-
20% of women in the workforce
20% of American women 18-64 in the labor force -
Period: to
Changes in family size
Milestones that effected family size -
The Great Depression begins
The great depression marks a decline in average family size.
The average family size went down to 2.1 children per family. -
World War 2 over
With world war 2 declared over troops were sent home and this is when the baby boom happened. Families were reunited and family size grew to an average of 3.0 children per family. -
Post World War 2 economic growth
The economy after World War 2 flourished and there were more jobs, more chances for veterans to get an education, and this time of prosperity increased family size to 3.7 children per family. -
Emergence of the nuclear family
Emergence of the nuclear family; family group consisting of a pair of adults and their children- sitcoms like Leave It To Beaver (1957) showcased a nuclear family while highlighting the downfall of divorce -50% of American women 18-64 were in the labor force -
FDA approved birth control pill to be sold
The Federal Department of Agriculture approves birth control to be sold. This is a major part of the family size decline during this time because this gave women some control over family planning. This was the beginning of birth control being safely available to women even though in some states it was still illegal -
The great inflation of the 70's
-The inflation began in 1970 and the effects on families was evident when average family size was down to approximately 1.6 in 1976. -49-54% of women 35-59 were in the labor force -Decreased emphasis of maternal roles for many women; society more widely accepting of the working mother -
Abortion legalized in the US
Abortion was legalized in the Roe vs. Wade case and this was a factor in decreased family size because women and families now had the right to chose if they wanted to terminate a pregnancy if they saw fit. This gave women the choice not to expand their family size. -
Family diversity more openly accepted
America accepted that family is no longer only a nuclear family and moves to build welfare and employment opportunities that aided in supporting single parents -
The recession of 2008
The recession of 2008 caused unemployment rates to rise and the overall cost of living rose while household income did not. Many Americans got into debt and were struggling to support their families so average family size decreased. -
Gay and lesbian couples parenting
Estimated 19% of gay people are raising children in the U.S. -
US Census predictions
According to the US Census Bureau, 11.5 million women are expected to attend a university in the fall exceeding the expected 8.7 million males. More women are continuing their education and prioritizing their careers which contributes to the decline of average family size because women on average are getting married later and having less children.
