Pre-Civil War Working Conditions
American history professor Alice Kessler-Harris talks about working conditions during the pre-Civil War years. "A twelve-hour working day in the pre-Civil War period in factory labor would be more or less common, and both men and women struggled for...
Division of Labor in Colonial America
American history professor Alice Kessler-Harris talks about patterns of work during colonial times. Professor Harris notes that both men and women worked in the colonial household. "There was no such thing as a non-working person," she points out.
Family History: Changes in the American Family Since 1970
There has been an enormous shift in American family life since 1970. For example, childcare has become the most pressing problem in many American households, and gender roles have been substantially redefined. Many believe both of these facts can ...
Long Hours and Personal Sacrifice
This clip talks about the long hours and personal sacrifice that are often part of running a small business. It's not uncommon for the business owner to miss important family events because the demands of the business are so great.
Working: Working Couples and Marital Stability
Whether due to gender role conflict or other factors, the stress brought on when both adults work outside the home can have a significant impact on marital stability.
Working: Division of Household Labor
Although there have been significant changes in the division of household labor in recent decades, many contend that the primary responsibility continues to rest with women.
Working Women in Colonial America
American history professor Alice Kessler-Harris says that, during the period of "proto industrialization," things changed in the North when women became more engaged in what she calls "entrepreneurial activities." In the South, those women who didn'...
Women at Work
American history professor Alice Kessler-Harris explains that, in the early twentieth century, two-thirds of native-born White women worked exclusively in the home, while African-American women tended to work outside the home in greater numbers.