Women in Sports 19th and 20th Century

Jen Pearlstein December 2, 2010 Kin 305 Women in Sports 19th and 20th Century Women’s participation in sports has changed over the centuries. In ancient times, men dominated societies. Women were viewed as the caretaker, a provider for life. Women who did participate were criticized and were thought of as threatening. In 18th century America, women were considered inferior to men because of the belief that women are the weaker sex. A woman’s purpose in life was to take care of the house, children, and husband.

When they did want to participate in recreational sport, they need to be able to negotiate with men and with other women because societies did not make it easy for women to participate. For example, there was a woman who wanted to go sailing, but to do so she needed to deal with the owner of the boat, her husband and a neighboring couple, who was to accompany her, to do so. By the 19th century, there was a cultural shift for women. Women became frustrated with their role in society as house -keepers and caretakers and wanted to experience more with their life.

They wanted to pursue educational and athletic opportunities to expand their role outside the home. At that time, however, there was opposition towards women participating in sports and receiving an education because they believed it would cause damage to their reproductive organs. Also, it was believed that sport developed manliness, a trait women should not process. But when women were given an education, it was shown that they could handle the ability to endure rigors of education, which helped them form a sense of independence and help provide athletic opportunities.

Because of these growing opportunities, exercise for women became very popular and gained credibility. Catherine Beecher was one influential person in regards to physical education for women. She and Dioclesian Lewis developed the 1st women physical education programs to promote women’s health. They developed what is known as calisthenics, which is similar to Pilates. Colleges like, Wellesley College, started to require calisthenics and sports as part of their curriculum.

Among the wealthy, outdoor activities such as archery, tennis, and golf became creditable and evolved into national associations, which sponsored the first national championships for women in those sports. Senda Berenson’s introduction of basketball to women in 1892 caused coeducational colleges, women’s colleges, and other schools to organize women’s teams across the United States. The three women who plotted the initial course of physical education and athletic competitions were Blanche M Thrilling, Mabel Lee, and Agnes Wayman.

They were the leaders of women’s participation in athletics. However, Thrilling did provide the most leadership of the group. She organized a meeting to discuss the participation of women in sport. During this meeting the Athletic Conference of American College Women (CWA) was formed. However, they did not support the intercollegiate athletics for women. The reason why they opposed to intercollegiate athletics was because it led to professionalism, it was expensive, required coaches, and it led to nerve fatigue according to the organization.

Because of the opposition of intercollegiate athletics for women, a way for them to compete against another school was through play days or sport days. Three or more colleges would meet for competition and would divide themselves up into teams without the school colors. This was the only form of intercollegiate competition that was available for women. These play day and sport days caused an increase in the involvement of women in sporting events.

This led to the formation of organizations like the national committee on Women’s Sports, to provide rules and standards for athletic participation for women and girls. The AAU, Amateur Athletic Union, which was under the control of men, took control over women’s athletics. This stirred up conflict amongst physical educators and other leaders like, Lou Henry Hoover, Blanche Thrilling, and Agnes Wayman who opposed the AAU control and wanted women to govern the organization not men.

They were against it because “ only women could understand the psychological, motivational, and physiological need for women. ” (Costa & Guthrie, 91) Lou Henry Hoover was the leader of the National Amateur Athletic Federation, which was an organization that supported sport for everyone. She wanted to have a separate Women’s division because of the different ideal standards of women’s sport; and so was formed the women’s division of the NAAF. This organization set standards for women’s competition and encouraged them to participate in both school and non-school events.

There still was a belief that women were too frail physically and mentally to participate in intense competition like Olympics. However, in 1932, Mildred “ Babe” Didrikson disproved this belief by winning two Olympic gold medals and one silver medal in track and field. She had also won every golf tournament she competed in. Her great victories influenced the acceptance of higher- level competition, but there were still limitations due to the bias that sport build manliness, and therefore, women shouldn’t participate because it would strip their femininity.

Because of discrimination, women did not have as much financial support and training opportunities as men did. It was not until the 1960’s, during the feminist movement, that women fought for equal rights. This caused a great influence for women and sports. There was the approval of inclusion of intercollegiate sport and the establishment of national championship for golf, gymnastics, track and field, badminton, swimming, diving, volleyball and basketball. But what really caused a growth of women’s athletics, was the result of Title IX of the Educational Amendment Act of 1972.

This law was passed to eliminate sex discrimination in sports. This act provides equal opportunities for finances, coaching, and facilities. There was much growth of women’s athletics from ancient times to today. Even though you can still notice gender biases amongst women’s athletics since men’s sport are still more popular than the women’s, there are more opportunities and more organizations sponsoring women’s involvement and less discrimination than before.

References Costa, Margaret D, & Guthrie, Sharon D. ( 1994). Women and Sport: Interdisciplinary Perspectives. USA: D. Margaret Costa and Sharon R. Guthriex Hutchens, Lisa C. (1998). Gender Equity Collegiate Sports: The Role of Athletic Associations. Initiatives (Washington D. C),v. 58 no. 4. Retrieved from File:///Users/Jen/Downloads/HWWilsonRecords. html Metchikoff, Robert A. (2010) A History and Philosophy of Sport and Physical Education From Ancient Civilizations to the Modern World. Boston, MA: McGraw- Hill.

Read more

Factors that affected the health and the well being of people during the 19th and 20th Century’s

Poor people lived in Small houses in cramped streets. These homes would share toilet facilities, have open sewers and would be susceptible to damp. Overcrowding was also a major issue. The population of Britain virtually doubled between 1801 and 1851 to about 18,000,000 largely as a result of an increased birth-rate and a lowered mortality rate. This rapid growth meant that there were far fewer dwellings than the numbered needed. A report from the London statistical society states that in 1847 a street in St Giles where, in 1841, 27 houses with an average of 5 rooms had 655 occupants, by 1847 the same houses contained 1,095 people.

Such dwellings lacked light and space and had no fresh water or any other means of refuse disposal. The houses were likely to be adjacent to open sewers and piles or rotting animals and vegetable waste. (Referenced from The health of adult Britain, 1841-1994)

All these factors contributed to the poor health and death rate of the people living in the 1800’s. As a result many people died due to the diseases which came about during this time, the over crowding issue became a breeding ground for any disease and it spread like wildfire within a house or even a street and would quickly over come the people.

These conditions were very unsuitable and resulted in a high death rate, combined with the poor sanitation and poor waste disposal living in these times was extremely horrific.

I cannot see many, if any positive factors about these living conditions; it was horrid and very hard to live like this. Many people died due to the lack of hygiene and sanitation. Perhaps one positive was that no one was ever lonely but saying that, you never got time to yourself either.

Read also

HEALTH

The main issues affecting this area were disease.

Such diseases were

* Smallpox

* Cholera

* Influenza

* Typhus

* Typhoid

* Tuberculosis

Disease affected everyone, regardless of class or background. As there were no immunisations available in this time, many millions of people died, worldwide.

Smallpox was one of the the worst, killing between 300-500 million people during the 20th Century.

Cholera was also extremely common and was caused by drinking unclean water and eating undercooked fish. Due to such poor sanitation this disease spread rapidly, drinking contaminated water, which people had no choice about and also it was carried in faeces, which in the 18th Century was literally just thrown onto the streets and joined the drinking water that people used. Typhoid was another illness spread in the same way.

As the NHS didn’t come in until 1950 so many people suffered from these diseases and it killed so many. The living conditions that people lived in during this time period, contributed almost entirely to the wild spread of disease. The poor sanitation as well as the over crowdedness of the homes was just what was needed for the disease to spread. It was a horrible time to live in. Luckily though it did start to improve between 1990-1950, this was due to the new laws that were introduced.

HEALTH PROVISION

Pre 1800’s there really wasn’t any health provisions in place at all, yes there was hospital and such like but nurses weren’t trained and the conditions of these hospitals very unhealthy.

When health provisions did come, it was a very positive thing, it introduced the need for nurse and doctor training and also it is when anaesthetics and vaccines were introduced.

Nitrous oxide was often used as an anaesthetic but the effects often wore of before the surgery was complete. In 1847 Chloroform was eventually used instead which keep patients asleep longer. Doctors also used unclean, un-sterile equipment and many people died from blood poisoning.

Vaccines were introduced and the first one was the Small pox vaccine, discovered by Edward Jenner in 1789, it was to be nearly another 100 years before another vaccine was found.

– 1798 smallpox vaccination introduced

– 1880 Cholera vaccination introduced

– 1881 Anthrax vaccination introduced

– 1885 Rabies vaccination introduced

– 1896 Typhoid vaccination introduced

– 1906 Tuberculosis vaccination introduced

– 1913 Diphtheria vaccination introduced

– 1927 Tetanus vaccination introduced

– 1952 Whooping cough vaccination introduced

– 1954 Polio vaccination introduced

– 1964 Measles vaccination introduced

During this period Stethoscopes were also invented. Rene Theophile Hyacithe Laennec, a pupil from Paris invented the stethoscope ion 1816. To start with the stethoscope was a simple wooden cylinder, about 9 inches long with a single earpiece.

In 1895 a man called Willhelm Rontgen discovered the X-ray. This gave doctors expertise in locating broken bones and treating them and also giving clinical and pathological descriptions of a range of pulmonary ailments like Bronchitis, pneumonia and TB.

The advances in medicine during this time was life saving. It gave people vaccines to try to rid them and the country of horrible disease. Both animals and people could now live longer and healthier lives as a result of these vaccines and medical advances.

WORK

Children were sent out to work from a young age. They were made to work to help support their families. Many earned just pennies by becoming chimney sweeps or working on the streets running errands. The industrial revolution resulted in many children being employed in large factories and were often responsible for operating dangerous machinery. Children’s health suffered due to this as soot from the chimneys gave them chest complaints and many children became seriously injured as a result of operating such dangerous machines. Many other children worked as servants in the homes of the rich, in the 1850’s one in nine of all female children over the age of 10, worked in domestic service. (Referenced from ourwardfamily.com)

Women’s roles

In the early 1800’s, a married woman had one task; to stay home all day and keep the home for her husband. If she was a mother, she would be solely responsible for the children’s raising and wellness. They were also responsible for cooking and cleaning.

Other women worked as servants or slaves helping out another wife with her household duties, or sometimes acting as a substitute if there was no wife.

Many women also took on mens jobs, such as blacksmiths, barbers and printers and once women were employed in factories, this was a main role. The factory employer hired women and children as they were cheaper to employ.

Women were working more so spending a lot more time away from the family home.

SOCIAL POLICY

Social policy consisted of many laws that came into effect during this time. These included:-

1802 – Factory act was passed,

1842 – Coal mine act. No girls, women or boys under the age of 10 were to go underground.

1848 – First public health act. 1975 act updated.

1870 – Education act. 2000 districts to have schools and the school board is born.

1871 – Local government established.

1875 – Artisan dwelling improvements bill. This gave local authorities power to pull down slums and erect good houses.

The poor law was the system for the provision of social security from the 16th century up until the establishment of the Welfare State in the 20th Century.

The original Poor law act of 1601 stated that

* to board out (making a payment to families wiling to except them) those young children who were orphaned or whose parents could not maintain them

* to provide materials to ‘set the poor on work’

* to offer relief to people who were unable to work – mainly those who were lame, old, blind and impotent

* ‘the putting out of children to be apprentices’ (referenced from wikpedia.org)

The education act was another great act, it meant that children now had to go to school and could not be forced into work. This was a good law but it also made the poorer families poorer as the children were not bringing in a wage each week.

All the above laws were positive. They brought major changes for families and also ensured that people had money and children had education.

The factory act was the most beneficial to children. It was reviewed and changes were made 4 times. The original act said that children could not work more than 12 hours a day and then this was reviewed and in 1844 the hours of work for children was not to exceed 6 1/2 hours a day. Children under the age of nine were also not allowed to work and by 1844 certificates of age had to be given for children.

Children benefited greatly from these acts, education at last for them was greatly beneficial, although this kept them from working and bringing in an income. The public health act was essential to combat illness and when this was passed it meant the end to dirty water in the middle of streets, drains and sewers were now inplace.

Generally the whole of the era was a sad time. Not many positive outcomes could be had but some got through. The introduction of vaccines and general laws benefited these people greatly and indeed stopped the mass spread of disease and infections.

The new laws that came into place saved many children lives by restricting working hours and sending them to school.

All the above named factors had a massive part in the state of the health in the 1800’s. It was a horrible time to live in but was made easier by the many rules and changes that came into place.

Read more

The Scramble for Africa in Late 19th Century to Early 20th Century.

During the late 19th century and the early 20th century, European countries began their scramble for Africa which caused African to suffer from violence like wars, slavery and unfairness, but there was also a positive, peaceful and diplomatic consequences and events in Africa like fair trade system, new technology and the security given to Africans […]

Read more

Architecture Of The 20th Century Architecture Essay

While discoursing the topic of architecture of the twentieth century, the treatment is uncomplete without a particular reference of Robert Venturi. The adult male started his life in Philadelphia on 25th June, 1925 he went on to go one of the most prevailing names in American architecture. The information on Venturi includes a particular reference […]

Read more

The Role of Technology in the Development of the United States in the 20th Century

In the past hundred years, it is no question that the advancement and development of the United States has grown exponentially. A great deal of this advancement has been due to the growth in technology that makes life easier, more efficient, and healthier. All of these things combined together, gowing in the 20th century, has […]

Read more

men and women during the 20th Century Critique Essay

Abstract Equal opportunity for men and women is a divisive global topic, and one that inspires political campaigning worldwide. In Western Nations, major steps were taken towards gender equality in the 20th century. However there are numerous milestones in both law and cultural perception that can be attributed as steps towards gender equality. By looking […]

Read more

Feminism in the Late 20th Century

Chapter 4: A Cyborg Manifesto: Science, Technology, and Socialist- Feminism in the Late 20th Century* DONNA HARAWAY History of Consciousness Program, University of California, at Santa Cruz 1. AN IRONIC DREAM OF A COMMON LANGUAGE FOR WOMEN IN THE INTEGRATED CIRCUIT This chapter is an effort to build an ironic political myth faithful to feminism, […]

Read more
OUR GIFT TO YOU
15% OFF your first order
Use a coupon FIRST15 and enjoy expert help with any task at the most affordable price.
Claim my 15% OFF Order in Chat
Close

Sometimes it is hard to do all the work on your own

Let us help you get a good grade on your paper. Get professional help and free up your time for more important courses. Let us handle your;

  • Dissertations and Thesis
  • Essays
  • All Assignments

  • Research papers
  • Terms Papers
  • Online Classes
Live ChatWhatsApp