The Struggle for Emancipation of Women Describe and compare the progress made to secure rights for women (Economically, educationally, legally, politically, etc.) between 1870 and 1900)

The Struggle for Emancipation of Women

Describe and compare the progress made to secure rights for women (Economically, educationally, legally, politically, etc.) between 1870 and 1900)

Before 1870 Women’s education depended on their class. If you were born into an Upper or Middle class family a Governess would have tutored you privately, while Working class women might of gone to a Sunday school to learn the basics of reading and writing. Women didn’t need an education before 1870 as they wouldn’t need to work unless if you were Working class, and also because a women’s opinion never mattered, they had to sit there and look pretty.

There were many changes after 1870, such as Elementary, Public and Universities were being founded. All children, both boys and girls, were made to go to elementary school till the age of 9. Also the Universities and Colleges such as the Cheltenham Ladies College were a break through in women’s education. These new laws Guaranteed education of Middle and Working Class women. Women started to think for themselves after this but sexism was still there, it was an improvement but wasn’t a huge improvement. The Elementary schools may of given opportunities to the lower classes but these were largely overcrowded and they had to leave at the age of 9, which doesn’t help them much as at this age they were still too young for jobs.

There was progress during this period, due to the fact of before this time there was no guaranteed education for the working class, as after 1870 this was made possible.

Before 1870 women’s jobs were very menial and repetitive and also were often at a much lower rate than of a man doing the same job. Upper and Middle Class women were very idle before 1870 and spent most of their time playing the piano or just looking pretty. The working class women had low paid jobs such as; Domestic service, working in fields and Factory working, ...

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There was progress during this period, due to the fact of before this time there was no guaranteed education for the working class, as after 1870 this was made possible.

After 1870 things changed, such as a London School of Medicine was founded for women, by 1900 there were 300 women doctors. There was also a new range of Working class jobs were available, such as being a Telephonist, Typists, Office clerks, Teachers and Shop assistants. Female fashion changed dramatically after 1870, instead of Cumbersome Victorian dresses, women now started to wear more healthier, simpler and more manageable clothes. The Middle class women started to get more professional jobs such as lawyers, doctors and many others. The Upper Class women still did nothing they hadn’t changed much Economically.

There was progress economically after 1870 as a wider range of jobs became available for the working class women, and also a wider range of more professional jobs for the Middle class women. Women would find it hard during this time for their careers, as they tended to have children that interfered with their work. The women still also got paid less than of a man in the same position.

Before 1870 women were not bothered about Legal and Political rights. Before 1870 when a woman got married all her wealth and possessions became her husband’s property, this included any children the woman had had in any other previous marriages.

After 1870 things looked up for women’s rights, in 1870 Parliament passed the law in which Married women were allowed to keep their own earnings, it was another 12 years before they were allowed to own property and dispose of it as they wished this law was passed in 1882. In 1888 women were able to vote in the County and Borough elections, this was one of the first steps in which women had taken in how their country was run. Until 1907 women were not allowed to become Councillors, around this time women started to form groups and organizations that campaigned for women’s right to vote, such as the NUWSS, this started to lift off and more and more women started to fight to gain this franchise.

This was Progress as it was a starting point for Women’s rights. The Married Women’s Property Acts let women have some Legal rights, but this did not allow them to vote for their own country, although they were allowed to vote and run for Local Elections. Men thought these rights were too much, they thought that the women couldn’t votes sensibly and should leave it too their husbands.