Sanger felt that in order for women to have a more equal showing in society and to live healthier lives, they needed to be able to ultimately determine when to have children. She also wanted to prevent unsafe abortions, which were known as "backalley" abortions, and were common at the time because abortions were usually illegal. Even though abortions were illegal in 13 states at the time, those in favor found other ways of preventing women from getting pregnant in the first place. For example, by taking pills that were not recommended for pregnant women. One major reason that women were getting abortions was due to an increase of prostitution due to an increase of men traveling for new jobs in the rise of industry. Around 100,000 prostitution related abortions occurred every year during this time period. Margaret Sanger created the American Birth Control League, which later became the Planned Parenthood Federation of America, which lobbied to legalize contraception in the United States. Margaret Sanger set out to create a "magic pill" that was orally ingested and could provide women with cheap, safe, effective and female-controlled contraception. In 1965, at the age of 81, Margaret Sanger witnessed the disposal of the Cornstock laws in addition to her "magic pill" (Enovid) being approved by the Food and Drug Administration. Margaret Sanger provided women with their own choice that still exists to this day, this ''magic pill' that she fought so hard to create, has given women their own voice about when and if they chose to have their own children.
Mary Harris Jones, also known as Mother Jones, in addition to being labeled as "one of the most dangerous woman in America (US District Attorney)", was an Irish-American schoolteacher and dressmaker eventually becoming a children's work activist. Mother Jones fought for the rights of children to go to school, instead of being forced to work in such terrible working conditions in the mines.
