Women’s History
The life of women in the past, the role they played and the way it has evolved to the present day is a very fundamental study. The development and growth of women power and rights in society from the past to the present. The women’s history aspect was formally taken into consideration in the 1970s[1]. The feminist movements and their opinions had earlier being ignored and barely put in the historical books. For this reason, the feminist wave at this time made it known that their rights of being included in the history books were being neglected. Though there were previous attempts by some writers to bring out the women history before, they were not well organized and prepared as the feminist wave.
The belief that most of important past women events have been ignored and not recorded, their contribution in the society in various areas and the impact of the historical event too have propelled the study[2]. On that note, the study tries to expand and add more traditional women events that had been left out. The feminist wave historians were acting as the activists for women liberation researched on the women’s past, their oppression and denial of rights as well as their lives in general, on which they found very little documentation, much being on men involved in politics, war, administration and diplomacy. The historical worth of women was disregarded as they could only be mentioned as wives, mothers, daughters or sisters. Don't use plagiarised sources.Get your custom essay just from $11/page
The women’s history varies from region to region across the globe. In the United Kingdom, the well-organized first group to decide to put into consideration the women history were the United Daughters of Confederacy[3]. Protectorate Middlesex acted as activists and emphasized and empowered women to be leaders. They stepped up when the men left for war as this was in the early 20th-century[4]. They reported and documented this, which is a rich source of women’s history. Their work was left out and ignored, and the men history continued to dominate until in the early 1960s when the opportunity of the first course in college on women’s history was offered which was after great efforts[5]. By 1970, the women history had grown, and new social account erupted[6]. Women were also given a chance to undertake history courses and graduate, and by 1972, Masters of Art in Women History program had already started[7]. In the past recent years, history has accommodated women in most of its work in the United Kingdom, considering most of the historical documents and reports are gender-based. More students on women history have been enrolled, and websites on the topic availed, for instance, Women and Social Movements in the United Kingdom[8].
The traditional women in Europe were in charge of the household duties, bearing and bringing up children, wives, middle wives, neighbours and friends. The tasks that made it to history were done by men until the war season when women had to step up to provide for their families. After the war, women were put back to their place, and men undertook their work and role. This was until 18th century when women stepped out and fought for equality for their pay and were enforced as a law[9]. For Eastern Europe, the women history study came later. The educational system resisted the women history due to the political instability and the minimal support by other institutions on the matter. This made it hard for women to be a subject of history and their women’s rights movement role pushed away at the beginning of 20th-century[10]. After the collapse of communism, in the 1980s, prominent women in the country’s research was carried out in cultural and political historical fields, and their biographies developed[11]. Even with all this happening, institutional support was still lacking, evidence being the lack of college programs on women history.
The Africa region has several short surveys on women’s history from different nations. The Sub- Sahara was comprising of part of the women’s history. Others include the Malawi songs sung by the women in the past, Sokoto women weaving techniques as well as Nigeria and Lesotho. Students have redirected their efforts and resources on women’s history in Africa for documentations and recognition. For France, the programs in colleges on the women history are not yet put in place[12]. However, the women history domain has been well researched on in the academic researched of social history. The society has high interest on women and gender making it the reason for the in-depth research and a lot of publication on the issue[13]. There is, however, change occurring in the academic system of France pertaining to gender and women history study due to the increased international studies on the subject and French students seeking knowledge outside the country.
The Scottish women history, in Great Britain, back in the 19th century was not considered as a field of interest to scholars until late 20th century when it was developed and published[14]. Most studies on the Scottish women have taken the biography style, research being on family, employment, culture, religion and the image of the women. Sources being from poetry, court records, tones in letters and memoirs[15]. Much growth has occurred on the sector and increasing interest by scholars to undertake the women history study not just in Britain but also in other parts of the word. More profound studies on the field is expected in future, increasing the information and details of the current Scottish women history for a more complex text[16]. The studies were uncommon in Ireland by 1990, but a lot has changed as there are plenty of books and articles on gender and women history.
The young women in the Germany traditions were under the control of their fathers until they married and became subjective to their husbands. This was before the 19th century. For a wedding or marriage to take place, a woman had to provide the dowry, which, if from a wealthy family, the parents provided it but if from a low-income family, the woman had to work hard to pay the dowry[17]. The law allowed women to have property rights over the dowry as well as inheritance. For a long time, women taken as mere wives and mothers. The high- class or the educated families, women needed to be well equipped with knowledge and intelligent to help out their husbands[18]. For the low- class, women needed to be produced economically to help their husbands in the day in day out expenses. The unmarried were despised and would only work in the relative’s households with on pay[19]. The middle-class women sewed to earn to support and contribute to the family expenses in the late 19th century. By this time, women had formed an organization, Allgemeiner Deutscher Frauenverein ( ADF) which was aimed at gaining rights for education, better jobs and participation in the political issues[20]. Decades down the line, their demands improved as they wanted equal treatment as men in terms of pay and treatment at job places. In the early 20th century, women in Germany gained the rights to participate in political affairs and late given the right to vote. Women had significant social and political growth, especially in Nazi Germany. During the war in the 1940s, women were given jobs in the public sectors as factories were many and replacements of men that were in the war. Their wages remained less than that of men, and they were not allowed to lead.
The evolution of women history from the past to the modern has dramatically changed. Very few women had power in the society, they were subjected and termed to be destined for domestic chores, bearing and rearing children[21]. The modern society terms this as preconditions and women have an equal opportunity as men. In the Salic law, women could not rule, but this law was changed when a king died, and the son, the heir to the throne was very young to rule. Therefore, the queen had to step up to ensure the throne remained in the family before the son was of age. The need for a more educated person in society significantly led to the provision of education to women. The states and religion centres needed intelligent employees, thus provision of education to the women. By this, girls got formal education, but it was not for leadership or political positions. It was merely to help them read, familiarize themselves with God as they worked. Women were considered inferior to lead[22]. For higher education, boys would get the chance to join universities while girls would remain at home or take more uncomplicated courses; mostly the home knowledge is what they gained.
The social and human rights of women were despicable for a long time in the history of females across the world. In the United States, feminist movements went a long way to abolish the notion of women in the society that was there for ages. The restrictions of women to some sort of roles without any considerations were what the movements wanted to change. Britain still holds the feminist movement to ensure women are not oppressed by any chance and have continued to improve the notions of what a women should be and fighting for their equality[23]. Capitalism made women lose their economic power to men. Before, women carried out some of the financial activities in their homes, both agriculture and industry in England by the 16th century. The running of the farm and participating in trade gave them some equality with men. The striking of capitalism in the 17th century led to the division of labour where men would have paid jobs outside the homestead while women were left to carry out the household chores. The low-class women had to look for very poorly paying duties as they had to help with providing for their families. For these reasons, the capitalism era impacted very negatively to the lives of women. The modern economy comprises of women being offered jobs at private sector retails and as clerks to contribute to the family expenses. According to the use of statistics in 1870, women were well distributed in all the occupations. Many of them had been enrolled in factories and as teachers. Others worked in hospitals as dentists and nurses, lawyers in law firms, ship riggers among others.
The history of women marriages in different world regions differed. The age at which women were married was determined by the social status given to women. It also established the economic situation of a country as women who take long to marry are said to impact positively to the economy compared to those that marry at a younger age[24]. In the modern world, the marriage age for women has risen due to the opportunities given to them to have a formal job. Certain countries such as China, Egypt, Japan, among others have, however, shown very minimal change on the women marriage age. Abortion has been present from ascent times but was termed unclean and a taboo. The legalization of abortion in the20th century brought about differences in the societies and religions[25]. The women clothing in the past was determined by different roles, society and even seasons. The wearing of trousers was restricted to men for a long time and women wearing them as disrespectful. In some other societies like the ancient Greek, Persian men wearing pants was seen as a manifestation trait. Victorian fashion for women was a sign of being in charge. Different countries, for instance, France, gave mixed reactions to several of their styles.
During the great depression period, the role of women, which was attending to the house chores, bearing and rearing children, changed. Men’s wages could not sustain the families, therefore, women had to give a hand by working harder to assist in paying the home expenses[26]. The birthrates decreased. Women in a Catholic Church in Canada went against the teachings of the church by opting for contraceptives to control birth rates[27]. They increased their agricultural farms intending to increase the productivity and earnings from them. In modern society, women tackle the issue of insufficient funds in the households differently by innovating better techniques that those of the past.
Women’s history contributes significantly to the wholesome study of history. Ignoring the contributions and the role of women in the society leaves a gap, and the research is usually incomplete, writing women back to the historical impact very positively, mostly to the young girls reading it. Recognition of women in terms of their contribution and achievements in various fields enables the growth of confidence and determination for the young women being formed. The active roles women played in the past were ignored and barely put in the historical books. Many were made to work behind the successful men to ensure the success is maintained, but they were never recognized. The assumption that the historians in the past found it not worthy of women being put into the history books made it evident of them not looking into the women history. With that leaving a gap in the history research, more need to be done on women history to uncover the many contributions and achievements of women in the community.
Anderson, P. Friendship’s shadows: women’s friendship and the politics of betrayal in England, 1640-
Bohstedt, J. (1988). Gender, household and community politics: women in English riots 1790-1810. Past & Present, (120), 88-122.
Boswell, C. (2014). Provoking Disorder: The Politics of Speech in Protectorate Middlesex. Journal of British Studies, 53(4), 885-908.
Braddick, M. and Walter, J. (eds.), Negotiating power in early modern society : order, hierarchy and subordination in Britain and Ireland (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2001)
Daybell, J. ‘Gender, Politics and Diplomacy: Women, News and Intelligence Networks in Elizabethan
https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1057/9780230298125_7
England’ Robyn Adams and Rosanna Cox (eds.) in Gender, Politics and Diplomacy: Women, News and Intelligence Networks in Elizabethan England. (Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan, 2011)
http://www.academia.edu/download/39286450/Scholars__Servants__Spies_-_William_Weldon_and_William_Swerder_in_England_and_Abroad.pdf
Houlbrook, R. ‘Women’s social life and common action in England from the fifteenth century to the eve of the Civil War’ Continuity and Change 1 (1986) 171-89
Kane, B. ‘Masculinity and political geographies in England, Ireland and North America’ EuropeanReview of History 22:4 (2015) 595-619
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/13507486.2015.1028346
Hughes, A. Gender and the English revolution (London 2012) [online] Luddington, C. The politics of wine in Britain: a new cultural history (Basingstoke, 2013)
https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1057/9780230306226.pdf
Mcclendon, M. ‘Women, religious dissent and urban authority in early Reformation Norwich’ in Ward, J. (ed.), Violence, politics, and gender in early modern England (Early modern cultural studies) (New York; Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan, 2008) [online] 125-46
https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1057/9780230617018_6
Mowry, M. ‘Commoners wives who stand for their freedom and liberty’: leveler women and the hermeneutics of collectivities’ Huntingdon Library Quarterly 77:3 (Autumn 2014) 305-329
https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.1525/hlq.2014.77.3.305
Mowry, M. ‘London’s Bridewell : Violence, Prostitution, and Questions of Evidence’ in Ward, J.(ed.), Violence, politics, and gender in early modern England (Early modern cultural studies) (NewYork; Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan, 2008) [online] Patton, B. ‘The women are revolting? Women, activism and popular satire in the English revolution’, Journal of medieval and Renaissance Studies 23 (1993) 69-86
https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1057/9780230617018_9
Rowbotham Women, resistance and revolution (1974) Seaver, P. ‘Apprentice Riots in Early Modern London’ in Ward, J. (ed.), Violence, politics, and gender in early modern England (Early modern cultural studies) (New York; Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan,2008)[online]Thompson, E.P. ‘The Moral Economy of the English Crowd in the 18th Century’ Past and Pressent 50 (1971) 76-136
https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1057/9780230617018_2
Walter, J. ‘Grain riots and popular attitudes to the law : Maldon and the crisis of 1629’ in Brewer, John;Styles, John (ed.), An ungovernable people? The English and their law in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries ( 1980)
https://www.manchesterhive.com/view/9781847793973/9781847793973.00009.xml
Walter, J. ‘Faces in the crowd : Gender and age in the early modern English crowd’ in Berry, H. and Foyster, E. (eds.), The family in early modern England (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press,2007) 96-125 [online]
https://digitalcommons.conncoll.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1014&context=histhp
Weil, R. ‘Politics and Gender in Crisis in David Underdown’s “The Taming of the Scold” History Compass 11:5 (2013) 381-388
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/hic3.12054
Wood, A. ‘The queen is ‘a goggyll eyed hoore’ : gender and seditious speech in early modern England’ in Nicholas Tyacke (ed.)The English Revolution c.1590-1720 : politics, religion and communities (Manchester, 2007)
https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/9422/
Wood, A. Riot, rebellion and popular politics in early modern England (Basignstoke, 2002)
https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=8GEdBQAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PP1&dq=Wood,+A.+Riot,+rebellion+and+popular+politics+in+early+modern+England+(Basignstoke,+2002)&ots=iUEPl0Lqvn&sig=bOJkxBxVY0YuwT09jEOVkKOASTE
Zook, M. Protestantism, politics, and women in Britain, 1660-1714 (Basingstoke, 2013) [online]
https://www.academia.edu/download/45528887/Elizabeth_Delaval_Memoirs_and_Meditations.pdf
[1] Anderson, P. Friendship’s shadows: women’s friendship and the politics of betrayal in England, 1640-
1705 (Edinburgh 2012)
[2] Bohstedt, J. (1988). Gender, household and community politics: women in English riots 1790-1810. Past & Present, (120), 88-122.
[3] Boswell, C. (2014). Provoking Disorder: The Politics of Speech in Protectorate Middlesex. Journal of British Studies, 53(4), 885-908.
[4] Idib, 207
[5] Mcclendon, M. ‘Women, religious dissent and urban authority in early Reformation Norwich’ in Ward, J. (ed.), Violence, politics, and gender in early modern England (Early recent cultural studies) (New York; Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan, 2008) [online] 125-46
[6] York; Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan, 2008) [online] Patton, B. ‘The women are revolting? Women, activism and popular satire in the English revolution’, Journal of medieval and Renaissance Studies 23 (1993) 69-86
[7] Idib, 90
[8] Wood, A. Riot, rebellion and popular politics in early modern England (Basignstoke, 2002)
[9] Braddick, M. and Walter, J. (eds.), Negotiating power in early modern society: order, hierarchy and subordination in Britain and Ireland (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2001)
[10] Daybell, J. ‘Gender, Politics and Diplomacy: Women, News and Intelligence Networks in Elizabethan.
[11] England’ Robyn Adams and Rosanna Cox (eds.) in Gender, Politics and Diplomacy: Women, News and Intelligence Networks in Elizabethan England. (Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan, 2011)
[12] Wood, A. ‘The queen is ‘a goggyll eyed house’ : gender and seditious speech in early modern England’ in Nicholas Tyacke (ed.)The English Revolution c.1590-1720: politics, religion and communities (Manchester, 2007)
[13] Weil, R. ‘Politics and Gender in Crisis in David Underdown’s “The Taming of the Scold” History Compass 11:5 (2013) 381-388
[14] Houlbrook, R. ‘Women’s social life and common action in England from the fifteenth century to the eve of the Civil War’ Continuity and Change 1 (1986) 171-89
[15] Kane, B. ‘Masculinity and political geographies in England, Ireland and North America’ EuropeanReview of History 22:4 (2015) 595-619
[16] Hughes, A. Gender and the English Revolution (London 2012) [online] Luddington, C. The politics of wine in Britain: a new cultural history (Basingstoke, 2013)
[17] Hughes, A. Gender and the English Revolution (London 2012) [online] Luddington, C. The politics of wine in Britain: a new cultural history (Basingstoke, 2013)
[18] Mcclendon, M. ‘Women, religious dissent and urban authority in early Reformation Norwich’ in Ward, J. (ed.), Violence, politics, and gender in early modern England (Early recent cultural studies) (New York; Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan, 2008) [online] 125-46
[19] Mowry, M. ‘Commoners wives who stand for their freedom and liberty’: leveller women and the hermeneutics of collectivities’ Huntingdon Library Quarterly 77:3 (Autumn 2014) 305-329
[20] Mowry, M. ‘London’s Bridewell: Violence, Prostitution, and Questions of Evidence’ in Ward, J.(ed.), Violence, politics, and gender in early modern England (Early recent cultural studies) (New.
[21] Mowry, M. ‘London’s Bridewell: Violence, Prostitution, and Questions of Evidence’ in Ward, J.(ed.), Violence, politics, and gender in early modern England (Early recent cultural studies) (NewYork; Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan, 2008) [online] Patton, B. ‘The women are revolting? Women, activism and popular satire in the English revolution’, Journal of medieval and Renaissance Studies 23 (1993) 69-86
[22] Zook, M. Protestantism, politics, and women in Britain, 1660-1714 (Basingstoke, 2013) [online
[23] Rowbotham Women, resistance and revolution (1974) Seaver, P. ‘Apprentice Riots in Early Modern London’ in Ward, J. (ed.), Violence, politics, and gender in early modern England (Early recent cultural studies) (New York; Basingstoke: Palgrave.
[24] Mowry, M. ‘London’s Bridewell: Violence, Prostitution, and Questions of Evidence’ in Ward, J.(ed.), Violence, politics, and gender in early modern England (Early recent cultural studies) (NewYork; Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan, 2008) [online] Patton, B. ‘The women are revolting? Women, activism and popular satire in the English revolution’, Journal of medieval and Renaissance Studies 23 (1993) 69-86
[25] Walter, J. ‘Grain riots and popular attitudes to the law: Maldon and the crisis of 1629’ in Brewer, John; Styles, John (ed.), An ungovernable people? The English and their law in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries ( 1980)
[26] Weil, R. ‘Politics and Gender in Crisis in David Underdown’s “The Taming of the Scold” History Compass 11:5 (2013) 381-388
Wood, A. ‘The queen is ‘a goggyll eyed hoore’: gender and seditious speech in early modern England’ in Nicholas Tyacke (ed.)The English Revolution c.1590-1720: politics, religion and communities (Manchester, 2007)
[27] Walter, J. ‘Faces in the crowd: Gender and age in the early modern English group’ in Berry, H. and Foyster, E. (eds.), The family in early modern England (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press,2007) 96-125 [online]