Women in European History

I. Renaissance a. Status did not change much compared to the Middle Agesb. Poor people stayed in nuclear family and wealthier people tended to have extended

familiesc. Women played a more significant role in Northern Europe’s economies; dowries

extremely important in wealthy families; marriages based on economic considerations and not love

d. Poor and rich married earlier than middle classese. Low rate of illegitimate births; dramatic population growth; increased infanticide and

abandonment which came with an increase of foundling hospitalsf. Divorce available in some places compared with it being non-existent in the Middle

Agesg. Castiglione: the woman pleasing to the man in upper classesh. Only women expected to remain chaste until marriage; more prostitution than Middle

Ages; rape not a serious crimei. KNOW: Christine de Pisan, Isabella d’ Este, Artemesia Gentilleschi, Witchcraft, Mary

Tudor, Elizabeth I, Catherine de Medicis, Isabella I

II. Reformationa. Catholic women enjoyed more freedom than Protestant women; increased women’s

literacy ; occupation still was in the home caring for the familyIII. Agricultural and Industrial Revolution

a. Enclosure made women had fewer opportunities on common lands and many worked away from the home

i. Most work was domestic; some were prostitutes; more autonomy; can save money for own dowries; more choice in marriage partners

b. Large numbers of women work in cottage industry and then factoriesc. Explosion in illegitimate birth and increased infanticide; married late 20s or later; many

women don’t marry; marriage based more on romanceIV. Enlightenment and French Revolution

a. Enlightenment: Women ran salons; ideology of the time didn’t respect womenb. Bread riots, march on Versailles, Olympe de Gouges, Wollstonecraft, closing of

women’s political clubs, women gained few rights, increased use of birth controlV. Pre-World War

a. 1896- National Association of Colored Women foundedb. 1906- First female suffrage granted in Finlandc. Florence Nightingale- The Lady with the Lamp

VI. World War Ia. Women take on men jobs and join organizations to help the war effortb. Proved women were as capable as men in the work force, which later led to the voting

controversy c. 1917- Loretta Perfectus Walsh became the first women to serve in the U.S. armed

forces in a non-nurse position (U.S. Navy)d. Women were used in propaganda to promote a vision to soldiers that they were

defending their women and homeland.e. Flora Sands- only British woman to officially serve as a soldier in WWIf. The National Woman's Party (Alice Paul, 1913) fought for equal women rights

VII. After WWIa. 1918- First Soviet Constitution declares equal rights for men and womenb. Women start demanding equal rights around Europe, voting controversy arises after

men came back and reclaimed their jobs

c. Employers had decreed that women would only be employed for the duration of the war, which angered many women

d. Unemployment soared; men were furious, saying that women had taken all their jobs.VIII. World War II and Post

a. Women again take on a vital part in the war effort and volunteered to serve/enlist in Britain, Soviet Union…

b. Baby Boom after the war