d male family members build successful firms. The nineteenth century brought the beginning of a technical era with the center of economic activity moving away from the home into factories and offices. Most occupations came to be viewed then as unsuitable for women or incompatible with their chores in the home. Very few jobs remained that were considered appropriate for women. As a result, most upper and middle-class women left the work force. As the American population grew and the labor shortage eased, the opportunities for women became even fewer. By the nineteenth century, the practice of paying women less for the same job done by men was well-established.Just a glance at today's classified ads in any newspaper will refute the argument that a "woman's place is in the home." In the past, women worked mostly out of necessity. But now, many women work because it is self-fulfilling.When I was a child, both my parents worked. During the eighteen years I lived with my parents, they earned MBA’s and in my mother’s case a Ph.D. I grew up believing that to be successful, I must go to college, establish a career, get married and have kids. It never occurred to me to be a housewife and stay home.I did go to college at eighteen but dropped out to get married at age twenty. I worked while my husband finished school. I wanted to wait to have children until I was in my later twenty’s and hopefully have the chance to finish school and establish a career. Life did not quite work that way. At twenty-one the first little, “surprise” bundle of joy came along. So by age twenty-two, I had a year old baby and was working full-time. I did not feel right about staying home. I did not think I would be respected.Four years later I had another baby girl. I continued to work but not climb any ladders to success partly because my husband moved every two years for his company and partly because I was not focused. I ...
