What role did women play at the Springfield Armory? How did the views on women working at the Armory change over time? Objective 1. Analyze primary sources. 2. Compare and contrast primary sources. 3. Explain the role women played at Springfield Armory, specifically during WWII. 4. Use evidence from a text to support answers. 5. Describe the point of view of an author. Background While Springfield Armory operated as a federal armory from 1794 until 1968, the workforce was mostly men. It was not until 1917, during World War I, that women were hired to work in the shops. Most of the women were l Duration: 90 Minutes.