Urbanization in the United States during the time frame of, 1880 to 1920, was remarkable. It was the turn of the century, that is for sure. Everything was new and improved and everyone was trying to figure out a way to live in this brand new world. From Vaudeville to lady clubs, to the Major League baseball, there was nothing old about this time frame. Urbanization helped the United States in so many ways, like having a new and improved fire and police department, however the people, immigrants and citizens, were having a hard time adjusting and seeing what was fit for this New America.
The biggest and probably most evolved topic in the late 19th to early 20th century was gender role. Male and female or female and male, who was the most successful and who would be the most popular. Before this time frame pretty much everything a women could do was in her own household. Women were expected to cook, clean, and rear their children. The men of the household were expected to live the "public life", they were the ones who got to go to the clubs and the bars. They were the ones that got to vote, that got education, and that got the work and the money. Before this new "city life", women just did what was expected of them, and few did anything to revoke this. It was when the cities got bigger, and more crowded, did different opportunities open up for the women of the century.
With women doing things outside of the house, of course this opened up the question of "What do we actually get to do now, and who will become?". Women explored the endless ideas for what they could do for leisure time, what they could do for entertainment, and what they could do to consume, due to this new urbanization of city life. Some started to explore, but others waited till a perfect turn of the century idol came to be known. One who comes to mind is "The Gibson Girl". The Gibson Girl is a fictional female who came to be known as one of the most perfect examples of the new woman from urbanization. She was a character created and drawn by Charles Dana Gibson. Gibson created this fictional goddess with a tall stately figure, a marvelous sense of fashion, a daring but never evil personality, and the largest most sufficient amount of energy any human being could ever have. Women all over the improved america looked at these drawings as a guideline of who they should and want to be.
Questions such as how did the Gibson Girl spread and what did she look like come to mind after hearing all the striving and planned goals to be like her, arose. Gibson's artwork was first seen in the Life magazine. This was the entry way to the new women, one news clip from The New York Sun read, "Is she real or not? If I hadn't seen it in papers I would've thought there would be no such girl". People were so surprised by what the lady was doing in these drawings, that they actually thought, "What are women going to be a part of now?". Some of the drawing include: The Gibson Girl riding a bike, showing that the new turn of the century woman should be sporty, another one showed The Gibson Girl enjoying nature, showing that the new woman should be an outdoors person, another showed The Gibson Girl playing the violin, showing that the new woman should be talented and able to play instruments. Other drawings include: The Gibson Girl painting, reading, being a part of the jury, showing that she should play a part in her community, socializing with other people, and enjoying her leisure time. All of her adventures showed the women during this time frame what they were capable of. In order to be The Gibson Girl however, it was thought that you must have money. In other words, money was really your entry way into fame. All the of the nation was trying to see if females could ride a bike, paint and draw, read, be a part of the community and be a part of jury. All of these drawing set up a stereotype of what the new american woman would be like.
What actually happened to the woman in this century? The females strived to be the laid back one, the one in control. After seeing how people treated the Gibson Girl and what was done to her, people thought that men should be the ones to swoon not women, that men should be the weaker sex, not women, and that women were the ones who got to pick the one from the group of allegeable, financial, and handsome young men. The drawings taught women to be snobbish, and have a large social ambition, and to express their feelings throughout everything each young lady does. To understand that every love story leads to a marriage, and that every act of hard word will result in riches. Ultimately resulting in the thought of, if you find all of those things and really indulge in them, then you will have climbed the successful and social ladder of the century.
Women Clubs are living proof of what The Gibson Girl inspired the American women to be. Clubs meaning, The Junior League, or different clubs depending on the area of where you live. The San Fransisco News Call on July 28, 1901 had a whole two person debate on "Is the club life unfit for a woman with a home life?". This means the question of "Does Junior League ruin the personality too much for a women to no longer be the caring and loving mom she is at the home?", meaning will she neglect her kids, husband, and home? Is the female gender capable of living a multiplied life?
The Gibson Girl gave women from this time frame compelling cultural and social anxieties. It made people from all over the world wonder what they could do completely ignoring their race, ethnicity, social class, political standpoints, consumerism, and most important for this essay, gender. Urbanization, and the growth of cities and towns, lead to the massive evolution of females, and what they are capable of. It showed the world that Women can do more than just cook some bread and sew a dress. It shows that they can play the piano, ride a bike, run a mile, be a part of the jury, run a social club, be a school valedictorian, and just be a part of the world we live in today. Without urbanization there wouldn't have been a place or a time for women to be what they are today, strong leaders. The growth of this country has changed the world for the better, and is represented every single day in gender equality. Today, men and women are allowed and capable of working the same job, and playing the same part, and that equality might not have been possible without the urbanization and growing city life that took part in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
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