Worksheets and No Prep Teaching Resources
Worksheets and No Prep Teaching Resources
Reading Comprehension Worksheets
Women's History
Women's Work

Women's History
Women's History


Women's Work
Print Women's Work Reading Comprehension


Reading Level
     edHelper's suggested reading level:   grades 7 to 9
     Flesch-Kincaid grade level:   7.11

Vocabulary
     challenging words:    autoworkers, riveters, welders, businesswoman, unemployed, postal, finance, accountant, finding, military, refused, sales, industry, tragic, teaching, secretary
     content words:    Triangle Shirtwaist Factory, Great Depression, United States, World War II


Women's Work
By Sharon Fabian
  

1     In the early days of our country, women, men, and children often worked on the family farm. Each person had his or her jobs to do, and the success of the farm depended on each member of the family doing his or her part. Later, as our country moved into the industrial age, more and more people began to go out to work for a salary. Since the late 1800s, more and more women have joined the work force. The number of women who worked outside of the home and the type of work that they did changed from time to time as the needs of our country changed.
 
2     In the 1890s, only about 17% of women worked outside of the home. Besides farm work, their jobs were mainly in traditional women's fields such as teaching, nursing, and domestic service. Women also worked in textile and garment factories. By the 1900s, the percentage of employed women rose slightly, to about 20%. Occupations that were opening up to women at this time included secretary, telephone operator, and sales clerk. Many young women still worked in textile and garment factories too. In these factories, pay was low and working conditions were dangerous. You may have read in your history book about the tragic fire at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory.
 
3     The 1930s was the time of the Great Depression. During the Depression, money and jobs were scarce, and many people became unemployed. Women had an especially hard time finding work, since many people felt that the few jobs that were available should go to the men first. Some employers refused to hire any married women during this time.

Paragraphs 4 to 9:
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Women's History
             Women's History


United States
             United States


    American Government  
 
    Black History and Blacks in U.S. History  
 
    Children in History  
 
    Government Careers  
 
    Hispanic Heritage  
 
    How Can I Help?  
 
 
    Immigration  
 
    National Parks and Monuments  
 
    Native Americans  
 
    Presidents of the United States  
 
    Women's History  
 


United States History
    A Nation Divided
(1840-1861)
 
 
    A New Nation
(1776-1830)
 
 
    After the Civil War
(1865-1870)
 
 
    American Revolution  
 
    Cold War
(1947-1991)
 
 
    Colonial America (1492-1776)  
 
    Lewis and Clark
(1804-1806)
 
 
    Pearl Harbor  
 
    Spanish American War (1898)  
 
    The 1890's  
 
    The 1900's  
 
    The 1910's  
 
    The 1920's  
 
    The 1930's  
 
 
    The 1940's  
 
    The 1950's  
 
    The 1960's  
 
    The 1970's  
 
    The 1980's  
 
    The 1990's  
 
    The 2000's  
 
    The Civil War
(1861-1865)
 
 
    The Great Depression
(1929-1945)
 
 
    The United States Grows
(1865-1900)
 
 
    The War of 1812  
 
    Wild, Wild West  
 
    World War I
(1914-1918)
 
 
    World War II  
 


50 States

             Fifty States Theme Unit


Document Based Activities
      Document Based Activities



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