The Female Sex Hormone Estrogen

After marriage, the husband was considered lord and master of the family. But not all the women were meek and submissive. By the 1700's, the woman’s status had rapidly improved in colonial America. A wife and child made as much as a man did. Although women did not have equality with men, their status greatly improved from their status in Europe. A woman’s station in life was determined by the position of their husbands or fathers. The women of the poorest families, compiled to work in the fields, stood at the bottom of the social ladder. One of the surest signs of the accomplishments a family had made, was the exemption of their women from the fields. Before 1740, girls were trained in household crafts and the practical arts of family management. But afterwards they began to study subjects that required reading and studying such subjects as grammer and arithmetic. The women of the upper classes occupied themselves mainly with planning the work of the home and with supervising the domestic servants. Along with these tasks the women also baked, nursed, and sewed. But there were many social restrictions placed on the women of that time. One such restriction was that a wife, in absence of her husband, was not allowed to lodge men even if they were close relatives. For

Women had great social pressure on them to marry. Young girls were often married by the age of 13 or 14 . It was socially unacceptable if women were not married by the age of 25 . Marriage was mostly for economic benefits, not romantic situations. A wedding, rather than a religious ceremony, was a civil contract that set the responsibilities and duties of husband and wife . Once married, they legally became one with their husbands. Married women had no control of their earnings, inheritance, property, and also could not appear in court as a witness nor vote . Their husbands, therefore, were responsible for all aspects of their wife including discipline .

Before 1840 women were viewed as something that needed to be taken care of. They could not own property, fathers would not mention their daughters in their wills, women could not be treasurer of their own companies, it was the husband’s responsibility. Only seven vocations were available to them outside of the home in the late 1840’s; widows would receive no share of her husband’s property or his families, and if one did not marry or remarry she had to enter one of the few employments for her or be a charity case for her relatives. When factory jobs became available to women they were quickly taken because it gave women a way to be independent and not a burden to their loved ones, but earn and spend their own money however the wished. For once

There was a very different scene in the household of American families. During the early 1800s, a woman’s life consisted of many obligations and few choices. Women were pretty much controlled by the men in their life, their fathers, brothers, and husbands. The life would consist of finding a husband, reproducing, and then spending the rest of their lives helping the family in the house. In fact, when women became married, legally all of her inheritance and belongings would belong to her husband.

According to the article “Rights for woman”, in the 1800 women were treated as subsequent class citizens, and they did not have many rights at all. They were not able to vote and were not encouraged to get an education, or even get a job that they enjoyed (Rights for Women, Par. 1). Women were expected to clean, cook, and find a husband. According to Juliet Levy, Marriage is an agreement that over all comes with substantial financial upbringing. (Levy, 427) As previously stated woman were worth less than men during that time, so the men were basically able to treat them however they wanted. Men were able to send their wives to insane asylums if they did not follow the rules or live up to the expectations of women of that time. According to an article on woman

During the eighteen century, women ran house holds, weave, cook, and taught the children morals and spirituality. The women had to obey their man which she was married to. Women were not allowed to hold offices or vote. Widows and unmarried women could sell property , make a will, and sign a contract. In the business world, if the husband passed away, the widow could take over his business. It was expected by twenty years old girls to be married and start a family. Women were also expected to cook and make food from

"Upon marriage, woman became the legal wards of their husbands, as they previously had been of their fathers while still unmarried" (Martin, 68). It was common for a father to sell his young daughter into marriage and the young women had no say in her preference of her suitors (Mahaffy, 48). This was done while the girl was in her young teens while the groom was ten to fifteen years older (Martin, WEB2). As the father, or guardian, gave the young girl away he would repeat the phrase that expressed the primary aim of marriage: "I give you this women for the plowing [procreation] of legitimate children" (Martin, WEB2). The woman’s role was primarily in the home. "Households thus depended on women, whose wok permitted the family to economically self-reliant and the male citizens to participate in the public life of the polis" (Martin, WEB2).

Society believed women inferior to men. They were considered property of their fathers until marriage and once married, all her personal possessions became her husband. Women often married young to men significantly older then themselves and bore children very soon after marriage. Carol Berkin explains in her book “First Generations:

Society rarely ever had divorces, and even then a woman could never file for one. With no other option that to run away, that is what many unhappy wives did. “Indeed, advertisements in the press for truant wives were almost as numerous as those for fugitive slaves.” (Schlesinger 25). This quote shows how the view of women was so low in this time period, that they were almost seen as slaves; if not slaves, then definitely indentured servants. Many women did the same work as slaves and helped them, even though they were free. The lady of the house tended their garden and watched over the house and children, just as a servant or slave would (Scott 7). This not only affected the roles women were placed in but also the view towards them. If a man’s wife and his slave did similar work, he would have had similar views of

in Thomas). She had to make sure her house was fitting for her family. This because she is seen as incapable to do what a man can. Therefor women are seen powerless and powerless is defined as according to Merriam-Webster as “lacking the authority or capacity to act.” She is also not allowed to cheat but a man was. Victorian men kept paramours, yet in any case they expected their wives or special woman to be dedicated whatever their own particular crimes. On the off chance that a woman took another man it was not allowed. In the event that it did get to be open learning she would be cut by society. But a man can do as he pleases. Also, It was a double-dealing period when connections were very counterfeit. Until late in the century in 1887 a wedded lady could claim no property. At that point in 1887 the Married Woman 's Property Act gave ladies rights to possess her own particular property. Formerly her property, habitually inherited from her family, fit in with her spouse on marriage. She turned into the property of the man. Amid this time if a wife divided from her spouse she had no privileges of access to see her kids. A separated lady had no possibility of acknowledgement in the public arena once more.

Women throughout the History of the United States faced many challenges. Women were not seen as equals in the eyes of men. One reason is because men seen them to be weak. They were also looked at as servants and slaves. Women did not have the same rights as the men when it came to marriage. Whatever procession the women had became the husband. Marriage for women back then was more of them doing the entire house work and catering to the kids, and the man.

The role of women in the household and workforce was changing dramatically. Before this time period, women aspired to marry a successful and rich man so that they could live comfortably. Marrying a well-endowed man would ensure the wife with a steady income source and pleasurable life. This idea changed because women were starting to gain independence and strived to make their own money from jobs other than prostitution. Even women 's idea of modesty changed. They would usually dress modestly and wore their hair up as to not look prudish. This idea was thrown out the window, and women started dressing for

Women of the eighteenth century were expected and encouraged to marry and have children, whatever their circumstance in life. Wives were expected to manage all of the

When a woman married in the Victorian age, she did not have an independent legal status. Women also had no right to any money, including the money that she earned and worked for. She could not make a will or buy property, she had no claim to her children, and she had to move with her spouse wherever he went. If the husband died, he could name his wife as the guardian of the children, but he did not have to if he did not wish to.

In the 19th century a woman's main duty was to take care of the household. They were in charge of the cooking, cleaning, and taking care of the children. During this time, most women didn’t work, and weren’t supposed to spend their time on getting an education. Since women couldn't get educations, they had to be married because they weren’t able to support themselves. The women were in charge of the family and house, while the man was in charge of some duties in the house and making money to support them. In the