You are a female activist during the First World War. Write a letter to the American press detailing the different
causes of American women (peace, suffrage, and pro-war activism). What social and political platforms did
these various groups espouse and what types of tactics did they employ to achieve their goals? Lastly,
evaluate the respective outcomes of each. Were they successful in achieving their aims, why or why not?
Be sure to place your topic of choice (i.e. antebellum reform, the reconstruction era, or activism during WWI)
into context. That is, what conditions: socially, politically, economically, encouraged or motivated the evolution?
Similarly, don’t forget to evaluate the legacy. How does the era change the landscape for American women?
Your essay must incorporate a minimum of 2 primary sources from Through Women’s Eyes. You can choose
from material embedded within the chapter or essays contained at the chapter’s end. Source material must be
cited appropriately- in-text citations, as well as a bibliography, are needed. Given the length of the paper, avoid
using block quotations. These are direct quotes longer than four lines in length. Generally, block quoting is
reserved for papers that are much lengthier (10-15 pages). Rely on your own interpretation of the material. You
do not need to perform additional research outside of the text, PP slides, and material on Canvas including
documentary films.
Maurine Greenwald, Women, War, and Work: The Impact of World War I on Women Workers in the United
States (Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 1980)
Eleanor Flexner, Century of Struggle: The Woman’s Rights Movement in the United States (Cambridge, MA:
Belknap Press, 1959)
Sample Solution
