Essay on Education and Women’s Social Roles

Women in the nineteenth century lived in a time characterized by gender inequality. At the beginning of the century, women could not vote, could not be sued, were extremely limited over personal property after marriage, and were expected to remain obedient to their husbands and fathers.( women’s suffrage movement 1) In most situations, the men would have to go to work and bring home the money, and the women would have no choice but to stay home, clean the

Women’s role began and eventually changed radically during the social reform movements of the antebellum period, they themselves took on a role completely the opposite of what their

1. Why did Cato object to repealing the Oppian law? What was the basis of his objections?

Women’s roles have changed greatly throughout history. As the advancement of culture, laws, and ideas altered ways of life, women’s lives also evolved in numerous aspects of society. Women’s roles changed greatly between 1815 and 1860. During this time, family dynamics changed as the mothers that were placed at the center of the household were given greater freedoms. In addition, women had more opportunity to take on jobs in the workplace. Women also fought for reform movements that altered their ways of life in the community. During the reform era of the United States, factors such as religion, education, and reforms greatly changed women’s roles in the family, workplace, and society.

Throughout the history of society, women and men both have faced the constricting roles forced upon them, from a young age; each gender is given specific social and cultural roles to play out throughout their lives. Little girls are given dolls and kitchen toys, little boys are given dinosaurs and power tool toys, if one was to step out of this specified role, social conflict would ensue. Contrast to popular belief, sex is a biological construct, and gender is a social construct specifying the roles men and women are to follow to be accepted into society as “normal”. The effects of gender roles have had on women have proved harmful over the decades. Although the woman’s involvement in society has improved throughout the decades,

Articles written during a specific period gives the future population an idea of the issues present during that time. Before the United States became independent, woman education was limited to the skill needed to be a good wife and proper mother. Particularly, upper-class woman were the only ones that had the resources to gain an education. Most middle and lower class focus primarily on the education of their males. European education influence Colonial America’s educational system. Since there weren’t any establish convents schools in the colonies, tutors were primarily hired and later on schools were incorporated. During the first years of schooling, new England girls went to a coed school called “dame school”. In the dame school, girls were thought to knit and sew. Many girls got the chance to go to the town school. However, some town school in new England prohibited girls from attending. In the south, girls got the

Women’s roles in the United States had an apparent change in the antebellum time period. More women were able to receive an education, find work, and gender equality. Women schooling were widely set up so they could improve and strengthen, mostly their literacy skill. The most popular job for women to have in this time period was being a teacher since schools could get away with paying them less than men. Women also began to make an effort to get political, social and economic equality.

It was not until after the Civil War that these ideas started to change in America. “Dozens of women’s colleges were founded after the Civil War, and many formerly all-male colleges began admitting women.” (Shi and Tindall, pg. 569) By 1900 nearly one-third of college students were women (pg.569) In the early 1900’s women began to liberate themselves from the home, their social roles, and even some of their character traits. New public venues for female interaction were created, from charitable associations to women’s clubs. The increase of female interaction brought a means to change the lack of female influence in government. In 1869 the National Woman Suffrage Association was founded by Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton, which not only campaigned for woman suffrage, but also for new laws to make an abused wife get a divorce easier and for female workers to get higher pay (pg. 712-714) It was not until the spring of 1919 after WWI that the Nineteenth Amendment was passed giving women a Constitutional guarantee of their right to vote (pg. 775). Women gaining the right to vote was one of the greatest social developments that happened in America because since women made up forty percent of the electorate they had the capability to change the course of politics (pg.

Throughout the early twentieth century, women of all ages worked together to fight for equality amongst men and women. From the time of flappers, to the ratification of the nineteenth amendment, to new opportunities during World War II, women have shown strength, bravery, and determination to receive equality for all. Women saw their greatest achievements and advancements economically, followed by the socially and politically. In politics, it was predicted that women would begin to gain opportunities and high paying jobs.

In her next chapter, Kerber examines the newfound need for the educating of women. Women were not allowed freedom or a political opinion, but they could not be completely pushed aside. For years women had been taught that education made them undesirable to men and educated women were scorned. Kerber argues that a new need for

Young women only got basic education that they can use in their daily lives. Girls after certain age were not allowed to study or to finish their education. Education was not allowed in 19th century because men did not wanted women to get more educated than them. The only two topics that women were allowed to study was nursing and teaching. Women were allowed to do nursing for the wounded military men who were injured in the battle.women though that they could get their freedom by getting their education. Many women thanked the school education because of the education they were able to get their freedom and got success in their

The foundation of colleges for women as well as events at women’s rights conventions intellectually challenged society’s views on women’s traditional roles. As education became more of a public governmental service, the educational

Education of women in America has changed immensely. Between colonial times and the present day, women have made great strides in education. In colonial times, education for most women was limited to reading the bible. Since then, women have earned equality in primary and secondary education as well as college. This process has been aided by the enacting laws and through decisions of the courts. This has led to the equal opportunity that women enjoy today.

In the early 1700’s when America was first being founded young boys were being taught in schools or in homes while girls were not allowed in these places. As time went on in the late 1700’s and early 1800’s, girls were allowed to attend school. One of the most critical events in the history of education for women’s education was the creation of the Ladies Academy in 1787, which was an all- female school, which was primarily taught by men. The 1800’s were the most important changes for education for women. In 1815 the Female Seminary Movement began and was led by women whose goals were to offer

Woman’s studies is an interdisciplinary academic field devoted to topics concerning women, gender and feminism; exploring our gender existence, how we perform femininity and masculinity and how this interacts with other aspects of our identities, such as race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status and sexuality. Women’s studies emerged in the late 1960’s and early 1970’s as a concerned women being misrepresentation and trivialization in the higher education curriculum and as well as being excluded from many positions of power authority as colleges faculty and administrators. An example from the “ Women’s Voices /Feminist Vision” book written by Susan M.Shaw Janet lee was “the entire course in English or American literature to include not one