The years between 1650 and 1800 were a time full of societal changes in Europe. These years included the Enlightenment, several wars, and revolutions in multiple countries. However, these years also saw some aspects of society stay mostly the same. During the time period between 1650 and 1800 in European countries such as England and France, women’s roles and black people’s roles remained constant in society, while there were significant societal changes in areas such as religion, education, and the rise of consumerism. During the time period 1650-1800, there were aspects of society, such as women’s roles and black people’s roles, that stayed the same. At the beginning of this time, women had very limited rights and opportunities.
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Women also had less power to divorce men than men had to divorce women. In the workforce, women were mostly limited to domestic jobs, like sewing and raising children. They were also limited in education. Formal education was almost exclusively left to men because women were thought to be to innocent for this. Not much changed between 1650 and 1800. Women were still limited in their rights and education at the start of the 19th century. When the French adopted a constitution in 1791 it gave women more power in divorce and inheriting property, but they still were not allowed to vote or hold a public office. Education was also more readily available for women, but it was intended to shape women into the “ideal wife”, so they focused on activities that were appropriate for women, like embroidery and music. The more academic pursuits were left to the intellectually superior gender. When looking for a husband, women were expected to “marry up” because many people believed that this was the only way for a woman to be successful. This …show more content…
In the late 17th century European explorers routinely brought Africans as slaves and, although they weren't really used in Europe, they were sent to the New World colonies as a cheap labor source. Even free blacks were kept at the bottom of European society and given restricted rights because they were seen as “uncultured savages.” For example, black people were not allowed to join guilds. Towards the end of this time, Africans were still being sent to the colonies, although slavery had been formally abolished in some European countries. Furthermore, in Britain in the 18th century it was seen as a sign of status to have a black servant. The reason for this continuity is that Europeans still believed that they were culturally, intellectually, and biologically superior to Africans. Evidence of this can be found in David Hume’s Of Natural Characters when he says “I am apt to suspect the [blacks]... to be naturally inferior to the whites. There was never a civilized nation of any complexion other than white…” Although slavery had been abolished by many European countries throughout the 1700s, at the end of the century blacks were still being held at the bottom of the social hierarchy like they were in the seventeenth
Women also had less power to divorce men than men had to divorce women. In the workforce, women were mostly limited to domestic jobs, like sewing and raising children. They were also limited in education. Formal education was almost exclusively left to men because women were thought to be to innocent for this. Not much changed between 1650 and 1800. Women were still limited in their rights and education at the start of the 19th century. When the French adopted a constitution in 1791 it gave women more power in divorce and inheriting property, but they still were not allowed to vote or hold a public office. Education was also more readily available for women, but it was intended to shape women into the “ideal wife”, so they focused on activities that were appropriate for women, like embroidery and music. The more academic pursuits were left to the intellectually superior gender. When looking for a husband, women were expected to “marry up” because many people believed that this was the only way for a woman to be successful. This …show more content…
In the late 17th century European explorers routinely brought Africans as slaves and, although they weren't really used in Europe, they were sent to the New World colonies as a cheap labor source. Even free blacks were kept at the bottom of European society and given restricted rights because they were seen as “uncultured savages.” For example, black people were not allowed to join guilds. Towards the end of this time, Africans were still being sent to the colonies, although slavery had been formally abolished in some European countries. Furthermore, in Britain in the 18th century it was seen as a sign of status to have a black servant. The reason for this continuity is that Europeans still believed that they were culturally, intellectually, and biologically superior to Africans. Evidence of this can be found in David Hume’s Of Natural Characters when he says “I am apt to suspect the [blacks]... to be naturally inferior to the whites. There was never a civilized nation of any complexion other than white…” Although slavery had been abolished by many European countries throughout the 1700s, at the end of the century blacks were still being held at the bottom of the social hierarchy like they were in the seventeenth