Painting a Picture of Womanhood: Images of Rosie the Riveter

World War II is often thought of as a revolutionary time for change in the lifestyles of women. Men were duty bound by their country to join the War, and this left a gap in the workforce for the war productions industry. Into this chasm fell women, who were allowed to carry the mantle of male work outside of the house. This marks a significant change in American history, for the first time women had an acceptable and encouraged reason to function outside of the domestic sphere. Women were recruited specifically in the defense industry and were responsible for creating and maintaining essential military goods.