Civil Rights Unit Assignment 4 The Women's Rights Movement

Essential Question To what extent did the US Women's Rights Movement achieve achieve its goals in the late 20th and early 21st century? Context The increased education and employment of women in the 1950s, the civil rights movement, contributed to a renewal of the women's movement in the 1960s and 1970s, Betty Friedan's book The Feminine Mystique (1963) gave the movement a new direction by encouraging middle-class women to seek fulfillment in professional careers in addition to filling the roles of wife, mother, and homemaker. In 1966, Friedan helped found the National Organization for Women (NOW), which adopted the activist tactics of other civil rights movements to secure equal treatment of women, especially for job opportunities. By this time, Congress had already enacted two anti discriminatory laws: the Equal Pay Act 0f 1963 and the Civil Rights Act of 1964. These measures, prohibited discrimination in employment and compensation on the basis of gender, but had been poorly enforced. Despite the failure to pass the Equal Rights Act, the women's movement accomplished fundamental changes in attitudes and hiring practices. In increasing numbers, women moved into professions previously dominated by men: business, law, medicine, and politics. Although women still experienced the "glass ceiling" in the corporate world. American society at the beginning of the 21st century was less and less a man's world. Step 1: Review Women's Rights Movement In this section, you will be viewing a short video on the Women's Rights Movement and reviewing this weeks presentation. Video Question According to the video, what were some key events and concepts fought for and attained in the Women's Right's Movement? Step 2: Document Based Questions Use THESE DOCUMENTS to answer the following questions: Document One: Betty Friedan, The Feminine Mystique According to Friedan, what were the “traditional” roles and goals for women? Do you think these “traditional” goals for women continue in the present day? Explain and defend your position with at least one example. Document Two: “Sex and Caste,” Memo from SNCC Why do you think the women’s rights movement developed alongside of the Civil Rights movement? According to the authors of the memo, why were men usually not participating in conversations about women’s rights? Document Three: National Organization for Women, Statement of Purpose According to the National Organization for Women, what were the forms of educational discrimination women faced in the 1960s? The National Organization for Women clearly focused on educating young girls as a primary goal. Why do you think they prioritized education as a main goal for women’s rights? Document Four: Equal Rights Amendment, Proposed Amendment to the US Constitution The Equal Rights Amendment was proposed just 3 years after the 19th Amendment was ratified. How would the Equal Rights Amendment strengthen the 19th Amendment and the women’s rights movement of the early 1900s? How would the Equal Rights Amendment protect men, as well as women? Document Five: Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm’s Speech Advocating for the ERA Look at Congresswoman Chisholm’s first two paragraphs. What type of discrimination is she describing? According to Congresswoman Chisholm, how are the experiences of African Americans and women similar? Document Six: “What’s Wrong with ‘Equal Rights’ for Women?” by Phyllis Schlafly Summarize Schlafly’s arguments in bullet points. In other parts of this essay, Schlafly argued that the Equal Rights Amendment would make women eligible for the draft—meaning they could be forced to serve in the military. Between this argument and the ones you summarized above, which of Schlafly’s arguments do you believe would have been the MOST convincing to men and women in the 1970s? Why? Document Seven: Gloria Steinem Advocating for the ERA According to Gloria Steinem, what types of professions were best for women and people of color in the 1970s? How does Steinem say she is different (and more privileged) than other women in America? Document Eight: Mirta Vidal on the Experiences of Chicanas According to Mirta Vidal, what three levels of discrimination are Chicana women subjected to? Document Nine: Gloria Steinem on “Internalized Aggression” How does Steinem describe “internalized aggression”? According to Steinem, how can the women’s movement improve American families? According to Steinem, how can the women’s movement improve the lives of American men? Document Ten: Jerry Falwell on “Threats to the American Family” Make a list of the things that Jerry Falwell argues are a threat to the American family. Based on the type of arguments Jerry Falwell makes, what group(s) of people do you believe he is trying to appeal to? Give evidence to support your reasoning. Document Eleven: Roe v. Wade – Background on the Case What was the main issue of the Supreme Court case Roe v. Wade? Document Twelve: Roe v. Wade - Decision Summarize the Supreme Court’s decision in Roe v. Wade. What portions of the Constitution supported the Supreme Court’s decision in Roe v. Wade? Step 3: Newsela - The Equal Rights Amendment Go to this assignment in Newsela. Log in with your Google Account and follow the directions. Step 4: Matching key terms Complete the matching activity twice. Feel free to Google references as needed.