When the United States entered into World War II, many jobs opened up for women. Many young men were enlisted in the military forces and were required to leave there jobs. Who filled the many empty positions? Women did. Women took on many jobs such as bus drivers, welders, carpenters and riveters. As a result the helped add labor to the existing economy.

One of the most important things in a war is weapons. Some young women went to work in factories. They built many things such as guns, airplanes, tanks, and bombs. They built things as well as men, and some did things even better. Others went and became Lumberjills, Dockers, and railway engineers. They supplied the fuel for the factories to work. It was like a big cycle.

They left home in new fashions, wearing pants and coveralls, lunch pails in their hands and high hopes in their hearts. Their lives had changed. From stay at home to on the working mothers.

The government had enjoyed the boost of female workers. The gap the men left from leaving their jobs. The government had to keep the rates up so they needed an idea. So they came up with a character. A female character. Her name was ''Rosie the Riveter." She was a symbol for the strong, educated, working women. Before she was released to the public she needed a slogan. They came up with a good one:

"We can do it" And "Let's finish the job they left"

Some women helped win the war in different ways. They went to war with the soldiers. They did not fight, but they did help the wounded soldiers. They became nurses. This, in fact, was they way the band aid was invented. A nurse needed a way to close cuts. So she took some medical tape and gauze and put it over a soldiers cut. This was the first band aid used in the world.

When the war was over they had to come home. Everyone, men and women. Before the United States could return to its original state, men had to get their jobs back. So once again the women had to go back to the home and become house wives. Some liked working a lot so they tried to get jobs. Some realized that they were needed in the home so they were glad to go back home.

Some went back to work. Even though they went back to work, they had to work in lower positions than the men. They got paid a lot less and they worked fewer hours in poor working conditions. They realized that this was wrong so they had to stand up and say something. The women's movement began. However, the movement gained popularity during the 1960's and 70's.

The women activists played an important role to spread the awareness for equal rights for women. For example, they held many marches and rallies, which got a lot of political attention. They also demonstrated that women could work in skilled jobs as well.

Today, women can do anything as well as males can. They can be anything. From lawyers to first ladies, servicewomen to police women, or even mail ladies. The fight for women's right is still going on today. Ads are used to empower women with products. In other words with out the fight from the past, they would never had a bright future.