack of an adequate sense of responsibility in the parents or guardians of girls, a decline in personal religion, a failure to realize the serious ethical consequences of immodesty in girls’ dress, a dulling in moral susceptibilities, an inability to grasp the significance of the higher things in human life and last, but not least, the absence of sufficient courage and determination to resist the dictates of what is known as Fashion when these are opposed to decency [15] .” -”We belonged to a generation of young women who felt extraordinarily free--free from the demand to marry unless we choose to do so, free to postpone marriage while we did other things, free from the need to bargain and hedge that had burdened and restricted women of earlier generations.” -Margaret Mead [16]
 * __ Shifting the Norm __**

-Carl Degler- historian- “Suffrage, once achieved, had almost no observable effect on the position of women.” because even when women did vote, they were not any more informed than men [17]. -The majority of women were still viewed as an underprivileged minority, less equal as individuals and citizens. [18] -With the production of this new group, women believed that they would be on equal terms with men in regards to pay and job opportunities. This was not the case. It was soon discovered by the Women’s Bureau that women indeed received much lower pay than men. Reasons for this varied but some believed it was because women were less likely to organize and protest, however employers claimed it was because the genders did different job. [19] -Laws were proposed that put restrictions on the dress of women, not all were passed but this showed the resistance of women’s newly provocative clothing. [20]
 * __ Contradictions __**


 * C. Source Evaluations **

Yancey, Diane. Life During the Roaring Twenties. San Diego: Lucent Books, 2002. Print., 24

1. The book, //Life During the Roaring Twenties//, by Diane Yancey, was written in 2002 and published by Lucent Books. The book focuses on a variety of topics, all within the time period nicknamed “The Roaring Twenties.” The purpose of my particular section is to inform about the structure of a home, including changes in adults and children. Most of these changes include the advancements of women at the time. The value of this source is that it gives primary sources. Throughout the book, first hand accounts of all topics are shared, giving a more personal perspective to the story. This book is a good source to look at major changes of society and the family as a whole. However, the book lacks a centralized focus on the changes of only women at the time.

Andrist, Ralph K, ed. The American Heritage History of the 1920s & 1930s. New York: Bonanza, 1987. Print., 63

2. The book //The American Heritage and History of the 1920s and 1930s,// was written by Ralph L. Andrist. It was published in New York in 1987 by Bonanza Books. This book focuses on the post World War I society in the United States from new values and idols to new ventures. This source provides primary accounts as well as visual aids of the time for a closer viewing of the period. Therefore, this is a good source for first hand accounts. While this is a great advantage to the source, the source gives mostly general information on the topics relevant to my research question.


 * D. Analysis **

Starting with the ratification of the 19th amendment, women went on a whirlwind journey of advancements and changes in their daily lives. This was considered a major win in the lives of women and from there; the Women’s Bureau in the Department of Labor was created. This was essentially to protect the rights of women in the workplace. This was a major step because when women took up the role of making money in the house while their husbands were at war, they were not treated equally. This organization was important because while women were doing the same work as men, they were not being paid equivalently or given the same working conditions, the organization took steps to change these aspects of the working life.

One of the most significant changes during the time was the development of the “flapper.” A flapper was a girl that challenged the accepted values in society. She dressed in a more risqué fashion and most often changed her hair to the unheard of “bob” hairstyle. These women were considered provocative because of the way they dressed and the heavy makeup that they wore. Their morals were considered taboo at the time as well because they ditched the accepted traditional values. While most often, women were expected to get married and have children, flappers embraced a more independent and carefree spirit. Also, flappers had a tendency to drink and smoke more often than in the previous years. All of these acts of rebellion accumulated into the flapper movement and women were given the attention that they so often desired. From here, they had to decide what to do with it.

At the start of WWI when the soldiers left for war, women took their spots in the workplace. While they began with occupations such as nursing, secretarial work or teaching, they soon branched out into fields like sales, real estate and advertising. This role change shifted what people viewed as normal, therefore making the idea more accepted and advancing the place of women in the world. Economically, women were making a name for themselves and becoming more independent than ever before. Between this, and the nineteenth amendment, women started a spree of changes in their daily lives. One person who lived through these changes said, “Once women tasted independence, both mentally and economically, the didn’t want to go back to being hidden inside a house, even if it did have all the latest modern appliances.” Women were empowered by the progress they were making in their lives, however some were not so optimistic.

People during the time, particularly men were unaccustomed and blindsided by these sudden changes in their lives and the lives of those around them. Samul Byrne, the editor of the “Observer” said,

There has been a change for the worse in the past year in feminine dress, dancing, manners, and general moral standards. The causes are the lack of an adequate sense of responsibility in the parents or guardians of girls, a decline in personal religion, a failure to realize the serious ethical consequences of immodesty in girls’ dress, a dulling in moral susceptibilities, an inability to grasp the significance of the higher things in human life and last, but not least, the absence of sufficient courage and determination to resist the dictates of what is known as Fashion when these are opposed to decency.

Clearly, not everyone was okay with the changed that were being made. It was these disagreements that led to the realization that perhaps women weren’t making as much progress as most believe.

With the emergence of the flapper movement, people were outraged by their new set of morals and their appearance. Laws were even proposed that put restrictions on the way women dress. Although not all of the laws were passed, it proved the resistance of women’s new ways. Historian Carl Degler claims that, “suffrage, once achieved, had almost no observable effect on the position of women, because even when women did vote, they were not any more informed than men.” With all of these opinions and acts in mind, people still viewed women as less equal individuals in society. So, despite the evident advancements of women, these accomplishments were not always being recognized, and even denied by the other people of the time.


 * E. Conclusion **

It is undeniable that women made countless advancements and unveiled new freedoms for themselves in the 1920s. However, it was not fully accepted during the time either. Considering the social aspects of life, it was more common for women to drink, smoke and dress more provocatively. It was also evident that women followed the traditional path of getting married and having children less often. Economically, women worked their way into the work force. They branched out into different fields however they were often not given the same conditions or paid as much as men. Despite the setbacks and disagreements, it is safe to say that women were noticeably advanced into the world during the 1920s.


 * F. List of Sources **

Andrist, Ralph K, ed. The American Heritage History of the 1920s & 1930s. New York: Bonanza, 1987. Print., 63

Yancey, Diane. Life During the Roaring Twenties. San Diego: Lucent Books, 2002. Print., 24

Gourley, Catherine. Flappers and the New American Woman. Minneapolis: Twenty First Century Books, 2008. Print., 33

Cashman, Sean Dennis. America in the Twenties and Thirties. New York: New York University Press, 1989. Print., 57

[1] Andrist, Ralph K, ed. //The American Heritage History of the 1920s & 1930s//. New York: Bonanza, 1987. Print., 63 [2] Yancey, Diane. //Life During the Roaring Twenties//. San Diego: Lucent Books, 2002. Print., 24 [3] Gourley, Catherine. //Flappers and the New American Woman//. Minneapolis: Twenty First Century Books, 2008. Print., 33 [4] Cashman, Sean Dennis. //America in the Twenties and Thirties//. New York: New York University Press, 1989. Print., 57 [5] Ibid. [6] Yancey 33. [7] Ibid 33,34. [8] Cashman 55. [9] Yancey 24. [10] Gourley 33. [11] Ibid 63. [12] Ibid. [13] Andrist 58. [14] Ibid 60. [15] Cashman 58. [16] Gourley 30. [17] Cashman 56. [18] Ibid. [19] Gourley 34. [20] Ibid 68.

Elyse Dakin Source Evaluation #5 March 5, 2012

Origin: This book, Anything Goes, was written by Lucy Moore. It was written in 2010 so it is current information.
 * < Moore, Lucy. //Anything Goes//. New York: Peter May, 2010. Print. ||

Purpose: The purpose of this source is to provide a wide variety of information regarding the roaring twenties. This includes in the home, in the country and some outside of the country as well.

Value: This source is valuable to be because it gives me a good overview of the roaring twenties. Now, I have a good foundation for further, more specific research.

Limitations: While this was a good source for an overview, there is a minimal focus on women and their major impacts on society.

Elyse Dakin Source Evaluation #4 February 26, 2012

Source Evaluation #4

Yancey, Diane. //Life During the Roaring Twenties//. San Diego: Lucent Books, 2002. Print.

Origin: The source is the book, //Life During the Roaring Twenties//, written by Diane Yancey in 2002. The book focuses on a variety of topics, all within the time period nicknamed “The Roaring Twenties.”

Purpose: The purpose of my particular section is to inform about the structure of a home, including changes in adults and children. Most of these changes include the advancements of women at the time.

Value: The value of this source is that it gives primary sources. Throughout the book, first hand accounts of all topics are shared, giving a more personal perspective to the story.

Limitations: This book is a good source to look at major changes of society and the family as a whole. However, I still struggle to find one that has a centralized focus on the changes of only women at the time.

Elyse Dakin February 19, 2012 Source Evaluation #3 ** Source Evalutation #3 **

“The Roaring Twenties.” 2012. //The History Channel website//. Feb 19 2012, 11:39 [].

Origin: This source was retrieved from the website, history.com, which is the official website of the History Channel.

Purpose: Gives a description of the changes going on not only in people at the time but also major events around the country. Overall, this source further informs about the major changes in society at the time.

Value: Not only does this source provide me with further information on the roaring 20s but it all gives links to find other information about the themes of the time period. Therefore, it further helps my research even more.

Limitations: This source lacks details about women. I still need to find a source that focuses less of the vague descriptions of the time and more on a detailed investigation of the changes specifically in women at the time.

February 3, 2012 Source Evaluation #2

**Source Evaluation #2**


 * MLA Citation:** Sherrow, Victoria. "flappers." //Daily Life through History//. ABC-CLIO, 2012. Web. 3 Feb. 2012. 


 * Origin:** This article was retrieved from the database “Daily Life through History” and was written by Victoria Sherrow.


 * Purpose:** The purpose is to inform about the flappers of the 1920s. It explains their changes in appearance as well as personality traits and daring changes that were made in behavioral traits.


 * Value:** The value of this source is that it gives additional information on my topic and applies these changes to internal features as well as external.


 * Limitations:** This source does not give information on how these changes in women affected the rest of society. I need to find a source that explains how the society as a whole was changed. I also need to find a source to tell about what women were like before and after these changes.