Civilization

Janice Cotton
                                                                    10/03/2010
                                                              World Civilization 1
                                                                          The Role of Women up until the 1500’s

  Women before the 1500’s was slaved in the homes and their world revolved around cooking, cleaning and doing laundry. Women were long considered naturally weaker than men, squeamish, and unable to perform work requiring muscular or intellectual development. In most preindustrial societies, for example, domestic chores were relegated to women, leaving "heavier" labor such as hunting and plowing to men. Some countries have had women leaders who were bold, who had a right to rule a country and have a say. In other parts of the world, however, women were expected to be quiet and humble; obedient to their husbands and stay home.
England's women were allowed to be queens. A woman had the right to rule over a country if she contained royal blood or had royal background in the family. But, the middle class women were considered a woman in a different way. While their husbands worked on fields, women were at home teaching their children (especially daughters) how to do housework and how to maintain a living. Some did all the men's work when their husbands were away on crusades. Most women did not know when their husbands would be coming back from these "holy" wars. These things mostly took place in manors, where a family lived in one village or town and made their living. Many men were called to help out in the crusades and many women were left behind.

  The women in Japan were hardly respected. They were viewed as human beings who would marry and bear children for their husbands. Although this law is illegal now, wives who did not conceive or give birth to a son could be killed or disowned. Women were expected to be humble and demure. Some were shaped to be fit to be the...