| Topic 8.1: Contextualizing Period 8 | Learning Objectives: –Explain political, social and economic trends for women during this time period –Explain the role of race, class, gender, sexuality, ability and religion in shaping women’s lives during this era | Essential Understandings: –The 1978 American Indian Religious Freedom Act allowed Native Americans to publicly celebrate their faith –As early as 1959, feminist lawyers such as Dorothy Kenyon were working to legalize abortion nationwide –Understand why historians contest the periodization of the second wave of feminism –Understand the political, social and economic significance of the Independent Women’s Forum | Recommended Sources: –Combahee River Collective, A Black Feminist Statement –Constance Baker Motley “Speech to the Southern Christian Leadership Conference” (1965) —Testimony by Andrea Dworkin, “Pornography is a Civil Rights Issue” (1986) –Santini, Maureen, “Reagan promises legal equity for women”, The Montgomery Advertiser, August 27, 1983 —“Seeing Red: American Indian Women Speaking About Their Religious and Political Perspectives” by Inés Maria Talamantez –“Feminism in Waves: Useful Metaphor or Not?” by Linda Nicholson –“Multiracial Feminism: Recasting the Chronology of Second Wave Feminism” by Becky Thompson —The Movement: How Women’s Liberation Transformed America, 1963-1973 by Clara Bingham —Abortion and the Law in America: Roe v. Wade to the Present by Mary Ziegler —BC Voices —Lilith |
| Thematic Focus: Women’s Activism | Women have utilized a wide variety of strategies to demonstrate agency and challenge male authority throughout American history. Women have also contributed to the pursuit of equality with men, even as they worked to define it in different ways |
| Topic: 8.2: 1977 Houston Women’s Conference | Learning Objectives: –Explain the historical significance of the 1977 Houston Women’s Conference –Explain the political divide at the Houston Women’s Conference that led to national political polarization as well as a conservative women’s movement and a liberal women’s movement | Essential Understandings: –Understand why the U.S. government funded this national conference –Understand the role of state conventions and nominations for delegates before the national conference was held in Houston –Understand the role of first ladies at the conference –Understand the leadership of Bella Abzug –Understand how the struggle over the Equal Rights Amendment highlights the divisions in the women’s movement –The women’s movement split into two, especially after the 1977 Houston Women’s Conference–a liberal women’s movement and a conservative women’s movement –Understand how women inside the conference were divided over many issues, including the ERA, despite the fact that it was included as a plank as part of the National Plan of Action written during the conference –Understand why many pro-life women felt better represented by Phyllis Schlafly who organized conservative women during the conference | Recommended Sources: —Sharing Stories Project –It’s Our Movement Now: Black Women’s Politics and the 1977 National Women’s Conference, ed. By Laura L. Lovett, Rachel Jessica Daniel, and Kelly N. Giles –Divided We Stand by Marjorie Spruill –Film: Sisters of ‘77 |
| Thematic Focus: Women’s Experiences | Women have not had a monolithic experience; their lives have been directly impacted by intersecting identities including race, class, gender, ability, sexuality, religion, region and age. Race and gender are social constructs that have been closely tied to women’s American political and social development |
| Thematic Focus: Women and American Culture | It is essential to understand the significant role of women in the formation of American culture, including religion, health, art, psychology, and literature, to better understand the development of the United States |
| Topic 8.3: Women in the Borderlands | Learning Objectives: –Explain the concept of the borderlands and how it has impacted women’s lives –Explain the short and long term consequences of the concept of the borderlands on American history | Essential Understandings: –Understand the impact of the work of Cherie Moraga and Ana Castillo on the concept of the borderlands –Understand the connections between U.S. immigration policy in the modern era and the concept of the borderlands | Recommended Sources: –Latina Legacies —“La Chicana” by Elizabeth Martinez |
| Thematic Focus: Women and American Culture | It is essential to understand the significant role of women in the formation of American culture, including religion, health, art, psychology, and literature, to better understand the development of the United States |
| Topic 8.4: Women in the Nation of Islam | Learning Objectives: –Explain the role of women in the Nation of Islam and its impact on American history | Essential Understandings: –Understand the historical context for the rise of the Nation of Islam –Understand the use of the feminine & traditional motherhood to cultivate and preserve community –Understand the political and social work of women affiliated with the Nation of Islam | Recommended Sources: —Black Women, the Nation of Islam and the Pursuit of Freedom |
| Thematic Focus: Women and American Culture | It is essential to understand the significant role of women in the formation of American culture, including religion, health, art, psychology, and literature, to better understand the development of the United States |
| Topic 8.5: Contemporary Women’s Health | Learning Objectives: –Explain gender differences with regards to healthcare in the United States –Explain the history of the publication of Our Bodies, Ourselves –Explain the work of the anti-abortion movement and the involvement of Operation Rescue –Explain the impact of the Moral Majority on the women’s health movement | Essential Understandings: –Understand the causes and effects of the liberalization of abortion laws in New York in 1970 –Understand the importance of clinical trials on women’s health –Understand the causes and effects of the congressional passage of the Hyde Amendment in 1977 —Mildred Jefferson was an important pro-life advisor to Ronald Reagan. Jefferson played an important role in moving Reagan towards a pro-life position –Understand the reasons for the creation of crisis pregnancy centers –Understand the contemporary controversies over the existence of crisis pregnancy centers | Recommended Sources: —Our Bodies, Ourselves –Excerpts from Women Against Abortion: Inside the Largest Moral Reform Movement of the Twentieth Century by Karissa Haugeberg –Abortion Proposals- The Amendments Project —Birthing reproductive justice (images from the University of Michigan archives) |
| Thematic Focus: Women and American Culture | It is essential to understand the significant role of women in the formation of American culture, including religion, health, art, psychology, and literature, to better understand the development of the United States |
| Thematic Focus: Violence Against Women, Pacifism and War | Throughout American history, women have been subject to both private and state sanctioned violence. They have utilized a variety of formal and informal methods to protect themselves and one another against violence. They have also been at the forefront of peace movements and have served active roles in war. |
| Topic 8.6: Militancy and Cults | Learning Objectives: –Explain the role of women in 1970s cults such as Jonestown and Children of God –Explain the creation of the Weather Underground and its connection to Students for a Democratic Society in the 1960s –Explain the role of women in violent social movements | Essential Understandings: –Understand the reasons behind the growth of cults in the 1970s –Understand how women played essential roles within the workings of the 1970s cults –Understand the role of militant radical feminist women such as Susan Stern –Understand why numerous women were active members of the Weather Underground during this era –Understand the motives and the consequences of playwright, actress and author of the SCUM Manifesto, Valerie Solanas, shooting Andy Warhol in 1968 –Understand the conflicts Solanas experienced with leaders of the women’s liberation movement who tried to offer her support –Understand the cultural significance of the kidnapping of Patty Hearst | Recommended Sources: —“Women’s Roles in Peoples Temple and Jonestown” —“Uncultured: The Intergenerational Trauma of Girls Growing Up in Cults” |
| Thematic Focus: Women’s Activism | Women have utilized a wide variety of strategies to demonstrate agency and challenge male authority throughout American history. Women have also contributed to the pursuit of equality with men, even as they worked to define it in different ways |
| Topic 8.7: Political Activism for the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) | Learning Objectives: –Explain why a militant, active women’s movement to support the ERA was especially lively in the early 1980s –Explain how cultural feminist such as Berenice Carroll, an advocate for the ERA and a professor at the University of Illinois, believed sexism was at the root of all conflicts. She believed men learned to dehumanize other men by first dehumanizing women. –Explain why numerous men, including Catholic priests, supported the ERA | Essential Understandings: –Despite the difficulties of getting the amendment passed in Congress, the ERA enjoyed wide, bipartisan support during presidential administrations through the 1970s. –Presidents Eisenhower, Johnson and Nixon all supported the ERA –The ERA enjoyed support from both Republican and Democratic first ladies –Pro-ERA militancy included countless women of faith such as Mormon feminist Sonia Johnson, Sr. Donna Quinn and Sr. Margaret Traxler –During the final political fight for the ERA in Illinois in 1982, the organization Grassroots Group of Second Class Citizens chained themselves to the building and wrote the names of anti-ERA legislators in pigs blood. –Many of the participants of this group continued to be politically active throughout the 1980s in the organization Women Rising in Resistance —Barbara Honneger worked for Reagan & quit in protest over his lack of support for the ERA –Notable comedian Dick Gregory was a public supporter of the ERA and sat with the women on a hunger fast in Illinois in the summer of 1982 –Civil disobedience for the ERA continued a long line of direct action tactics for the amendment. One major event was the Women Fast for Justice for the ERA (1982) led by Zoe Nicholson & Sonia Johnson | Recommended Sources: –Excerpts from Sonia’ Johnson’s From Housewife to Heretic —Chicago Tribune. “12 ERA Protesters Who Defied Judge’s Order to Get Jail.” July 3, 1982. —Equal Rights 1970: Hearings, Ninety-first Congress, Second Session, on S.J. Res. 61 and S.J. Res. 231, Proposing an Amendment to the Constitution of the United States Relative to Equal Rights for Men and Women: Hearings Before the Committee on the Judiciary, 91st, 1st Session 349-52 (1970) (statement of Sister Margaret Traxler). —The Daily Chronicle (Springfield, IL). “ERA Backers Vow to Stay Chained to Senate Chamber.” June 4, 1982. —WAPUSH interview with Mary Lee Sargent —WAPUSH interview with Zoe Nicholson —“Mrs. America Primer: The Real Story of Phyllis Schlafly’s Campaign Against the ERA” (NY Historical Society) —State Level Equal Rights Amendments |
| Thematic Focus: Women’s Activism | Women have utilized a wide variety of strategies to demonstrate agency and challenge male authority throughout American history. Women have also contributed to the pursuit of equality with men, even as they worked to define it in different ways |
| Topic 8.8: Women in the Executive Branch | Learning Objectives: –Explain the growth of women in the federal government from the 1970s to the present –Explain why an increase of women have recently been seeking to break the highest glass ceiling–the American presidency | Essential Understandings: –Understand that many lesser known women have served very important roles in the White House. –These women have included: Jill Ruckelshaus, Anne Armstrong and Patricia Lindh (1970s) –Understand the role of women in the following elections 1984: Geraldine Ferraro (VP candidate), Sonia Johnson 2004: Elizabeth Dole, Carol Moseley Braun 2016: Hillary Clinton 2024: Kamala Harris Understand there have also been numerous recent campaigns for women seeking the vice-presidency | Recommended Sources: –Image, Dr. Milidred Jefferson receiving an award from the Knights of Columbus, 1979 –Whitehouse.gov –Center for American Women in Politics |
| Topic 8.9: Founding Figures in Period 8 | Learning Objectives: –Explain the short and long term significance of the named historic figures in Period 8 | Essential Understandings: –Understand the historic significance of the following individuals and their impact on women’s history —bell hooks —Anita Hill —Angela Davis —Dr. George Tiller —Lily Chin —Joni Mitchell —Andrea Dworkin —Grace Jones —Audley “Queen Mother” Moore | Recommended Sources: ––“Lily Chin: The Courage to Speak Out” by Helen Zia –Excerpts from Anita Hill’s testimony to the Senate Judiciary Committee during the Clarence Thomas Hearings (1991) ––A Day without Feminism from Manifesta –Visuals from Judy Chicago’s The Dinner Party —Art by Cindy Sherman Exhibition– —Radical Women: Latin American Art, 1960-1985 |