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American Women's History

Daily Life: 1492–1774
In 1608, the first 150 women arrived in the fledgling colony of Jamestown, Virginia. They had been brought there by the Virginia Company, a group of London businessmen who hoped to profit from...
Women at War: 1775–1827
Following the battles of Lexington and Concord in April 1775, the thirteen American colonies were at war with Britain. For the next eight years, battles ravaged the cities and the countryside....
Home and Daily Life: 1828–1860
Except for a minority of wealthy women who could afford servants to do all the housework and child care, most women led exhausting lives. Domestic work in the mid-19th century was extremely time...
Women in the Civil War: 1861–1899
Women's responsibilities during the Civil War increased enormously. In addition to caring for their families, they were left to supervise businesses and farms while the men were away...
Winning the Vote: 1900–1920
In the opening years of the 20th century, the campaign to win voting rights for women seemed to have run out of steam, but within ten years, it had gained new energy. During this period,...
The Arts: 1921–1937
In the 1920s and 1930s, women played an active role in the arts. There were prominent female playwrights, novelists, and poets. In the field of music, there were female composers, lyricists and...
Women in World War II: 1938–1960
Women's lives changed dramatically as a result of World War II. In 1941, when the United States joined the war on the side of the Allies against Germany, Japan, and Italy, millions of...
Modern Feminism Begins: 1961–1979
The 1960s was a decade of turbulence and unrest. Throughout the United States, tensions that had been growing for years erupted, and people joined together to protest unfairness, discrimination,...
The Modern Era: 1980–Present
Between 1980 and the present day, real and significant changes have taken place in the quality of women's lives in the United States. Today many more women occupy positions of power and...