Source: https://www.alternatewars.com/BBOW/Stats/DOD_SelectedStats_FY97.

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Women in WWI
Today, you will learn about the roles women took on during World War I to support the war effort.
On this presentation,
some words will be
underlined. Write these
words in the
appropriate blank on
your worksheet.
Before WWI
Before WWI, men mostly worked in
factories and businesses. They went
outside the house to earn money for the
family.
Women mostly were “homemakers” or
“housewives.” They stayed home to take
care of the children and cook meals for
their husband.

Here, men are working in a Ford factory

on an assembly line to make a car.
Before WWI
Women mostly were “housewives.” They
stayed home to take care of the children
and cook meals for their husband.

Here, we see an advertisement showing a

woman in the kitchen.
Before WWI
Women were not allowed to vote or join the
military to fight in combat.

Some people said women were physically

weaker, women’s brains were inferior to
men’s brains, and women would neglect
their homes.
The Military
After Congress declared war on Germany,
very few men volunteered to join the
military.

Congress passed the Selective Service Act

of 1917, which meant men aged 21-30
years old had to register for the draft.
The Military
THINK:

Why do you think so many people did not

volunteer for the military before the draft?

How do you think the economy was

impacted when men left to fight in World
War I?
Women in factories
When men joined the war, they left behind
jobs in the factories. Despite some
hesitancy, factory owners started to hire
women to work in the factories. Women
also took other jobs that were previously
“men’s jobs.”

Here, we see women working in a

munitions, or weapons, factory in the US.
Women in factories
This trend also happened internationally.
Here, we see a female mechanic fixing an
airplane in France.

THINK:
What issues do you think women might
have faced while working in the factories?
Women in factories
Women faced many issues while working in
the factories.

● Women were paid less than men for the

same time, sometimes half the wages of
men.
● Women worked in unhealthy conditions.
In munitions factories, women had to
deal with acid fumes that hurt their lungs
and turned their skin yellow.
Women at home
Some women remained housewives, and
they were asked to sign a pledge card. This
card said women would:

“carry out the directions and advice

of the Food Administrator in the
conduct of my household, in so far as
my circumstances permit.”
Women in the military
Women supported the war abroad in many
ways.
● Women joined the Red Cross and the
Army Nurse Corps, becoming
volunteer nurses and ambulance
drivers in England and France.
● Women enlisted in the Navy as
“Yeomen”, working as munitions
workers and telephone operators. Joy
Hancock was one of the first women
to enlist in the Navy.
Women in the military
Women supported the war abroad in many
ways.
● Some women, known as the “Hello
Girls,” served as telephone switchboard
operators because they could speak
English and French.
Over nine million women joined the war effort.
Women still faced issues, however. They
sometimes did not receive military benefits,
and they often received reduced pay.
After WWI

Remember: Who fought for women’s suffrage in the

1800s?

Think: Do you think women’s increased role in the war

effort helped or hurt their fight for suffrage? Why?
After WWI
President Woodrow Wilson, after the war, asked
Congress to pass an amendment for women’s
suffrage. He believed if women sacrificed
themselves for the war effort, they should be able
to vote.

The 19th Amendment was ratified in 1920, and it

gave all women the right to vote.

Yet, many still experienced discrimination,

especially Black women.
Reflection

Think: How did women help the war effort?

Think: How were women impacted due to their support for

the war effort?

Be prepared to share your answers.

Videos!!!!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6UmERSpTtJc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=si3f8yVJjPo
Sources and Standards
https://www.theworldwar.org/learn/women
https://history.delaware.gov/world-war-i/women-roles-wwi/
https://www.striking-women.org/module/women-and-work/world-war-i-1914-1918
https://www.nps.gov/articles/women-in-world-war-i.htm
USII.1c, 1d, 5c