CANADIAN WOMEN
AND WORLD WAR ONE
THINK / PAIR/ SHARE
• First individually, and then in partners,
brainstorm a list of all the jobs (paid or unpaid)
that a woman might have done in the early
1900s. How might the First World War affect
this list?
• We will then discuss the list in a class
discussion; everyone be prepared to provide
answers
» Minds on
» Freeman-Shaw, E., & Haskings-Winner, J. Canadian Sources: Investigated 1914 to the
Present. Toronto: Emond Montgomery Publications Limited, 2008 (p. 18-19).
CRITICAL QUESTION
• Did World War One significantly change
the role of women in Canadian society?
WOMEN AT WAR
• Not allowed in armed forces; contributed in
other ways
• Approximately 2400 Canadian women
signed up as nurses
– Worked at Front Lines or in Army Hospitals
• Worked as ambulance drivers
» Action
NURSES AT THE FRONT
• Clip from National Film Board of Canada
• http://www.nfb.ca/playlists/90-ansdarmistice/viewing/front-lines-nurses-atthe-front/
• Any questions??
WOMEN ON THE HOME FRONT
• With war the need for supplies increased
• With men leaving to fight the number of
available workers decreased
• = PROBLEM!!
• Solution?
– The Women of Canada
WOMEN ON HOME FRONT
• Approx. 30 000 women worked in
munitions factories
• Approx. 6000 worked as civil servants
• Thousands more worked in textile
factories making uniforms
• Thousands more worked on farms
– Food production increased 4X from 1913 to
1918
WOMEN IN LABOUR FORCE
YEAR
FEMALE POPULATION
LABOUR FORCE PARTICIPATION RATE
1901
1 957 000
14.4%
1911
2 521 000
16.6%
1921
3 184 000
17.7%
1931
3 875 000
19.4%
25.00%
20.00%
15.00%
Labour Force
Participation Rate
10.00%
5.00%
0.00%
1901
1911
1921
1931
Freeman-Shaw, E., & Haskings-Winner, J. Canadian Sources: Investigated 1914 to
the Present. Toronto: Emond Montgomery Publications Limited, 2008. (p.18-19).
ELAINE’S STORY
• Read the following story independently
and answer the accompanying questions
(point form is fine)
• We will discuss the answers as a class
Hux, A., & Jarman, F. Canada: A Growing Concern. Toronto: Globe/Modern Curriculum Press,
1981. (p.99-101).
Question #1: List the hardships experienced by
workers in the munitions factories
Chemicals caused damage to lungs and
skin (burns)
Dangerous work
Risk of explosions
Long hours
Unequal / low pay
Hearing damage from loud machines
Hair could get caught in machines
Question #2: Discuss how the munitions job
changed Elaine’s thinking about women’s rights
and their position in Canadian society.
• Gave women a taste of new types of work
• Made women realize they could do “men’s work”
• Showed women the benefits of working outside the
home
• Showed unequal ways women had been living
• Broadened women’s skill base, work experience and
education
• In short, WWI altered the way Canadian women thought
about themselves and their place in society
PICTURE ANALYSIS
• As a class, we will discuss the following
pictures –please take notes for homework
purposes
• Discuss:
– Who the picture is showing
– When the picture seems to have taken place
– Where the picture takes place
– What the picture is showing
PICTURE #1
PICTURE #2
PICTURE #3
HOMEWORK
• Using the information taken from the
pictures, write one paragraph discussing
what change the pictures represent within
Canadian society
• Write a second paragraph discussing
HOW these changes affected the
individuals involved or Canada as a whole
TICKET OUT OF CLASS
• Before leaving class, take out a piece of paper
• Re-visit the original question : “brainstorm a list
of all the jobs (paid or unpaid) that a woman
might have done in the early 1900s. How might
the First World War affect this list?”
• Briefly re-answer this question based on the new
information
• From this evaluate whether WWI significantly
changed the role of women in Canadian society
» consolidation