Final answer:
One hundred years ago, women were typically nurses, schoolteachers, and seamstresses; higher education and professions like medicine, engineering, and law were less accessible to them. Thanks to persistent efforts in facing societal challenges, women's roles expanded significantly over time, and today they can pursue a variety of careers across many industries.
Step-by-step explanation:
One hundred years ago, it was common for women to work as nurses, schoolteachers, and seamstresses, but it was considered unusual and unconventional for women to attend college and become doctors, engineers, and lawyers. Over time, women's perseverance and persistence in challenging societal norms and expectations brought change. The struggle for equal education and career opportunities was hard-won, marked by the rise in women attending colleges and entering professional sectors previously dominated by men. Women worked tirelessly to expand their roles beyond household duties, fighting for the right to vote, to receive an education, and to participate in various professions.
Indeed, the emergence of nursing and teaching as accepted professions for women marked a significant milestone. Yet, despite these advances, women had to contend with systemic barriers such as the glass ceiling in education and other fields. Over time, women's engagement in the workforce increased during and after World War I and continued into the 1920s. The women's liberation movement further propelled women's rights in the public sphere, supporting their access to professions such as banking, law enforcement, and politics. Significant efforts in the arts, such as the 'Womanhouse' project, indicated a growing push against gender stereotypes.