History 2301 Essay #2

This essay should explore the sources, themes, and ideas contained in the assigned book, The American Women’s Movement, 1945-2000. It should have a clearly articulated thesis statement early in the essay and develop a persuasive case for the thesis by using evidence (sources) drawn from the book. While you might want to examine the chapters on the 1960s and 1970s from The American Yawp (the free, online textbook available on Blackboard) for context, you should not think of this assignment as a research paper. I am not asking you to find any source beyond those contained in The American Women’s Movement. In fact, I would use any outside source with great care—especially web pages—lest it appear that you are appropriating others’ work for your own. Rather, the point of this essay to is think carefully about the sources that Eric Arnesen has collected in his book, and to write critically and persuasively about them.

PROMPT: Feminists in the 1970s often explained their choice of causes with the phrase, “the personal is political,” meaning that issues usually considered “private” (like marriage, sexuality, reproduction, or home life) were indelibly shaped by laws and policies developed in the “public” or political realm. How did this belief shape the women’s movement in the 1960s and 1970s? And, to what extent were women’s activists successful in changing society to reflect this insight?

REQUIREMENTS: • Your essay should be a minimum of 1000 words (longer is fine, but try not to exceed 1200 words) • You should utilize a minimum of three primary sources from The American Women’s Movement to support your thesis • Citation style is not terribly important, unless you are using sources from outside the assigned book. When quoting a source from The American Women’s Movement may simply use parenthesis with page numbers, for example (MacLean, 112). Any outside source must be cited in Chicago style.

Answer

The phrase “the personal is political” was a central idea for feminists in the 1970s, as it highlighted the interconnectedness of seemingly “private” issues and the larger political and social structures that shape them. This belief was a driving force for the women’s movement in the 1960s and 1970s, as activists sought to challenge and change laws and policies that impacted women’s lives in areas such …Order a customized and more comprehensive answer here

One key source that illustrates this belief is Betty Friedan’s “The Feminine Mystique,” which was published in 1963. Friedan argues that the societal expectation for women to solely fulfill the role of housewife and mother is both limiting and oppressive, and that this expectation is reinforced by political and economic structures. She writes, “The only way for a woman, as for a man, to find herself, to know herself as a person, is by creative…Order a customized and more comprehensive answer here

Another source that demonstrates the impact of this belief on the women’s movement is the 1971 “Blueprint for the Women’s Movement,” which was written by a group of feminist activists. This document outlines a wide range of political demands, including equal pay, reproductive rights, and an end to discrimination in the workplace. Significantly, the document also calls for an end to “sex role stereotypes,” and for the “elimination of all…Order a customized and more comprehensive answer here