The Center for the Teaching of American History

Social and Political Change in the 19th Century

The U.S. and the World in the 20th Century

DBQ:Women & Labor During WWII

Historical Context:

During World War II millions of male workers left the civilian work force to enlist in the armed services leaving an enormous gap in industrial producation that needed to be filled. As in World War I, World War II saw the need for women to become employed outside of the home to aid the war effort. With relatively well-paying jobs available in industry women abandoned low-paid, traditionally female occupations such as domestic service employment.

Directions:

The following question is based on the accompanying documents found in part A. As you begin to analyze the documents, take into account the source of the document and the author's point of view. Be sure to:

Carefully read the document based question.
Read each document carefully and answer the questions which follow each document
Based on your knowledge of social studies and on the information found in the documents, formulate a thesis that directly answers the question.
Write a well-organized essay proving your thesis. The essay should be logically presented and should include information both from the documetns and from your knowledge of social studies.

Essay Question: How did the role of women change during WWII?

Part A: The following documents will help you understand how women's roles changed within the United States during WWII. Examine each document carefully, and answer the questions that follow.

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