The Changing Role and Status of Women in Britain Since 1900 1. Before 1900, women had generally stayed in the home. From the Middle Ages to 17th Century, they had been involved in cottage industries like making gloves. Early in the industrialisation period, women were sent down coalmines, because they cost less, but later on when rules and regulations were set over hours and safety, women were pushed back into the home because men could work harder for longer hours. Around the end of the 19th Century teaching, nursing and shop work became more common professions for women, and for those who were well-educated, clerical work. However, a woman still had to leave work when she married, and was paid considerably less than a male doing the same job. All through these periods, women still generally fulfilled the traditional role of housewife and mother, and often the much more degrading job of a prostitute. A woman's place in society was minor and they were treated as second-class citizens, and had nowhere near as many rights as the average male. Women didn't get the vote between 1900 and 1914 for many reasons. One of the main ones was the Victorian attitude towards women, which was upheld after the Queen died. Victorian women were seen as almost child-like, they were supposed to be seen and not heard, vulnerable, fragile and in need of protection. On the flipside however, this meant women were powerless, because it was felt they were too gullible and feeble to look after themselves, or their property. From birth, women were looked upon as possessions, first their father's, then their husband's. Their 'guardians' also kept all their lan... ... middle of paper ... ...te in 1918, but it was only for over 30's, which was disappointing, but still a huge improvement. The war had a vast impact on people's perception of women. Locally, every woman who got an unconventional job influenced others around her and changed their usual attitudes and feelings. Nationally, the changes that occurred when the Suffragettes adjusted their tactics to help their own cause and the war effort, affected the entire country by demonstrating that women were conscientious and reliable, and they did in fact deserve the right to vote. In the 1918 elections only seventeen women stood as candidates, and to this day there has only been one female Prime Minister. However, the Fist World War gave the chance, through work, to show their capabilities, and marked a turning point in the change of attitudes towards them.
Female employment was concentrated in a very small number of low paid areas. The memoirs provided by Emma Griffith in her book are mainly from male perspective. Therefore, the information provided by them can be misleading and in my opinion, often a lot is missed out of what men did not consider as relevant but in fact is the information which really needs be shared. Above that, the stereotype existed during this time. Men were considered as the breadwinner and women were supposed to do the household work and take care of children. But in fact, Industrial Revolution in part was fuelled by the economic necessity of many women, single and married, to find waged work outside their
The 1918 Representation of the People Act changed the status of women a great deal, firstly it obviously allowed the women that qualified to vote, and this was a great improvement to what they could previously do before this act was passed, however now that women could vote there was a chance for many different acts to be passed that could further advance the rights of women in Britain. One of these acts that was passed from women being able to vote was the Sex Disqualification (Removal) Act of 1919. This act enabled women to go in to jobs in the legal profession and civil service. This then further showed the equality between men and woman becoming closer and women were slowly but surely achieving their goals and receiving different abilities and privileges as a result of their campaigns. Women's status in society also changed a lot after these two acts as women could now do more in society, for example it would now be a great deal easier for a woman to go in to a shop and purchase something for themselves with nowhere near as much hassle; this co...
Women’s suffrage was a defining moment for Canada because women made up approximately half the Canadian population. By giving them the right to vote, it allowed Canada to be a more democratic country. Women getting the right to vote had a huge impact on the election of 1917 because women who were married to soldiers in the war could vote because of the War time Elections Act. It was also a big step for women to get involved more in the society during World War 1. In addition, the women contributed in the war effort a lot by making the products sent over seas to our soldiers, who had left their jobs to fight for their country in World War 1. This also was creating other opportunities for the women to get involved with society by taking the men’s places in the factories.
In the late 1700s after the American revolution there was an industrial revolution and men started the earn money while the women stayed home. All the way through the early 1800s there was a huge deterioration in women's rights. In 1824 the courts voted in favor of " The Rule Of Thumb" which stated that a man could beat his wife if the stick was less thick than the width of his thumb. They also lost their right to vote. The women's dresses had to get more and more elaborate with hoop skirts by the mid 1800s. They became icons of beauty and nothing more.
During the Nineteenth Century, the gender roles were greatly divided. Women were seen to have a completely differently status and nature from men. The stereotypical woman during this time-period was dependent, passive, domestic, and far weaker then a man. Men on the other hand, were far more dominant, dependent, controlling, ambitious and active. Men were the protectors and providers for the family. As if women weren’t already inferior enough to men, when they got married, essentially everything that was theirs was striped from them. What she once owned, was now her husbands, this included her savings, her land, her slaves, her freedom and especially her independence (Steele and Brislen). Women were expected to just do their household duties and be content with their lives and want nothing more. This lead wives to live in the shadows of their spouse. It is Charlotte Perkins Gilman, a feminist writer of the Nineteenth and early Twentieth Century who illustrates the discord of the gender roles of this time-period. One of her most famed writings is “The Yellow Wallpaper.” In this short story, we read about a spouse who is totally dominated by her husband John, and we follow her while she is away rejuvenating herself from an illness. Feministic literature of this time, really focuses on the inferiority of women against men.
Women's Suffrage and World War I In my opinion British women would not have gained the right to vote in 1918 without the First World War. In my research to substantiate my view, I obtained my information from my history book and the Internet I will state the source of my information and explain how the information links to the causes and effects that enabled women to get the vote. During the war, women were given responsibility and knowledge to carry out skilled work.
Modernism is the term of deviating from the norm. In the early 1900s, modernism influenced women’s role in society by providing more opportunities, jobs, and role models for girls today, in society.
Many of people today feel trapped inside their homes, just how the women of Pre-Industrial Europe felt. Working day in and day out inside the homes, just to keep the family together, and make a little money on the side, these women were an integral part of Pre-Industrial families. Not only were the women important to Pre-Industrial European families, but so were the households. Much of the money was made in the households, and this is where families either succeeded or failed. The household and women of Pre-Industrial Europe played an integral role in the economy of the families, and more importantly, the women of these households kept them running smoothly. Without either of these important aspects of life in Pre-Industrial Europe, it is safe to say that the families would have collapsed, due to a lack of organization and structures. Pre-Industrial Europe, in which the women and the household were “the factories” per se, due to the income they generated, was much different from the Europe we know today. Leading into the Industrialization of Europe beginning in the late 1700's and lasting through the early 1800's, the household played an integral role in the family’s income. Without the household, the families would literally collapse, due to a lack of organization and stability. Within these important family sub-units, there was one married couple, their children, the family’s servants, and in some cases, depending upon the region of Europe, there were grandparents, aunts and uncles. Not only did the father and servants of the house work, but also the women and children. Also, in the case of there being more than one generation of family in a single household, depending upon the region of Europe, the grandparents, aunts, and uncles would also work within the house. Once the children of these households reached a certain age, usually the early teens, they were sent off to work in a house as a servant. These servants were different then the servants of today, as they worked for room, board, and food, not waiting on the family. Once they started to generate income, the teens would save up the money necessary to begin their own family. However, there were the few exceptions; teens that did not work as servants, and ended up marrying into an existing household. This however,...
Although they were fighting for a worthy cause, many did not agree with these women’s radical views. These conservative thinkers caused a great road-block on the way to enfranchisement. Most of them were men, who were set in their thoughts about women’s roles, who couldn’t understand why a woman would deserve to vote, let alone want to vote. But there were also many women who were not concerned with their fundamental right to vote. Because some women were indifferent in regards to suffrage, they set back those who were working towards the greater good of the nation. However, the suffragettes were able to overcome these obstacles by altering their tactics, while still maintaining their objective.
Women’s role in society changed quite a bit during WWI and throughout the 1920s. During the 1910s women were very short or liberty and equality, life was like an endless rulebook. Women were expected to behave modestly and wear long dresses. Long hair was obligatory, however it always had to be up. It was unacceptable for them to smoke and they were expected to always be accompanied by an older woman or a married woman when outing. Women were usually employed with jobs that were usually associated with their genders, such as servants, seamstresses, secretaries and nursing. However during the war, women started becoming employed in different types of jobs such as factory work, replacing the men who had gone to fight in the war in Europe. In the late 1910s The National American Woman Suffrage Association (NAWSA) had been fighting for decades to get the vote for women. As women had contributed so much to the war effort, it was difficult to refuse their demands for political equality. As a result, the Nineteenth Amendment to the constitution became law in 19...
society. Women’s rights and feminism did not exist. In the 1800s divorces were frowned upon and everything was given to the males.
One most common view is that the history of women’s employment, similar to how the history of women’s legal and political rights turned out, was just a gradual evolution. The second popular view is that the rights of women were changed when the economic status was improved. As Britain became more industrialized, people began moving to the cities, and it is said that as they moved they simply moved on to working in factories, and workhouses. Although employment did not come that easily for women, the working conditions were horrible, and women were paid significantly less than men. Another big controversy at the start up of women working in factories and workhouses was that they were taking jobs from men, who were thought to deserve these jobs over
“Women’s roles were constantly changing and have not stopped still to this day.” In the early 1900s many people expected women to be stay at home moms and let the husbands support them. But this all changes in the 1920s, women got the right to vote and began working from the result of work they have done in the war. Altogether in the 1920s women's roles have changed drastically.
The roles of women changed drastically between 1950’s and 1970’s due to the political, economic, and social issues, but women’s lives also stayed close to the way they had always been. The lives of women changed in a plethora of ways throughout the years. “We believe that women can achieve such equality only by accepting to full the challenges and responsibilities they share with all other people in our society, as part of the decision-making mainstream of American political, economic, and social life” (Statement of Purpose, 1966).
However, women have made optimistical progress towards equality and their role in the society has been changed dramatically since the last century. Many women stepped out of their home and start to work at factories and offices. The number of working women with children has more than doubled in the past 50 years. While working conditions for women may have improved, there is a lack of appreciation for the notion that work for most women doesn't end at the door of a factory or office. Despite an increase of women's participation in the labour force, women's share of housework has hardly changed in 50 years.