The new
reliance on a marketplace economy in the mid 1800’s diminished the strong
belief in the family as a unit of economic productivity. Because
men spent so much time at work, some of the authority they had traditionally
held at home fell to their wives. The responsibility for the household
was the woman's only job. Whereas she had once formed a partnership
with her husband to support their family, she was now relegated to the
relatively menial tasks involved in housekeeping and child rearing. It
was widely believed that a woman's place was at home with the children
and that her primary task was caring for her home and family. As
the world progressed women remained at a standstill, endlessly repeating
domestic chores. Women received no monetary compensation for their
work , nor had they hopes for elevating their status outside their family
circle.
There were several efforts
to improve women’s status in the early nineteenth century. A number
of women formed movements in an attempt to gain respect and equality.
Petitions, conventions, and protests were held for the purpose of advancing
women’s rights in which they rebelled against the degrading social and
economical roles they had been restricted to. Some women also condemned
all religions, claiming that they were all irrational and oppressive to
women. Marriage rights and the right to own property were in demand.
They fought for a better kind of marriage, the right to divorce, and for
custody of their children. Though these efforts did not have important
impact at the time, they did, however, lay a foundation for positive changes
in the years ahead. As the years went by, women continued to fight
for their rights and expanded their roles in society.
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