Discusses the new woman in early years of the U.S.

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"Creating the New Woman"

In this book, "Creating the New Woman", McArthur argues that women took on a more public role in society beginning by focusing on reforms aimed at impure food, prostitution and the education systems before finishing with the right to vote. These reforms lead them to influence in shaping state and local politics, while keeping in mind their personal goals for reform.

The first major event that sparked women's reform in the book was the Chicago World's Fair. Here women in attendance noticed that women had opportunities beyond the home. The first glance at reform comes from Mary Work and her inner need to team up with legislative representative W.L. Blanton of Gainesville. Blanton was a representative pushing for a pure food bill. Work was aware of recent acts by Blanton to pass a Pure Food Bill in 1905. Blanton needed supporters and Mary Work saw this as an opportunity to not only help her community, but to attach a note to this bill for women reform.

Since she was a woman she had the male-like figure to team up with. As they teamed up, "Blanton changed his original text to specify that the dairy and food commissions would operate from the College of Industrial Art." (McArthur pg. 44.) Work started campaigning for food reform for Blanton. She got involved with Blanton's campaign by getting signatures and expressing her concerns for women's reform. This was the beginning of how grass root woman reformers gradually influenced governmental officials. Her campaigning strategies for squeezing woman's issue's in food reform worked as well. These actions were noted in Dallas newspapers. By this action of public appearance, she made the public, aware that she was getting involved with her community. This also helped spread woman's ideas abroad. Work, was...