What was life like for women in the Paleolithic Period, and why did their social status change afterward? According to some scholars, women in the Paleolithic period had a rather equal status with men. Shortly after the Neolithic period began, though, that status fell and an inequality between the genders came into existence. I love how the book puts it: “The inequalities of gender...decisively shaped the character of the First Civilizations and those that followed.” p.73. In other words, gender inequality played a huge role in the world from thousands of years ago and still today.
Role of women until 1500 “Women Past Lived” Erin Snider World Civilization I Martha Stillman September 21, 2009 Women Past Lived Page 2 Women today have status and rights because of the women of yesterday’s many societies breaking through obstacles of extreme measures. Even though culture around the world differed in religion, dress, language and a few daily rituals there were many similarities that connected the way of life. The role of women in every society through early times including Roman, Medieval, India and China mostly ruled there women as inferior to their men and were unable to have many rights. Women were usually uneducated; unable to vote some of the case they hardly left their homes. The
The peaceful campaigning of the suffragists’ was a key factor in women receiving the vote. The suffragists’ started the whole route of women gaining the vote; they were the ever moving force behind the movement. However historian Martin Pugh suggests that “Suffragists would probably have done better to have made common cause with all unenfranchised men and women from the start and thereby they might have extended their appeal” because all men had not yet received the vote it was argued that women should not receive the franchise when it was not fully given to all men. However there were other contributing factors leading up to 1918 and women gaining the vote. They include the work of the suffragettes’ who caused chaos and grabbed the spotlight away from the suffragists’ after a group of women decided it was time to make a militant stand.
Throughout The Odyssey, written by Homer, the treatment of women plays a key role in the overall outcome of the story and is a central issue presented in this poem. In many scenarios it is evident that men are treated with superiority to women. During the era that this story was written, men played the dominant role. Society was organized, directed, and controlled by men, and it was accepted that women occupied a subservient and inferior position. Questia states, “Despite their vital role in Ancient Greek and Roman society, women were not considered full citizens and in most instances required a guardian – their fathers, and later husbands – to represent them” (“Women in Ancient Greece and Rome”).
Women were expected to marry, have children and financially they were expected to be fully dependent on their husbands. Women rarely had careers and most professions refused entry to women. However, between the years 1850 and 1901 women’s role in society began to be challenged. There were a number of reasons for this,
Alexa Nickell Pre-Modern History 115 Roles of Women In Patriarchal Societies Exploring the Differences Between Egypt and Mesopotamia ! In an age where women are fighting desperately to be on the level of their male counterparts, patriarchy is nearly unheard of, especially here in the United States. Patriarchy, an age old social system, allowed men to direct political, economic, and cultural life, causing the role of women in most societies to deteriorate almost completely. 1 So why, one might ask, did women allow this to happen? Well, for most women subordination to men was the norm, from childhood young girls were taught that the father was the head of the family.
From the beginning, wifehood and motherhood have been regarded as a women’s profession. They were not seen as breadwinners or professionals. As history has told us, women were considered the weaker sex, doing jobs such as laundry, milking cows, and taking care of children, leaving the “heavier” labor to the big strong men (wic.org). With technological advancement today, physiological test suggest women have a greater pain tolerance and statistics show that women live longer and are more resistant to many diseases. In the 20th century, women in most nations won the right to vote, this in return increased their educational and job opportunities.
An Under famed Rhetorician Rhetoric has been through many stages, from early Greek origins to modern day theory. It has shaped societies and has transformed civilizations round the globe. Due process states that we must accredit those who have contributed to rhetoric along the way. An area of rhetoric I feel that has not been explored enough is the contribution that women have added throughout time; particularly the renaissance period. Due to the limited amount of resources and the restrictions laid upon women for practicing rhetoric, it is astonishing how many women were still able to make a significant impact on the field of rhetoric which I feel has paved the way for women’s liberations rights today.
However, the rights which were won seemed to exclude women. Many women did not like this and they wanted to be equal to men and they fought their own war of independence to receive that right. It started off small, but eventually grew into a big movement. Many average women would be remembered as someone great and their names would shine throughout history. One of these women was one known as Susan Brownell Anthony.
Female Representation in Ancient Art and Society There is no question that the role women play in society has transformed significantly throughout the course of history. Some cultures were centered on the female entity as a symbol of life and fertility, while others strayed towards a more masculine focus. In many ancient cultures, it seems as though women were revered in a sacred light. Although there are scarce written records, if any, left behind by those people, we can draw conclusions about women in society based on the remaining pieces of visual art in existence today. Also, by looking at the composition, technique, and structure of these works, we are able to get insight on what the technology and culture in daily life were like in those far-away times.