People throughout history have always had specific roles in society determined by either written or unwritten rules. Even to this day, it is important for the proper functioning of society that all people know their place and how to behave, dress and speak according to their roles. In my thesis paper, I discuss the most important stages of how the position of women and men from the Victorian era to the 1950s changed in American society, while also examining how gender roles changed as well due to the plenty of life-changing events throughout the decades. In the second part of my thesis, I analyze why and how these gender roles had been affected by the world of advertising and media. I attempt to prove their influence by presenting crucial examples as well.