The period after the Civil War family owned farms dwindled. Southners
began to move North and America started an urbanization process. People who once
struggled on farms were now attempting to be entrepreneurs or worked as
laborers.As big business grew so did the need for accurate record keeping. Educated
aspired to be in managorial position, while women did the majority of the clerical
work. The invention of the typewriter aided women in being predominant in the
clerical field. During this time of rapid urban expansion women were cheaper labor
then men, which was good for the companies.clerical work was amongst the few
unmasculated positions available to women. To go outside of a career suited for
America was becoming industrialized , chores that had taken the
efforts of the whole family were minimized. The bread once slaved over in the
kitchen could now be bought along with clothes and other necessities People went
from family owned farms to the small business arena,some with success. With the
decreasing number of farms children could now go to school longer, some to
completion and higher education.
With the rapid expansion of capitalist and various other big businesses, record
keeping increased causing a need for clerical workers.Women were a useful commodity
for the growing business industry. The companies could pay women a lowersalary in
comparison to men. It was a widespread conceptthat women did not need money to
support families, so to give them an equal payrate to men was not necessary. Women
were working for "pin money." Women had always been cheaper labor, but educated
men did not want clerical positions. Men wanted professional or manegerial type
positions. Clerical positions were left available for women to pursue. Due to the
reorganization of clerical work women were accepted
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