Explain How the Role of Women Had Changed by 1914?
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- Date Submitted: 02/04/2015 04:59 AM
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Explain how the role of women had changed by 1914?
Up until 1880 the role of women was that of a mother, wife and homemaker. Their status in life was very much of a second class citizen, their property, earnings and person became the property of their husbands upon marrying. The majority of men and women accepted this. The lives of women in Victorian Britain were dramatically different to that of today. They were often treated unfairly and their lives were restricted to a rigid role. At the end of the Edwardian ear the role of women began to change as attitudes became more Liberal.
Women were second-class citizens, they had no independent political rights and when they were married they no property. A women’s place was in the home, where she could fulfil their role in society as wives and mothers. Following marriage, women were expected to produce as many children as possible. It was common in this era for women to have ten to twelve pregnancies, however due to the lack of medical knowledge, many children died and many mothers died at childbirth. Married women also suffered from the problem that once married all their wealth was automatically passed to their husband. Until 1887 married women had no rights over their own property. Once married, women were considered the property of their husbands. Husbands owned the home and the wealth of their wives, whether or not they were still living together. However this changed when the Married Women’s Act came into power in 1882 allowing women the control of the money they brought into marriage and acquired afterwards. This improved again in 1870, the act now gave women the right to keep their earnings, personal belongings and money under £200 left to them in someone’s will.
Opportunities for women started to grow towards the end of the ninetieth century although the majority of the population held the traditional view of women being a wife, mother and homemaker. Therefore this meant that women’s occupations were...
Up until 1880 the role of women was that of a mother, wife and homemaker. Their status in life was very much of a second class citizen, their property, earnings and person became the property of their husbands upon marrying. The majority of men and women accepted this. The lives of women in Victorian Britain were dramatically different to that of today. They were often treated unfairly and their lives were restricted to a rigid role. At the end of the Edwardian ear the role of women began to change as attitudes became more Liberal.
Women were second-class citizens, they had no independent political rights and when they were married they no property. A women’s place was in the home, where she could fulfil their role in society as wives and mothers. Following marriage, women were expected to produce as many children as possible. It was common in this era for women to have ten to twelve pregnancies, however due to the lack of medical knowledge, many children died and many mothers died at childbirth. Married women also suffered from the problem that once married all their wealth was automatically passed to their husband. Until 1887 married women had no rights over their own property. Once married, women were considered the property of their husbands. Husbands owned the home and the wealth of their wives, whether or not they were still living together. However this changed when the Married Women’s Act came into power in 1882 allowing women the control of the money they brought into marriage and acquired afterwards. This improved again in 1870, the act now gave women the right to keep their earnings, personal belongings and money under £200 left to them in someone’s will.
Opportunities for women started to grow towards the end of the ninetieth century although the majority of the population held the traditional view of women being a wife, mother and homemaker. Therefore this meant that women’s occupations were...