Women and the 'boom' in 1920s America
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can evaluate the changing role of women in the USA during the 1920s.
Key learning points
- Women were enfranchised in 1920 but enjoyed limited gains form this in the 1920s.
- Opportunities for women to work increased.
- Women's work was usually less skilled and lower-paying than men's.
- Many women enjoyed new social freedoms, especially flappers.
- Not all women were equally able, or willing, to enjoy new social freedoms.
Keywords
Enfranchised - a person is enfranchised if they have been given the right to vote in elections
Congress - the elected group of politicians who make laws for the USA are referred to as Congress
Contraceptive - any type of device or drug used to try and prevent pregnancy is described as a contraceptive
Flapper - a flapper was a young woman who followed new fashion trends and acted independently
Common misconception
All women in the USA experienced changes in the same way during the 1920s.
The ways in which women experienced changes often differed depending on factors such as race, wealth and location.
Teacher tip
Present students with 2/3 individuals from the 1920s (i.e. Clara Bow, Mae Nolan, Mary McLeod Bethune). Encourage students to identify where the experiences of these women was similar and differed. Push students to attempt explaining some differences.
Content guidance
Depiction or discussion of discriminatory behaviour
Depiction or discussion of sexual content
Supervision
Adult supervision required
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Write the missing word. If something is , it is brought into a country illegally
Q2.What type of career did Al Capone have?
Q3.How many Americans went to the cinema weekly by 1930?
Q4.What was the star system?
Q5.What became more common as a direct result of Prohibition?
Q6.What does the increase in speakeasies suggest about Prohibition?
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Match each of the keywords to their correct definitions.
elected group of politicians who make laws for the USA
devices or drugs used to try and prevent pregnancy
having the right to vote in elections
young women who acted independently during the 1920s
Q2.In which region of the USA were the majority of African American women still prevented from voting after 1920?
Q3.The typical male cotton weaver in 1920 was paid $29 per week. How much was a typical female weaver paid per week?
Q4.Which professional jobs were most common for women to work in during the 1920s?
Q5.How did contraception affect female relationships during the 1920s?
Q6.Which group did the President of Florida University accuse of "carrying the present generation to destruction"?
To help you plan your 11 history lesson on: Women and the 'boom' in 1920s America, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 11 history lesson on: Women and the 'boom' in 1920s America, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 4 history lessons from the America 1920–1973, Opportunity and inequality unit, dive into the full secondary history curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.