Changing Roles of Women

Social Studies 11November 26, 2010

Name That Canadian…

Name That Canadian…

Name That Canadian…

Name That Canadian…

Name That Canadian…

Name That Canadian…

Name That Canadian…

Name That Canadian…

Name That Canadian…

World War I

• 100’s of women volunteered to work overseas

• Primarily nurses or ambulance drivers (approx. 2500)

World War I

• Nurses who served in the Canadian Army Medical Corps known as “bluebirds” (reference to uniform colour)

• Many killed or injured by artillery fire, bombs, poison gas

World War I - Home Front

• # of women in labour force increased dramatically

• Canada’s wartime economy would have collapsed without their efforts

Suffragette Movement

• Women’s roles during WWI strengthened suffrage movement

• 1918: all Canadian women given the right to vote in federal elections

1920’s• Women enjoyed

greater freedom

• Worked jobs formerly held by men

• Fewer clothing restrictions: “shocking” bathing suits & short skirts appeared

Women’s Christian Temperance Union

• Believed alcohol was evil

• Put pressure on the U.S. government to ban production, sale and consumption of alcohol

• A.K.A. Prohibition

Prohibition• Rationale:

• alcohol led to family abuse, diseases, poverty, child labour, etc.

• Belief that criminal activities would decline

• Reality: organized crime increased

Prohibition in Canada

• Significant loopholes in Canadian prohibition laws

• Doctors could prescribe alcohol for their patients

• Provinces eventually sold liquor in government-controlled stores - Prohibition over

Agnes Macphail

• 1921: first female member of Parliament

• Called for prison reform in 1930’s

Famous Five• Composed of five

women from Alberta:

• Emily Murphy

• Nellie McClung

• Henrietta Muir Edwards

• Louise McKinney

• Irene Parlby

Emily Murphy• First female judge

in the British Empire

• Challenged in her own court by lawyers

• Claimed she was not considered a “person” under the BNA Act

• 1927 :Famous Five challenged the Act in the Supreme Court of Canada

“Person’s Case”• 1927 - Supreme

Court ruled against Famous Five

• 1928 - Famous Five appealed to the British Privy Council

• 1929 - Council stated that “persons” includes both men and women

“Famous Five” sculptureOttawa, Ontario