Changes and Continuities in the Role of Women

600 C.E. - 1450

Yours Truly,Blanket Girl

(Bridget Zeiger)

What’s Happening?

• During this time period, • Islam is spreading• Christianity and Buddhism are opened to new

regions• New empires are developed, based on wealth and

acquisition of property• Revitalization of neo-Confucianism

• These features impacted women’s role in each society.

In general,• Restrictions on women’s freedoms depended on which

caste or class they belonged to.• In some regions, women at the highest levels could

overcome their status and assume leadership roles if a male heir was not capable.

• Generally, however, as societies became more urban and wealthy, women (especially in the elite and upper class) had their freedoms further restricted, even if their status arose.

i.e. » Increased veiling in Islamic world»Foot-binding in neo-Confucian China»Young marriage in South Asia

Some Benefits?

• Access to more education, especially in China and Japan.

• However, overall, women were usually far less powerful than their male counterparts and had many restrictions.

Five Major Regions…

• Considering the APWH exam is going to be asking on a broad spectrum, here are the five major regions one could focus on…

EuropeIslamAfricaIndiaChina

Europe

• There were strict patriarchal and social divisions.

• Women could inherit land.• Women could bring a court case but could not

participate in the sentence.• Women usually worked in textiles; they were

divided in labor.• Christian Monogamy (1 partner) increased.• Education is limited to the upper class males.• Veiling of upper class is present.

Islam

• There is equality in religion but separate in mosque.

• Women received half inheritance of male children. So, if father dies, women receives half of what son would have gotten.

• Women’s testimonies had less influence than that of a male.

• Concubines and seclusion in harems were present.• Women were exposed to education; literate

society.• Veiling is public.

Africa

• As trade and new religions increased and arrived, role of women did not change because nomads of African societies were egalitarian.

• As sedentary lifestyles developed, societies were matriarchal, where women were dominant in household.– Women demanded a bride-price.– “Mother of the King” was a political office where

women held office and participated in religious rituals controlled by women.

India

• There was a strict patriarchal caste system.• Women (and men, too!) married at a very

young age.• Practice of ‘sati’ for widows was present.• Marriage is limited to caste members (one

cannot marry outside his/her class).• Education is limited.• ‘Purdah’: veiling and seclusion was popular

during the time.

China• Confucianism, the dominant religion, held

strict guidelines for virtuous behavior.• Women have access to dowries and owned

businesses.• Widow must remain with the son and could

not own property if they remarried.• The main occupation of women was silk-

weaving.• Concubines and seclusion in harems were

current during the time.• State education is limited to men; however,

women were still literate.• Foot-binding was customary.