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American Writers Video Lessons

Directions: Use the themes, questions and video clips below to teach and learn with portions of
C-SPAN's American Writers program featuring Betty Friedan and The Feminine Mystique. Link to the complete video clip list to identify clip descriptions and create your own lessons. Each theme contains questions and video clips appropriate for varying grade levels. Lesson Credit:
Curriculum Advisory Team Member, Besty Fitzgerald.

Choose from three themes:
The Women's Movement: Past
Level One
Watch  Clips 1-4		 Level Two
Watch  Clips 16-19		 Level Three
Watch  Clip 59
1. When did the women's movement begin? What were some important milestones? Has the women's movement been a steady progression? or has there been a regression? What characterized the status of women in the post-war period?
2. What have been some of the tactics employed by Betty Friedan and others for equalizing the rights and opportunities for women?
3. What were the limitations placed on women? Consider legal, social, cultural, political, etc. What are the effects of the limitations placed on women? Consider the impacts on both women, men and the society at large.
4. What opportunities have women had? Consider especially women's involvement in war. How has that changed over time?
5. How did the media and popular images contribute to the women's movement ? (positively and negatively)
6. How did other movements, such as the civil rights movement and party politics coincide with the women's movement? Describe the opposition to the women's movement.

The Women's Movement: Present
Level One
Watch  Clip 70		 Level Two
Watch  Clip 66		 Level Three
Watch  Clips 42-44

1. Has there been progress? How much has changed? Has the women's movement been successful? What are the indications it has been successful? What are the indications that it has failed in some ways, or fallen short?
2. Can women experience social and political equality and freedom? Explain your answer. Consider addressing the following questions: are women taken seriously? Should women position themselves and be treated as a distinct social and political group?
3. What political issues concern women today? What is the status of legislation such as Title IX? How might Friedan evaluate this statute?
4. What impact has the existence of Women's History as a scholarly field had on the women's movement? How does the media portrayal of the era (in which Friedan was active) impact how we evaluate the present?
5. How might a 25-year-old versus a 45-year-old versus a 65-year-old assess the status of women today?
6. Rewrite the questionnaire Friedan gave to her classmates and update the questions for today. Make predictions about the results you might receive today.

The Women's Movement: Future
Level One
Watch  Clip 25		 Level Two
Watch  Clip 56		 Level Three
Watch  Clip 69

1. What predictions can be made about the women's movement of the future? What issues will it focus on? What tactics will be employed? Who will be involved? How will it affect other movements, if at all? Consider especially the ERA, and whether other founding documents should be re-written to include women.
2. Does the history of feminist activism affect the future? Explain.
3. How can the institutions examined in this program: government, the media, education (and others) have an impact on the future of the women's movement?
4. What won't change for women in the future?
5. Rewrite the questionnaire Friedan gave to her classmates and update the questions for the future. What kinds of answers might women in the future be offering?


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