Section 17-20 Century: Course Analysis

In this course plenty of topics were explored that dealt with the lives of women over the time frame 17-20 century. The topics that were discussed were topics that challenged ones’ previous knowledge on women during this time period. Some common myths that people may have about women during this time period is that women stayed at home with their children while they cooked and cleaned. Other myths that are believed is that women had many children normally around five to six and that the available jobs for women was being a maiden. Thus this course provided plenty of evidence that proved one’s prior knowledge about women to be completely wrong. On the first day of class these myths were listed on the board and we were told to completely forget …show more content…
296).” Although women played a major role they truly were stuck in the structure of the industrial revolution. Women had few choices when it came down to jobs that could be work during this time period. Which can be shown by Frader, “women could be found in all types of manufacturing structures, though their place in industrial capitalism differed significantly according to their class position (Frader pg. 299).” As we can see women were placed in a certain job due to social class and that restricted them from achieve much power. Thus women had a choice and that was to take the job or not to. Although many women didn’t have a choice when it came down working or not working because they need the money to support their families. Thus Frader states that “women did not leave work because of low pay, however. On the contrary, their need to earn wages kept them working in the most abysmal conditions (Frader pg. 311).” As one can see it is very evident that women had a choice to work but due to the structure their choices of jobs weren’t that many so they were stuck with the ones that were given to them. This shows that the structure had an impact on women’s lives although women have the ability to choose. Frader discusses with the little amount of jobs available for women that they turned to different jobs that were seen as wrong. Frader states “working-class women, who labored at subsistence wages, sometime did work as prostitutes, and others turned to prostitution as their primary means of earning income when out of work (pg. 312).” As stated before many women turn to prostitution because it was a choice that they saw was fit to help them and their family survive. Frader provides evidences “women worked in factories and did prostitution on the side to receive the financial stability that they needed (pg. 312)”. Although many women were becoming