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Heimler Unit 9 - Topic 8

Apr 8, 2025

Post-WWII Evolution of Women's Roles in Europe

Introduction

  • Historical view of women primarily as mothers.
  • Post-WWII changes brought new opportunities for women in both Western and Eastern Europe.

Factors for Change in Western Europe

  1. Post-War Economic Boom
    • High demand for labor due to economic growth fueled by the Marshall Plan.
    • Shift from male-dominated industries to a knowledge economy.
  2. Educational Opportunities
    • More women attending college, preparing them for white-collar professions.
  3. Workplace Inequality
    • Women still faced inequality, often in part-time work and paid less than men.
    • Progress driven by second-wave feminism.

Feminist Movements

  • First Wave of Feminism
    • Late 19th to early 20th century focused on women's suffrage.
  • Second Wave of Feminism
    • Focused on societal inequalities, rights in education, marriage laws, and careers.
    • Influenced by Simone de Beauvoir's "The Second Sex."

Women's Rights Post-WWI

  • Contributions to the war effort led to women's suffrage in many countries.
  • Key Suffrage Milestones:
    • Sweden, Hungary, Austria, Poland, Germany, Britain, and Czechoslovakia in 1918.
    • USA in 1920, France in 1944.

Developments in Eastern Europe

  • Soviet policies provided women with more equal rights, but challenges similar to the West persisted.

Marriage and Reproductive Rights

  • Divorce Laws
    • Shift to give women more agency in divorce.
  • Birth Control
    • Introduction of the birth control pill, led by Margaret Sanger.
    • Controversy from the Roman Catholic Church.
  • In Vitro Fertilization
    • Enabled pregnancies without male involvement.

Women's Political Gains

  • Margaret Thatcher
    • First female Prime Minister of Great Britain (1979), conservative policies.
  • Mary Robinson
    • First female President of Ireland (1990), modernized cultural laws.
  • Édith Cresson
    • First female Prime Minister of France (1991), faced corruption allegations.

Conclusion

  • Continued progress towards equality, despite ongoing challenges.
  • For further review, explore unit 9 of AP Europe or consider the AP Euro review pack for exam preparation.

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