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Women's Roles Dbq

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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. Women’s role in the family changed due to new religious ideas and education. Women before the nineteenth century immersed themselves in the home. Women had to live in a cult of domesticity where they dominated the household. However, the Second Great Awakening during the 1830s changed this system. During this revival period, people believed women should be pious and become better Christians (Document 1). In this way, they can better teach their children to become religious. Therefore, people started to understand the importance of women’s education and provided more education opportunities for women (Document …show more content…

The Second Great Awakening and opportunities for education greatly altered women’s role in the household. They were given more freedom and power as a mother. In addition, women were able to work in jobs normally dominated by men. They were not confined in the house but were able to make contributions in society to gain their own income. Women also became the leaders of reform during this time period. They headed movements against slavery, mistreatment of the mentally ill, and restriction of women’s rights. With all these changes, women’s lives slowly evolved. All these radical ideas soon became the norm for

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