Timeline of Domesticity in the US
Pre-Feminism
1600s-1700s: The “noble frugal housewife” practices domesticity because it is a necessity for her rural family.
1800s: The “cult of domesticity” rises as industrialization divides work and homemaking into gender specific roles; the ideal wife is expected to be the “angel in the house.”
1800s: The “cult of domesticity” rises as industrialization divides work and homemaking into gender specific roles; the ideal wife is expected to be the “angel in the house.”
First Wave of Feminism--Suffrage
Late 1800s-1920s: The scientific approach of home economics strips America of many ethnic traditions and foods in the name of efficiency and modernization. Women envision ways that technical progress will help lighten their loads (creation of cleaning armies, co-op kitchens and childcare).
1920s-1940s: The consumer culture peaks until the Great Depression; after the market crashes, women are again encouraged to be purposeful homemakers.
1950s: White women are expected to play the role of “happy homemaker.” African American women are looked down upon if they decide to stay home.
1920s-1940s: The consumer culture peaks until the Great Depression; after the market crashes, women are again encouraged to be purposeful homemakers.
1950s: White women are expected to play the role of “happy homemaker.” African American women are looked down upon if they decide to stay home.
Second Wave of Feminism--Education, Workplace, and Financial Equality
1960s/1970s: The Women’s Liberation Movement/second wave of feminism takes place; Betty Freidman’s book The Feminine Mystique is published in 1963.
1970s/1980s/1990s: Domesticity experiences decline; inflation forces women to enter the workforce to provide for families.
1970s/1980s/1990s: Domesticity experiences decline; inflation forces women to enter the workforce to provide for families.
Third Wave of Feminism--New Domesticity
Late 1990s-Present: The DIY and the foodie movement propel New Domesticity into the 21st century. New Domesticity allows women the choice to return to hearth and home if they desire.
(Content adapted from Matchar 29-45)
(Content adapted from Matchar 29-45)