how do we know why women went to work in greater numbers in the '70's? I am looking for data to explain it.

Answer 1

Here is a good resource and start: http://www.ssc.wisc.edu/cde/cdewp/98-27.pdf

Good luck!

Answer 2

There is one major reason. World War II.

In WWII, women were forced to take over jobs from men who went away to war. For many, this was a temporary situation. But these women were also the first American women to grow up knowing that they had the vote. They were tasting freedom, and passed on this belief that women were not second class citizens to their daughters.

The following years led to improvements in civil rights, and also to a baby boom. The civil rights movement expanded to other groups, and in the 1970s there was a movement to grant equal rights to women. While the constitutional amendment failed, legislation did not. Title IX granted women the same athletic opportunities to compete in sports that men had.

More women (due to the baby boom) and a new attitude on what women were allowed to do led to more women going to college in the 1970s -- and led to more seeking employment.

Another extremely important factor in all of this was the fact that the birth control pill became available in the 1960s. Women no longer had to stay home and raise the kids.

Then, of course, there is Billie Jean King..

If you are looking for data -- look at the number of women who went to college (compared to a decade earlier) and look at growth of sales in the pill.

Answer 3

Womens lib movement, Affirmitve action, Vietnam war & the pill.

The movement caused women to abandon traditional homemaker roles and marriage. Afirmmitive action intended to help minorities, has largely benifited white women instead. A large number of males were in the military durring the war years rather than the work force. Thus openings for women were there, as in WW2. Birth control allowed for women to delay child bearing & start careers instead. Start from there.......

Answer 4

You could look at data concerning the increase in household goods which replaced the manual domestic work of the housewife - dishwashers, microwaves, washing machines. They had more time then to pursue work outside the home.

THere is also the possibility that the women in the seventies were the daughters of women who had done all sorts of jobs during WW2 that traditionally women had not done - so it expanded their expectations.

Also there was the growth of birth control which meant women could delay having babies and concentrate on their career.

Maybe you could also look at divorce rates - maybe more women had to work to support them selves.

Answer 5

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