New Woman/Flapper Essay Template For Faster Writing

In colonial times, women had the right to vote in some areas and they even had the right to own a property as well. The country was quite agricultural in this period and both the men and women shared their responsibilities in the farm work, as well as in child care. Due to this, the birth rate was also high. It is said that, without the women’s bravery and hard work, the colonies would have failed. It is true that women did not have the same rights as they have today, but they are still considered as an important part in founding America.
The 18th century brought the beginning of the British Cultural Revolution. The colonies were established more and the population exploded. A rapid industrialization after the revolution was seen in the 1700s and the early 1800s. The production grew due to the growth of the industry and this made the men become the wage earners and the women were left at home. The 18th century America began to follow the patriarchal system, where men are considered more powerful than women. This made the women’s political and legal power deteriorate. In 1824, the courts established a rule known as the Rule of Thumb that allowed the men to beat their wives as long as the stick’s thickness is not more than the thumb.
Women lost their right to vote, the clothing style also changed, becoming more elaborate and they were made the sexual beauty in this period. Women were focused more on domestic pursuits that encouraged the betterment of their families. The woman education was not advocated at all. Women, who dare to speak against the patriarchal system, ran the risk of being exiled from their homes and even from the communities as well. American women in the 19th century lived in an age of gender inequality.
During the late 19th century, the role of the American women in the society began to change. The qualities that once were related to a true woman including physical weakness, less education, modesty, the complete devotion to husband, children and home were threatened by the rise of the young and educated woman. Due to the advances in education and society, the New Woman emerged in the society.
A few things began to change at the start of the 20th century. Women again started moving into the workforce and they even started pursuing higher education as well. The clothing style of women began to shrink into narrower skirts from large hoop skirts. In the year 1917, the women again got the right to vote with men.
The women’s employment continued to expand more. The term “New Woman” was given by one of the famous writers, Sarah Grand in the year 1894. The new woman was also known as Flappers in that period. Flappers in the 1920s wore skirts and listen to jazz music. They also got their hair cut to bob style. The new name for women describes the growth in the number of educated and career oriented women in the United States and Europe. The women of that period enjoyed their freedom to drink and enjoy sexual activities.
Speakeasies became a common place for the new women as they adopted the same attitude towards life as their male counterparts ("Flappers [Ushistory.Org]"). Smoking became common among the flappers, which was earlier reserved for men only. They were less hesitant to experiment sexual activities than the previous generations.
The flapper had a completely different look. The long hair of the earlier women lay on the parlor floor as the young new woman got their hair cut to shoulder length ("Flappers [Ushistory.Org]"). The length of the dresses also becomes short till the knees. Women started using makeup and the makeup industry started blooming a lot.
The rise of the new woman was considered as the declaration of independence for them. The new women of this period experimented with her new looks, her clothing style, and jobs and she was completely liberated and free as compared to the woman of earlier ages. They also started working outside the home, leaving behind the traditional homely tasks. They were the result of the large social changes.
The short dress and the high heels were used as a symbol of emancipation. A lady did not set foot in the saloon before the war, but after the war, it was so common for young women to apply makeup on their face and go to beauty parlors. They started drinking publicly and they started using contraceptives as well. They started competing men in the corporate world and gained financial independence. The dress of new women was more flexible and lighter than before and it was best suited for the flapper who wants complete independence.
The new woman pushed all the boundaries of the gender roles away, representing freedom from all sides. The modern women of the 1920s can think independently and no longer followed the conventions of others. The roles of males and females in the society were being challenged.
The expansion of women’s legal rights comes to an end with the start of the Great Depression. The government gave preference to the males over the females. A restriction of sexuality was seen in this period. An expansion of woman employment was seen after the World War II, but no change was seen in their social roles.
The era of glitz and glamour came to an end, along the flapper dress. The vibrant flapper women returned back to hemlines. A poverty stricken time arrived that cut most of the fabric choices of the flapper women. The use of artificial fabrics became popular, instead of the elegant fabrics, such as silk. The trend of party dresses came to an end and the women had to take over the role of men who were in the war.
The era of flapper women vanished in an overnight, but the liberation of women lived on till today. It was not necessary for a woman to be a homemaker. There was a freedom for her to choose her role. The flapper dress helped the women to bridge the gap between the genders in the society that leads to the direction of full rights to women.