The role of women did not change much during the 17th century. Women were still housewives, taking care of the household and children. They were not allowed to have professions, such as lawyers, doctors, or teachers. Women took care of the household while their husbands worked outside of the home. Although the role of women in society did not change, the social class of women became more important in determining their job in society.
During the 1600's, women mainly stayed in the house. They cared for the children and did household work, such as washing clothes, cooking food, and making sure the house was in stable condition. Young girls were allowed to go to school and get their basic education done. Before the 17th century, women were expected to stay in the household. Many were not allowed to even leave the house. Now, they had the privilege to learn basic reading and writing skills, which was a new opportunity for women. After finishing their primary education, the young girls were taught how to be housewives wives and mothers. Their mothers taught them how to work in the house and be a proper woman. Politically, women were not allowed to be involved. They were not allowed to own land, only white males could. They also had no say in political decisions. Women were not permitted to hold political positions in office. Although women during the 17th century were permitted to get a basic education, which was a new freedom, they still mostly stayed in the house to care for the family, while the men made the income for the household. The social class of a woman had a great impact on her role in society. Higher class and middle class women did not play a role in society outside of the house. They took care of their children. Most upper class households had servants working for them, so they did not have to do much house work. In their free time, they did pottery and knitting. Lower class women, on the other hand, had more "freedom" in a way. They were allowed to leave the house and work at small jobs. These women had to take care of the house, their families, and most of the time work at a job. The lower class families did not have much money coming into the household, so sometimes the whole family, including females had to work in order to survive. Upper class women already had enough money coming into the household, so they did not have to work. Lower class women sometimes had to work otherwise their families would not be able to afford basic necessities. Women were mainly domestic during the 17th century, working in the home while their husbands worked in their fields or in factories. However they were allowed to get their basic education before being trained how to be housewives and mothers. The social class of a women also impacted their role in the household. Some families didn't have enough money to survive, so women had no choice but to work and make money for the family. As the years went on, the role of women in society became more significant, but women still lacked the basic freedoms that women have today. |
AuthorSimran and Ananya Archives
June 2017
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