How did women's role in American society change from the 1920s to the 1970s?

The 1920s were a crucial era for women in America. Women—at least, white Women—finally received the right to vote on August 26th, 1920, a right that had been solely reserved to men up until this point. Being able to vote was a crucial step, as it helped women in America advocate and vote for their own political interests and equality.

This trend of liberation for women continued, which can be seen in the fact that the number of women going to work was steadily increasing. During World War II, women did their part in supporting and defending their country. For example, many women worked as nurses and telephone operators for the U.S. Army. Others were able to join the Women’s Army Corps. Also, as many men had to go to war and fight, this opened up many work opportunities for women, as these positions had to be filled in order to keep the country and the economy running.

This trend for women starting and establishing a career continued to develop in the 1950s. By the 1960s and '70s, there was an even more noticeable shift: women were definitely no longer content to stay at home as housewives—the seventies were a time of feminist activism for women's equality. Finally, it was less of a rarity for women to attend universities and to embark on more established and respected careers, for example studying law or medicine.

Through the advent of the birth control pill, women received a lot more freedom. Being in control of contraception and being able to decide for themselves if and when they wanted to have a child allowed women a lot more freedom with regard to their career choices. As are result, by the 1970s, women were no longer just seen as mothers and housewives.