Women in the southwest were affected socially and economically throughout the United States as a result of changes in the work force. This site provides an overview of the history of women and the changes they have encountered over time. Since the arrival of the Europeans in North America to the current day maquiladoras, changes have constantly affected the status of women in the work force. In order to understand the current environment in which women on the border in the work force face, a thorough analysis of the past is necessary.
 
 

Some of the more popular professions for women living during the colonial period were the roles of mother and wife.  In Colonial New England, the settlers brought a new economic life by building numerous factories.  Women began to digress from their roles as wives and mothers by participating in labor force.  In 1739, the Seven Years War increased the demand for women labor because the men were away at battle. Women also began to receive higher educations, which helped raise their status from unskilled laborer to skilled laborer. To read more about colonial women click here.

The Victorian era proved to be a time in which women challenged their traditional roles as mothers and wives, looking for jobs previously employed by men. By the turn of the century, women were charity workers, teachers, writers, and scientists. While their responsibilities at home still remained a prominent part of their life, the social life no longer prohibited women's involvement. To read more about Victorian women click here.

The traditional views of women in society were to stay home, clean, raise children and help with the family farm. This view started to change during the late nineteenth century and throughout the Industrial Revolution. Women were about to embark on ninety plus years of hard fighting to obtain their political and social goals of equality and individuality. To read more about women and suffrage click here.

World War II proved to be the catalyst that opened new doors for women and eventually changed the way women were regarded as a viable workfore.  For the first time women left the "traditional jobs" and accomplished job tasks previously believed to be beyond their capabilities. The drastic reduction of available manpower coupled with the dire need for factory workers resulted in females being placed in phyically demanding roles.  The hard work, dedication  and skill with which these women  preformed these jobs paved the way for others.. Read more about specific attitude and government changes that resulted this time in history. To read more about women and WWII click here.

Women’s participation in strikes during the 1970’s and 80’s helped women gain the self-respect and individual attitude needed to move up in the work force. Although the women involved in these strikes made a big impact on the strike and its outcome, they go widely unrecognized and uncredited for their roles.  This paper focuses on three strikes, the Brookside Coal Strike, the Phelps-Dodge Copper Strike, and the Pittston Coal Strike.  Each strike had women participants who greatly impacted it and did a small part to help women move toward a place in the labor force. To read more about women and strikes click here.

As we look closer to the border, we can examine the US owned assembly plants in Mexico, called the maquiladoras. Women have worked in these plants for many years and have suffered the unnecessary abuse and mistreatment that goes with the job. Now, women are taking a stand and fighting for their rights. With the help of several organizations, workers have improved conditions in the maquiladoras and demand that they be heard. To read more about women in maquiladoras click here.

* this page was created on April 21, 1999