MCCCD Program Description

American Women Since 1920

Course: WST161

First Term: 2000 Fall

Lecture 3 Credit(s) 3 Period(s) 3 Load
Subject Type: Academic
Load Formula: S

Description: Continuation of the history of women in America from 1920 to the present, based on a feminist perspective. Includes discussion of the roles and status of immigrant and ethnic minority women

MCCCD Official Course Competencies
1. Describe the social, political, and economic situation of women during the 1920s, including differences between women of the dominant culture and immigrant and ethnic minority women. (I) 2. Describe the impact of women`s suffrage on America in the 1920s. (II) 3. Describe the impact of the depression and the New Deal on the lives of women in America in the 1930s. (III) 4. Describe the impact of World War II on women`s lives in America and their contributions to the war effort. (IV) 5. Describe the changing roles of women after World War II and the influence of this period on the civil rights and women`s liberation movements of the 1960s. (IV-VI) 6. Describe the lives of minority women during the 1950s and their roles in the civil rights and women`s liberation movements of the 1960s. (V, VI) 7. Describe the feminist struggle for the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) and its significance for roles and status of women of all ethnicities in America. (VII) 8. Describe the controversy over abortion and the significance of the Roe V. Wade and subsequent court rulings. (VIII) 9. Describe the impact of increased participation of women in the workforce throughout the 1970s and 1980s. (IX) 10. Describe the development and impact of sexual harassment laws in the 1980s and 1990s. (X) 11. Describe the challenges faced by women and the nation for the future. (XI)
MCCCD Official Course Competencies must be coordinated with the content outline so that each major point in the outline serves one or more competencies. MCCCD faculty retains authority in determining the pedagogical approach, methodology, content sequencing, and assessment metrics for student work. Please see individual course syllabi for additional information, including specific course requirements.

MCCCD Official Course Outline
I. Women`s Right to Vote A. Social impact on majority women B. Political impact on majority women C. Economic impact on majority women D. Differential impact on minority women II. America`s Response A. Social change of the 1920s B. Dissolution of women`s unity C. Token entry with no political power III. The Depression and the New Deal A. Women`s lives during the depression B. Impact of the New Deal C. Contributions of Eleanor Roosevelt IV. World War II A. Changing roles of women B. Women`s contributions to the war effort C. End of World War II and its effect on women D. Legacy for the future V. Different Worlds A. Majority women in the 1950s B. Minority women in the 1950s VI. Political Activism in the 1960s A. Women`s contributions to the Civil Rights Movement B. Women`s Liberation Movement VII. Feminism and the ERA A. Organized efforts: N.O.W. B. Failure to ratify VIII. Abortion and the Right to Choose A. Right to choose vs. right to life B. Roe v. Wade C. Subsequent court rulings IX. Women in the Workforce A. 1970s: A phase? B. 1980s: Women are here to stay C. Impact on American social institutions X. Sexual Harassment A. Changing the workplace culture B. Legislating change C. Enforcing Legislation XI. Challenges for the Future A. At the end of this century B. Dreams for 2050

MCCCD Governing Board Approval Date: 12/14/1999

All information published is subject to change without notice. Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of information presented, but based on the dynamic nature of the curricular process, course and program information is subject to change in order to reflect the most current information available.