Resources on this page were collected an organized by Serene Williams, co-founder of the WAPUSH campaign and Julia Basnage, an artist and educator working in Philadelphia. Working with K-8 students since 2020 as a visual arts teacher and community arts program director, Julia is proud to collaborate in diverse learning spaces that promote self-knowledge, place-based learning, and confidence at all ages. She graduated from Barnard College with a degree in Sociology. Julia continues to pursue her love of inquiry and social justice in her work in schools and interest in changing learning environments in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
For a full Bibliography of sources, see the end of our WAPUSH proposal.
Period 1: 1491-1607
| 1.1: Contextualizing Period 1 | *Women helped to redefine equality and fight subordination from the time of Aristotle & Saint Paul *Women’s history as a discipline has been studied in the United States for over one hundred years *Early scholars of women’s history: Mary Beard, Delilah Beasley, Gerda Lerner *Lilith |
| 1.2: Native American societies before European Contact | *Haudenosaunee Women: An Inspiration to Early Feminists by Sally Roesch Wagner *The Coronation of Chief Powhatan Retold by Zitkala-Ša (1919) Images of Indigenous women in the Americas throughout history *Sogorea Te’Land Trust *Cahokia in modern day Illinois is sometimes referred to as “America’s 1st city.” This early civilization honored women as well as men in burials *Kinship connections tied community members together *It was not uncommon Indigenous societies for mothers to hold significant social power in their communities *Grandmother Spider/Spider Woman, is an important myth related to the creation of the earth in Zuni, Hopi and Navajo traditions *Lenape women *Cherokee were matriarchal meaning power passed through the mother Coverture introduced by the English based on their common law legal system *Spanish conquest of Indigenous women played an important role in their expansion of territorial control of the Western hemisphere. *Nancy Ward–an important head of the Women’s Council and brokered peace agreements in the early 19th century *The Spanish caste system will lay the foundation for colorism, which will have a major impact on the social, political and economic opportunities for women of Hispanic origin in the Americas *Sor Juana Inés de La Cruz challenged sexism of Spanish rule and the power of the Catholic Church *The conquest of women was supported by the Catholic Church through documents such as the Treaty of Tordesillas (1494) and the Doctrine of Discovery (1493). *Indigenous societies had nuanced understandings of gender that were not well understood by white settlers who came to the Americas from Europe *Many indigenous women, such as Pueblo women in the Southwest, worked as farmers *Algonquian people were matrilineal *Awashonks, a female chief lived in modern day Rhode Island, and signed peace agreements between Plymouth Colony and a confederation of local tribes. Awashonks played an important role in negotiations during King Philip’s War (1675-1676) |
| 1.3: European Exploration in the Americas | *Women had greater political authority in North America before European colonizationThe arrival of Europeans introduced rigid gendered legal systems such as English Common Law, which stripped women of significant political agency throughout the Americas *Doctrine of Discovery *In many ways, Indigenous women lost sovereignty over their land and their bodies with the arrival of Europeans in 1492 |
| 1.4: Columbian Exchange, Spanish Exploration, and Conquest | *Pottery made by Zuni women |
| 1.5: Labor, Slavery, and Caste in the Spanish Colonial System | |
| 1.6: Cultural Interactions among Europeans, Native Americans, and Africans | *Herbal healers (Curanderas) *“The Indigenous Roots of Modern Feminism” by Dina Gilo-Whitaker |
Period 2: 1607-1754
| 2.1: Contextualizing Period 2 | *Witches, Midwives, and Nurses: A History of Women Healers by Barbara Ehrenreich & Deirdre English, 1970 *“Warts and All: Learn the Fascinating History of Witchcraft and Reproductive Health” NY Historical Society *Image of Margaret Brent *The Rights of Women by Erika Bacchiochi *Life Story, Toypurina (California) *“The Maypole That Infuriated the Puritans” *Merrymount Colony |
| 2.2: European Colonization | *Antinomianism, Anne Hutchinson & American individualism *Coverture & English common law *Romantic paternalism *Margaret Brent, a Maryland landowner, appealed to the Maryland Assembly for the right to vote in 1647 *Virginia Dare-the first English child born in the Americas. She was named *Virginia because she was considered the first Christian born in the Americas. *Under coverture, understanding marriage is essential to contextualizing political power. Marital rape will be legal in many places throughout the United States until the mid-1970s *The indentured labor system led women in the British colonies to marry later in life—around their mid-20s *With the growth of colonies, coverture laws became widely enforced which meant women were subject to legal control by men—including both their physical body and their property *Women were expected to be deferential to men as representative of how people should be deferential to God *Puritan women settled in the Americas alongside men unlike most other groups of Europeans *Any money earned by a married woman was legally owned by her husband *Children were the property of their fathers *The American common law system came from British common law and was widely adopted in this era which encouraged the spread of coverture “self-divorce” was well documented in colonial Pennsylvania |
| 2.3: Regions of British Colonies | *Women’s rights in early New York *A Virginian Woman (etching from 1643) *Mary Musgrove, the daughter of a white settler and an Indigenous woman, played an important role in the founding of colonial Georgia *Tobacco brides were sent by the Virginia Company in the 1620s. Their trip was paid for by 120 pounds of tobacco *By 1710, New York restricted the right of women to own property |
| 2.4: Transatlantic Trade | *Sexually transmitted diseases were spread through the exchange which had a major impact on women |
| 2.5: Interactions between American Indians and Europeans | Malintzin (La Malinche) |
| 2.6: Slavery in the British Colonies | *In 1656, Elizabeth Key became the first Black woman in North America to sue for freedom and win.This led to changes in laws in Virginia and a legal doctrine known as partus sequitur ventrem which said that the legal status of children born in the colonies was determined by the legal status of their mother *Europeans were not interested in converting African women to Christianity the way the pushed conversion on Native American women *Women were involved in Bacon’s Rebellion against the Virginia government. One notable woman was Sarah Drummond, a wife of a close advisor to Bacon. |
| 2.7: Colonial Society and Culture | *Vindication of the Rights of Women by Mary Wollstonecraft *Seduction Suits *Women in the Great Awakening *Trial of Anne Hutchinson Hutchinson, a midwife, believed the holy spirit resided in everyone, regardless of gender *“Anne Hutchinson: Foremother of the American Women’s Movement” *Thomas(ine) Hall *“Whiteness, Gender and Naturalization” in The Rediscovery of America by Ned Blackhawk, pgs. 218-221 *Mary Baker Eddy, founder of Christian Science, is one of the first women to establish a major religion *Understand the importance of the work of Kateri Tekakwitha, who lived in New York in the 17th century, was the first Indigenous (Mohawk) woman to become a Catholic saint *Understand how under common law, married women had a right to financial support from their husband. The consequences this obligation of financial support had on both men and women *Indigenous and enslaved women used Peacock Flower as an abortifacient so their children would not be enslaved *During the first Great Awakening, women were not encouraged or often allowed to speak in public which is a contrast from the second Great Awakening *White women had some political agency in the pre-revolutionary era. For examples, New Jersey experimented with women’s suffrage |
Period 3: 1754-1800
| 3.1: Contextualizing z Period 3 | *In this time period, the concept of husband, which used to mean farmer, came to be understood as meaning married man |
| 3.2: Seven Years’ War | |
| 3.3: Taxation without Representation | *Some women such as Boston physician Harriet K. Hunt refused to pay taxes due to taxation without representation.This left a long legacy. Women such as Belle Squire from Chicago refused to pay her taxes because she could not vote during the 1910s. *This left a long legacy. Women such as Belle Squire from Chicago refused to pay her taxes because she could not vote during the 1910s. |
| 3.4: Philosophical Foundations of the American Revolution | *“Cuming Sisters: “She-Merchants of Boston” *“On the Equality of the Sexes” by Judith Sargent Murray Women of the American Revolution *Book of Ages: The Life and Opinions of Jane Franklin by Jill Lepore *“The Paradox of Liberty” exhibit at the National Museum of African American History & Culture *“Op-Ed: It’s Time to Recognize Sally Hemings as First Lady of the United States” |
| 3.5: The American Revolution | *Public Universal Friend *From the founding era, women, such as Hannah Adams, worked as paid authors and intellectual theorists *Deborah Sampson *Chattel slavery was protected in the Americas before and after the American Revolution |
| 3.6: Influence of Revolutionary Ideals | *Debate between Judith Sargent Murray & Mercy Otis Warren *Letter-writing was an important method of communication for women *Letter: Abigail Adams to Mercy Otis Warren, April 27, 1776 *Phyllis Wheatley Poems of Phyllis Wheatley are considered an early example of Afrofuturism |
| 3.7: Articles of Confederation | |
| 3.8: Constitutional Convention | Federalists v. Anti-Federalists |
| 3.9: The Constitution | *Understand why no women were allowed to contribute to the writing of the Constitution *Understand that the U.S. Constitution is written entirely by men |
| 3.10: Shaping a New Republic | *She Was Her Property by Stephanie Jones Rogers *Public Universal Friend *Painting of Benjamin Lay *Restrictions on women’s rights were considered essential to protecting the virtue of the new American republic *Wake: The Hidden History of Women Led Slave Revolts by Rebecca Hall Sally Hemings |
| 3.11: Developing an American Identity | *Republican motherhood was solidified by the 1790s *Advertisement for the capture of Oney Judge, 1796 *The United States had important Founding Mothers in addition to Founding Fathers |
| 3.12: Movement in the Early Republic | Indigenous land dispossession intensified during this era of western expansion Under the leadership of American generals such as John Sullivan, in 1780 for example, hundreds of Iroquoian longhouses were destroyed and American troops used scorched earth tactics to lay claim to native land |
Period 4: 1800-1848
| 4.1: Contextualizing Period 4 | Biography of Julia Chinn |
| 4.2: Political & Economic Transformations | *Founding Fathers, such as Thomas Jefferson and George Washington, enslaved women and children. *The Marshall Court expanded the scope of the federal government, land rights of Indigenous women were taken away, especially after the Johnson v. McIntosh decision (1823) stating Native Americans do not own land. English common law was firmly established and protected by the Marshall Court. This meant women were not allowed to be lawyers, serve on juries or work as justices. *English common law was firmly established and protected by the Marshall Court. This meant women were not allowed to be lawyers, serve on juries or work as justices. *Sarah Grimké, “Letters on the Equality of the Sexes” *Angelina Grimké, Human Rights Not Founded on Sex *Life of Sally Hemings, Op-Ed: Sally Hemings as the First Lady |
| 4.3: Politics & Regional Interests | *Mount Holyoke College was the first college established by women in 1838 *Working Cures by Sharla M. Fett *Petitions by women to Congress to call for an end of enslavement in Washington, D.C. in 1836 *The First Amendment right of petition was used frequently by African Americans who were advocating for federal enforcement of the goals of the Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights. This group has been called the “Rising Generation” by historians including Dr. Sarah Gronningsater *Prudence Crandall & desegregated education |
| 4.4: America on the World Stage | |
| 4.5: Market Revolution: Industrialization | *Lowell Mill Girls *Lowell Female Labor Reform Association *Emma Wood, the mother of suffragist Maud Wood Park, worked in the Lowell mills |
| 4.6: Market Revolution: Society & Culture | *Maria Stewart, Why Sit Ye Here and Die? (1832). Maria Stewart’s speeches helped begin the first wave of feminism within the United States *Lucretia Mott, “Discourse on Women” *Separate spheres meant men worked in public life, including politics, while women were barred from formal public service. |
| 4.7: Expanding Democracy | *Editorials and commentary from Manisha Sinha *“Speech to Ohio Woman’s Rights Convention, Sojourner Truth, 1851 *Women’s Petitions to Congress *Mary Ann Shadd, “Frederick Douglass,” The North Star, March 23, 1849 *After the 18th century, Quaker women in Pennsylvania played a more prominent role in the abolitionist movement. *Prudence Crandall & desegregated education Sojourner Truth “Speech to Ohio Woman’s Rights Convention, Sojourner Truth, 1851 |
| 4.8: Jackson & Federal Power | *Gender politics in the early White House: The Peggy Eaton affair |
| 4.9: Development of an American Culture | *Judith Sargent Murray & Mercy Otis Warren debate *“On the Equality of the Sexes” by Judith Sargent Murray |
| 4.10: Second Great Awakening | *Mother Ann Lee *Quaker women enjoyed higher status compared to Puritan women *Shakerism: Its Meaning and Message by Anna White & Leila S. Taylor *“Gender in Utopian and Communal Societies” by Rosemary Radford Ruether |
| 4.11: Age of Reform | *Abolitionism *Women as freedom seekers *Seneca Lesson plan on Seneca Falls *Seneca Falls National Historical Park *Declaration of Sentiments *Resolutions from the Seneca Falls Convention *Film: Not for Ourselves Alone by Ken Burns *Myth of Seneca Falls by Lisa Tetrault |
| 4.12: African Americans in the Early Republic | *Lucy, Betsey & Anarcha are considered the foremothers of gynecology *Enslaved women used cotton root as a method of resistance to enslavement as well as to prevent pregnancy *Enslaved women and the concept of reproductive resistance *Working Cures by Sharla M. Fett *“The Paradox of Liberty” exhibit at the National Museum of African American History & Culture *Lucy, Betsey & Anarcha are considered the foremothers of gynecology *Excerpts, Killing The Black Body by Dorothy Roberts |
| 4.13: Society of the South in the Early Republic | *Killing The Black Body by Dorothy Roberts *“Cain and Patsy: The Gospel Preached to the Poor. A Story of a Slave Girl” by (Mrs.) J.D. Chaplin *Say Anarcha by J.C. Hallman *Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl by Harriet Jacobs |
Period 5: 1844-1877
| 5.1: Contextualizing Period 5 | *Lucretia Mott, “Discourse on Women” Speech in Philadelphia, 1849 *As the American Medical Association organized and gained power, midwives and herbalists were discouraged from caring for women’s health and assisting during childbirth. As a result, knowledge about the medicinal power of herbs and plants was lost |
| 5.2: Manifest Destiny | *The Great Lawsuit. Man versus Men, Woman versus Women, written by Margaret Fuller, published in The Dial, July 1843 *Sand Creek Massacre and letters of Captain Silas Soule preserved by women |
| 5.3: Mexican-American War | *Sand Creek Massacre and letters of Captain Silas Soule preserved by women |
| 5.4: Compromise of 1850 | *Women’s rights in the Antebellum era (American YAWP) *Excerpts, Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl by Harriet Jacobs |
| 5.5: Sectional Conflict: Regional Differences | *Antebellum women’s rights (American Experience) *“Disappointment is the lot of women” by Lucy Stone |
| 5.6: Failure of Compromise | *From “Behind the Scenes; or Thirty Years a Slave, and Four Years in the White House” by Elizabeth Keckley |
| 5.7: Election of 1860 & Secession | |
| 5.8: Military Conflict in the Civil War | *General Affidavit of Harriet Tubman Davis regarding payment for services rendered during the Civil War, c. 1898, RG 233, Records of the U.S. House of Representatives, National Archives *Harriet Tubman 200 project *Anna Ella Caroll played an important role in espionage during the Civil War, directly contributing to important military battles. President Lincoln downplayed her involvement because he was concerned word would get out a civilian woman orchestrated these strategies rather than an army general |
| 5.9: Government Policies during the Civil War | *Women served in active roles in the Civil War where they worked in jobs as diverse as soldiers, spies, and nurses. *Some northern leaders of the campaign against slavery, such as William H. Seward, believed slavery was the fault of the Spanish and Portuguese and the destruction of slavery would lead to the western spread of Anglo-Saxon civilization *Anna Ella Caroll played an important role in espionage during the Civil War, directly contributing to important military battles. President Lincoln downplayed her involvement because he was concerned word would get out a civilian woman orchestrated these strategies rather than an army general |
| 5.10: Reconstruction | *The Rise and Fall of the Second American Republic by Manisha Sinha *Civil War and Reconstruction *Frances Thompson’s testimony in Congress, 1866 *Scholars continue to debate the end of Reconstruction, with some, such as Manisha Sinha, marking it as late as 1920 with the ratification of the 19th Amendment. *Speech at the Eleventh Women’s Rights Convention (1866) by Frances Ellen Watkins Harper |
| 5.11: Failure of Reconstruction | *After the Compromise of 1877, reconstruction was defeated and white supremacy returned to the South *Conflict over the ratification of the 14th and 15th Amendments divided the women’s movement, leading to two conflicting suffrage organizations: National *Woman’s Suffrage Association (NWSA) and the American Woman’s Suffrage Association (AWSA) *Resources for Freedom Was in Sight!, a graphic history on Reconstruction in the D.C. area *In the 1870s, an all male Supreme Court ruled unanimously against women being recognized as citizens who had the right to vote (Minor v. Happersett) |
Period 6: 1865-1898
| 6.1: Contextualizing Period 6 | *National Association of Colored Women (NACW) and the Club Women Movement |
| 6.2: Westward Expansion: Economic Development | |
| 6.3: Westward Expansion: Social & Cultural Developments | *National Dress Reform Association *Suffragists in an Imperial Age Allison L. Sneider *Anna Julia Cooper “Woman vs. the Indian” *“Indian Citizenship” by Matilda Joslyn Gage, May 1878 *National Dress Reform Association |
| 6.4: “New South” | |
| 6.5: Technological Innovation | *Mary E. Kenney was an important AFL organizer in the 1890s |
| 6.6: Rise of Industrial Capitalism | |
| 6.7: Labor in the Gilded Age | *Lizzie Swank led a major protest in Chicago in 1886 *Women were an important part of the membership of the United Garment Workers Union *Mud, Blood and Ghosts by Julie Carr Excerpts from Women and the American Labor Movement by Philip S. Foner *Biography of Annie LePorte Diggs *Primary sources: International Ladies Garment Workers Strike of 1909-1910 |
| 6.8: Immigration & Migration in the Gilded Age | *Nativism (Women & the American Story–NY Historical Society) |
| 6.9: Responses to Immigration in the Gilded Age | *Sarah Winnemucca, Life among the Piutes *Indigenous Women Warriors *“Women Leaders from the Buffalo Days.” Little Big Horn College Library |
| 6.10: Development of the Middle Class | |
| 6.11: Reform in the Gilded Age | *Boston marriages To Believe in Women by Lillian Faderman *Indigenous women Sarah Winnemucca *Spiritualism Victoria Woodhull *Ida Craddock *Temperance Women’s Christian Temperance Union *Muscular Christianity Women’s Suffrage *Elizabeth Cady Stanton *Sojourner Truth *Victoria Woodhull *Harriet Tubman *Mary Edwards Walker *Frances Ellen Watkins Harper *National American Woman’s Suffrage Association *Mormon suffragists *Emmeline B. Wells *Dr. Mary Edwards Walker *Frances Ellen Watkins Harper *Many women opposed women’s suffrage including Josephine Jewell Dodge *NWSA Constitution *Lucy Stone & Henry Blackwell Marriage Protest *Woman’s Journal and Suffrage News *Letter from the Cambridge Branch of the Massachusetts Anti-Suffrage Association to the Congress of the United States of America *Ida B. Wells, “Southern Horrors: Lynch Law in All Its Phases,” 1892 *Mary B. Talbert, “Women and Colored Women,” 1915 *Victoria Woodhull‘s 1871 “Steinway Speech” |
| 6.12: Controversies over the Role of Government in the Gilded Age | Minor v. Happersett–in the 1870s, an all male Supreme Court ruled unanimously against women being recognized as citizens who had the right to vote denying women suffrage. |
| 6.13: Politics in the Gilded Age | *Populism Women in the Populist Party *Lutie A. Lytle *Populists were the first major political party to support women’s suffrage *The Page Act was passed in 1875 which banned immigrant women for “immoral purposes.” This law disproportionately impacted Chinese women. *If a woman who was a U.S. citizen married someone with citizenship from another country she would lose her U.S. citizenship. *For example, President Ulysses S. Grant’s daughter married a man who was a British citizen thereby losing her U.S. citizenship. *She ultimately had her U.S. citizenship restored by a congressional act in 1898. *Solitude of Self speech by Elizabeth Cady Stanton *Speeches by Emma Goldman *Biography of We’wha We’wha was born male and lived as a woman. They spent time in Washington, D.C. and met President *Grover Cleveland *Declaration of the Rights of Women (1876) written by Susan B. Anthony, Matilda Joselyn Gage & Elizabeth Cady Stanton Spiritualism *Beyond the Veil: Spiritualism in the 19th Century *Images from the spiritualist movement *Ann Braude, Radical Spirits: Spiritualism and Women’s Rights in Nineteenth-Century America. Indiana University Press. 2nd edition, 2001. *Spiritualism challenged traditional and religious social norms, allowing women to speak in public and offering a religious outlet at a time when women’s ordination was widely prohibited Important people *Charlotte Perkins Gilman *Clara Barton *Carry Nation *Ida Tarbell *Victoria Woodhull and her sister Tennessee Claflin *Emma Goldman *Susette La Flesche Tibbles “Bright Eyes” *Anna Julia Cooper *Ten Days in a Mad- House by Nellie Bly *Belva Lockwood *Dr. Horatio Storer *Anthony Comstock *The Comstock Laws *Advertisements by Madame Restell *Editorial “Restellism Exposed,” The Revolution, December 2, 1869 *Ida Craddock, Suicide Note *The Man Who Hated Women by Amy Sohn *Matilda E. J. Gage, “Is Woman Her Own?” The Revolution, April 9, 1868 |
Period 7: 1890-1945
| 7.1: Contextualizing Period 7 | *Women’s studies courses have been taught as early as 1905 *The 1896 GOP National Convention platform included the first “Rights for Women” Plank *Mud, Blood and Ghosts by Julie Carr *Women and the American Labor Movement by Philip S. Foner *International Ladies Garment Workers Strike of 1909-1910 *No women attended the founding of the important labor union, the American Federation of Labor (AFL) *Portrait Monument to Lucretia Mott, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and Susan B. Anthony photograph, 1921 *1909 International Ladies Garment Workers Strike in New York City, known by some historians as “The Great Revolt” *Important figures Mary Church Terrell *Annie LePorte Diggs |
| 7.2: Imperialism: Debates | *Imperial suffragism *Overthrow of Queen Liliuokalani *Suffragists in an Imperial Age Allison L. Sneider *Anna Julia Cooper “Woman vs. the Indian” *“Indian Citizenship” by Matilda Joslyn Gage, May 1878 *Imperial suffragism *Nativism (Women & the American Story–NY Historical Society) *Free Thinker: Sex, Suffrage and the Extraordinary Life of Helen Hamilton Gardener by Kimberly A. Hamlin *Americans Who Tell The Truth |
| 7.3: Spanish- American War | |
| 7.4: Progressives | *Feminism as an ideology *Ida B. Wells *Women led reform after the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire Suffragists *WAPUSH interview with Wendy Rouse *Nora Stanton Blatch Blarney *Zitkala-Sa *Adelina Otero-Warren *Gail Laughlin *Tye Leung Schulze *Phyllis Terrell *Alice Paul *Lucy Burns *Lucy Gonzalez Parsons helped found the IWW in 1905 *Heterodoxy Club |
| 7.5: World War I: Military & Diplomacy | *Foreign policy work of Jane Addams *Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom *Excerpts, Inez: The Life and Times of Inez Milholland by Linda J. Lumsden |
| 7.6: World War I: The Home Front | *Founding of the Girl Scouts *Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom *Jeannette Rankin *Inez: The Life and Times of Inez Milholland by Linda J. Lumsden *Ideological differences between the National Woman’s Party and the National American Women’s Suffrage Association regarding protesting for suffrage during World War I |
| 7.7: 1920s: Innovations in Communications & Technology | *The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Sloot |
| 7.8: 1920s: Cultural & Political Controversies | *“Now We Can Begin” by Crystal Eastman *“The Long Shadow of Eugenics” by Linda Villarosa (about the Relf sisters) *Involuntary Sterilization of Native Women |
| 7.9: Great Depression | *Excerpts, Survival in the Doldrums by Leila J. Rupp & Verta A. Taylor |
| 7.10: New Deal | *Pauli Murray, Women’s Rights Are a Part of Human Rights *Frances Perkins as “architect of the New Deal” *White women often protected white supremacy in the interwar era *Political partnership of Mary McLeod Bethune and First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt *Long campaign for gender equality & its connection to the Industrial Workers of the World |
| 7.11: Interwar Foreign Policy | *Sojourners for Truth and Justice |
| 7.12: World War II: Mobilization | *Rosie the Riveter Museum *Primary Sources from Library of Congress on Japanese American Internment *Bessie “Two Gun” Burchett enters Dies Committee meeting (1942) |
| 7.13: World War II: Diplomacy | *Eleanor Roosevelt argued Black women to be included in the Women’s Army Corps (WAC) |
| 7.14: Postwar Diplomacy |
Period 8: 1945-1980
| 8.1: Contextualizing Period 8 | |
| 8.2: Cold War | *Helen Gahagan Douglas & the election of 1950 in California *Women in the Lavender Scare: Daughters of Bilitis, Phyllis Lyon & Del Martin, Ernestine Ecksteinz, Purpose of the Daughters (1955) |
| 8.3: Red Scare | *Sojourning for Freedom: Black Women, American Communism and the Making of Black Left Feminism by Erik S. McDuffie |
| 8.4: Economy after 1945 | *Impact of racial segregation on jobs held by women during the Second World War, Post-World War II, 1946-1970 |
| 8.5: Culture after 1945 | *Sr. Grace Dammann’s Principles vs. Prejudice |
| 8.6: Early Steps in Civil Rights Movement (1940s/50s) | *Pauli Murray Center, Women’s Rights Are a Part of Human Rights by Pauli Murray *Film: Eyes on the Prize *When and Where I Enter: The Impact of Black Women on Race and Sex in America by Paula Giddings *Christine Jorgensen *Young Lord’s Organization/Party |
| 8.7: America as a World Power | |
| 8.8: Vietnam War | Radicals on the Road: Internationalism, Orientalism, and Feminism During the Vietnam Era by Judy Tzu-Chun Wu |
| 8.9: Great Society | *NOW Original Statement of Purpose (1966) *NOW’s Bill of Rights (1968) |
| 8.10: African American Civil Rights Movement (1960s) | *Combahee River Collective, A Black Feminist Statement *“Statement of Purpose, The National Black Feminist Organization” 1973 |
| 8.11: Civil Rights Movement Expands | WAPUSH Interviews *Bettina Aptheker *Joyce Antler *Catherine Monk *Karly Jay Latina/Chicana Feminism *Latina Legacies *“La Chicana” by Elizabeth Martinez National Organization for Women *The Women of NOW by Katherine Turk *NOW Original Statement of Purpose (1966) *The Movement: How Women’s Liberation Transformed America, 1963-1973 by Clara Bingham *1970: Women’s Strike for Equality *Elizabeth Farians *Florynce Kennedy *Wilma Heide *Sister Mary Joel Read *It Changed My Life: The Feminine Mystique at 50 *NOW’s Bill of Rights (1968) *Consciousness raising Radical feminism *SCUM Manifesto WAPUSH Interview with Breanne Fahs *Image: Radical Women Conference (1976) *Radicalesbians *Daughters of Bilitis and the publication of “The Ladder” *Women in the Black Panther Party *Sister Outsider by Audre Lorde *“The Lesser of two Evils” by Sherri Chessen Finkbine *Griswold v. Connecticut (1965) *Alice Paul’s annotations of The Feminine Mystique by Betty Friedan *Army of Three *Shirley Chisholm *Olivia Records and women’s music 1977 Houston Women’s Conference *This conference helped create a liberal women’s movement and a conservative women’s movement, 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 *“Multiracial Feminism: Recasting the Chronology of Second Wave Feminism” by Becky Thompson *Jill Ruckelshaus *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) *“Feminism in Waves: Useful Metaphor or Not?” by Linda Nicholson *BC Voices Books & Magazines *Divided We Stand by Marjorie Spruill *Lilith Magazine *“Seeing Red: American Indian Women Speaking About Their Religious and Political Perspectives” by Inés Maria Talamantez Films *Sisters of ‘77 |
| 8.12: Youth Culture of the 1960s | *Women in the Weather Underground |
| 8.13: Environment & Natural Resources from 1968-1980 | * Rachel Carson’s work was foundational to the modern day environmental movement |
| 8.14: Society in Transition | Abortion *WAPUSH Interview with Daniel K. Williams *As early as 1959, feminist lawyers such as Dorothy Kenyon were working to legalize abortion nationwide Committee for a Human Abortion Law *Tiny You: A Western History of the Anti-Abortion Movement by Jennifer L. Holland *National Abortion Rights Action League (NARAL) *Debate over the Hyde Amendment *Abortion and the Law in America: Roe v. Wade to the Present by Mary Ziegler *Before Roe v. Wade: Voices that Shaped the Abortion Debate Before the Supreme Court Ruling by Linda Greenhouse and Reva B. Siegel *“On the Dignity & Vocation of Women” 1988 *American Citizens Concerned for Life *Women Against Abortion: Inside the Largest Moral Reform Movement of the Twentieth Century by Karissa Haugeberg *Abortion Proposals-The Amendments Project *Birthing reproductive justice Womanism *Alice Walker *Margaret Sloan *Kitchen Table Press *National Black Feminist Organization *Sister Song *“Statement of Purpose, The National Black Feminist Organization” 1973 *“Black Women: From Slavery to Womanist Liberation” by Emilie M. Townes *“Defining Black Feminist Thought” by Patricia Hill Collins *“Womanist” (1983) by Alice Walker *“Womanist Theology: Black Women’s Voices” (1986) by Delores S. Williams Equal Rights Amendment *WAPUSH Interviews: Mary Lee Sargent, Zoe Nicholson *Presidents Eisenhower, Johnson and Nixon all supported the Equal Rights Amendment *Sonia Johnson’s From Housewife to Heretic *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 *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). *“Mrs. America Primer: The Real Story of Phyllis Schlafly’s Campaign Against the ERA” *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 *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 and several others *Barbara Honneger Worked for Reagan & quit in protest over his lack of support for the ERA Women’s health *Margaret Sanger *Congressional passage of the Hyde Amendment in 1977 *Crisis pregnancy centers *Our Bodies, Ourselves *Causes and effects of the liberalization of abortion laws in New York in 1970 *Black Women, the Nation of Islam and the Pursuit of Freedom *Margaret Chase Smith Women in the conservative movement *Tea Party Women: Mama Grizzlies, Grassroots Leaders, and the Changing Face of the American Right by Melissa Deckman *Mothers of Conservatism: Women and the Postwar Right by Michelle M. Nickerson *Pat Nixon *Nancy Reagan *Ellen McCormack’s presidential campaign in the 1970s *Eagle Forum *What’s Wrong with Equal Rights for Women by Phyllis Schlafly *STOP ERA campaign visuals *Pat Nixon and Women’s Issues of the 1970s *Ford Library archives on women *“Pursuing the Reunification of Home and Work” by Erika Bachiochi *Feminists for Life *Fetal photography *National Pro-Family Coalition *Independent Women’s Forum *Mary Louise Smith *Beverly LaHaye *Mary Louise Smith *Connaught (Connie) Marshner *Faith Ryan Whittlesey *Elizabeth Goodwin, cofounder of the Right to Life League (1966) *Barbara Wilke & the Handbook on Abortion *Sidney Callahan & pro-life feminism Women in the disability rights movement *Judith Heumann *Alice Wong *Gender differences in autism diagnosis *Video: U.S. Capitol Crawl *Temple Grandin: The Autism History Project *Photos: Center for Independent Living *Women helped create 504 plans in public schools |
Period 9: 1980-Present
| 9.2: Reagan & Conservatism | *Mildred Jefferson *Women in the AIDS crisis & the ACT UP Movement *WAPUSH interview with Sarah Schulman *American Citizens Concerned for Life *Pat Nixon and Women’s Issues of the 1970s *Ford Library archives on women |
| 9.3: End of the Cold War | |
| 9.4: A Changing Economy | *Coverture laws lasted through the late 20th century *Women, especially Filipino women, have migrated to the U.S. to work as nurses *Women seeking the American presidency |
| 9.5: Migration & Immigration in the 1990s & 2000s | *Transnational Feminism in Development *30 people protecting women’s rights around the world |
| 9.6: Challenges of the 21st Century | *WAPUSH Interview with Father Anne Third and fourth wave feminism *Rebecca Walker’s “I Am the Third Wave” *WAPUSH Interview with Dr. Iléana Jimenez *“Beyonce’s Fierce Feminism,” Janell Hobson, Ms. Magazine, 2013 *Feminism: The Fourth Wave *“The Riot Grrrl Manifesto” Kathleen Hanna *“I’m not a feminist, but…” *Disability Justices & the COVID-19 pandemic *Punk feminism *Women in hip hop *#MeToo *1994 Violence Against Women Act *Intersectionality, coined by Kimberlé Crenshaw *Anita Hill’s testimony against Clarence Thomas *State laws regarding constitutional gender equality *“Prisoner of Sex” by Ariel Levy *“Landscape of the Ordinary” by Andrea Dworkin *National Museum of Women in the Arts *Film: RBG *The Promise of Happiness and Living a Feminist Life (Sara Ahmed) *Transnational anti-gender movement *WAPUSH interview with Sarah Schulman about ACT UP *State Level Equal Rights Amendments *“The Master’s Tools Will Never Dismantle the Master’s House” by Audre Lorde *Poems by Ana Castillo *WAPUSH Interview with Gloria La Riva *“The Women of Black Lives Matter,” Brittney Cooper, Ms., 2015 *Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009 *“Thin and Thick Conceptions of the Nineteenth Amendment Right to Vote and Congress’s Power to Enforce It,” Richard L. Hasan and Leah Litman *Lois Curtis *Dr. Haunani-Kay Trask *Feminist Uprising & modern day Silent Sentinels *Erasure of LGBTQ+ history *After Misogyny by Julie Suk *Ordinary Equality by Kate Kelly *Charlotte Clymer *Silicon Valley Imperialism by Erin McElroy *“Race-ing Roe: Reproductive Justice, Racial Justice, and the Battle for Roe v. Wade”by Melissa Murray from the Harvard Law Review Undue Burden: Life and Death Decisions in Post-Roe America by Shefali Luthra *Students for Life *Lila Rose *Know Your IX *Indigenous women & LGBTQ+ activists led the Standing Rock protest against the Dakota Access Pipeline *Gen Z for Change *Missing & Murdered Indigenous Women: MMIW *Julie Suk’s concepts of male overentitlement and overempowerment in the law *“Review: Transnational Feminisms in a Globalized World: Challenges, Analysis, and Resistance” *“Globalization of the Local/ Localization of the Global: Mapping Transnational Women’s Movements” by Amrita Basu *“The Veil Debate Again” by Leila Ahmed |