Dharmawan 1

Angela Liana Dharmawan

Ms. Hannah Meeuwse
Individuals & Societies 9
29 September, 2015
Womens Rights during Industrial Revolution Era
Society has set standards for women to have certain characters and appearances. Even
though this statement is still true to some people in some parts of the world, gender equality has
been implanted almost everywhere. Women is no longer defined as a specific thing; for example,
weak beings that stays home to take care of the house and raise children. Though back in about
the 19th century, which is during the Industrial Revolution, people had a theory that women
belong to the inner sphere of family life and that men belong to the outer sphere (Ping). In the
past, women did not have equal rights with men. At the end, the unfairness made women held
demos and protests in order to be given equal treatments. The protests were cause because of
how badly women were mistreated during the industrial era. Three of the many reasons are
because women did not get equal education as men did, because of working conditions that were
expected from women, and also because they were not allowed to vote.
During the era of Industrial Revolution, women did not get equal education as men did. One
of the factors is because women had to work and support their families. In the 1800s, women
were not allowed to attend schools and universities to extend their knowledge. Even if they were
to apply, no schools, colleges, and universities would accept them as students. This also meant
that they did not have a chance to enter professions such as doctors and lawyers. In order to go to
lectures, they had to be given permission before they go. A lot of women attempted to build
schools and provide education for other fellow women. The first university college for women

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was built by Emily Davies and Barbara Bodichon in the year 1870, though it was not known or
authorized by the authorities. It was not until the 1900s that women started becoming doctors,
and there were only about 200 women doctors. Starting from the year 1910, women started
becoming bankers and accountants. Even though women managed to get education at the end, it
was gained through a rough and tough fight.
Regarding working conditions, women were expected to do multiple jobs, which included
working to support their families and afterwards work at home to take care of the house and their
children. As a result of the need for wages in the growing cash economy, families became
dependent on the wages of women ("The Plight of Women's Work in the Early Industrial
Revolution in England and Wales). This was not fair for women since they were expected to do
work hard every single day of their lives. It was also said that women did not get rest days after
giving birth, instead they had to work in order to help provide for their families. Starting from
the 1700s, most women worked as seamstresses and even miners. Those who worked in mines
and also collieries had to work from 10 to 12 hours every day, and work places were often
unsanitary and unsafe. Even though women worked as much and hard as men did, they received
less than half the wages that men earned.
Lastly, women were not given the right to vote. Fighting for their rights to be able to vote
was hard and it took a relatively long time for them to gain their rights. Back then, most people
were not sure if women should be allowed to vote or not. Men underestimated women in
different sorts of way that caused them to think that women would not be able to handle or take
parts to better issues relating to politics. As stated before, women gave in their best effort to be
able to vote, which took years for them to be able to do so. The Women Suffragettes, consisting
of women who wanted to fight for their rights, had done a lot of things to be able to have equal

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rights as men. The NWP, National Womens Party outside the White House and the Capitol as
part of a campaign for a constitutional amendment guaranteeing universal suffrage (Schultz).
Though the government did not acknowledge them and threatened that further actions will cause
them to be arrested. It was not until around the year 1920 that women were granted the right to
go to the polls and vote.
In the modern era, which is now, women and men finally have equal rights in most things. As
the years passed, women has been slowly accepted to stand up for themselves and make
decisions. Fairness in marriages is now present almost everywhere throughout the world. Women
are no longer required to have to surrender their lives to the hands of their husbands. They are
now able to file divorces and take part for children custodies. Women are now way more
educated, since they are allowed and are accepted in many schools, colleges, and universities.
This change opens a lot of doors for women to have high ranked or professional jobs. Equal
rights offers a lot of new opportunities for women to experience and choose. Gender equality can
also help society economically, since women are now able to get good education which means
there are many possibilities for them to get high-paying jobs. Last but not least, gender equality
can affect mens personality to become more respectful towards other people. Back in the
Suffrage era, men were ordering women around because they had not yet have equal rights.
Though now, with the presence of gender equality, men are taught to give respect to women,
since now both genders have equal rights.
During the Industrial Revolution, women were not given equal education as men, had to go
through extreme working conditions, and were not allowed to vote. Womens rights and also
freedom were limited because of the laws that existed in that era. Though because of the many

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spirited women, who refused to keep silent and not stand up for themselves, women has an easier
life in the modern era because of the varying opportunities.

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Bibliography
Col, Laura Del. "The Physical Deterioration of the Textile Workers." The Victorian Web. N.p.,
n.d. Web. 25 Sept. 2015.
Eisenberg, Bonnie, and Mary Ruthsdotter. History of the Womens Rights Movement.
National Womens History Project. National Womens History Project, 1998. Web. 25
Sept. 2015.
Schultz, Connie. How Women Got the Right to Vote. WantToKnow.Info. N.p., n.d. Web. 25
Sept. 2015.
Simkin, John. Women & University Education. Spartacus Educational. Spartacus Educational
Publishers Ltd., Sept. 1997. Web. 25 Sept. 2015.
The History of Womens Rights. ThinkQuest. Oracle Foundation, n.d. Web. 25 Sept. 2015.
Womens Rights. Mr. Coynes Site. Blackboard, n.d. Web. 25 Sept. 2015.
Work Cited
Ping, Elizabeth. FAMILY-WORK RELATIONSHIP MODELS BEFORE, DURING, AND AFTER
THE BRITISH INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION: A FEMINIST PERSPECTIVE. Charles
Town, West Virginia: AMERICAN PUBLIC UNIVERSITY SYSTEM, 25 Sept. 2011.
PDF.
"The Plight of Women's Work in the Early Industrial Revolution in England and Wales."
Womeninworldhistory.com. Women in World History Curriculum, n.d. Web. 25 Sept.
2015.