The Changing Role Of Women In Argentina In The 19th Century

Historically, the woman’s place was in the home. The women of Argentina were secluded by Spanish law which would place them under the “ownership” of their husbands with their main function to take care of the children and maintain the home. Women were not allowed to hold political office or any administrative positions nor could they inherit land. In the circumstance of losing a spouse, women were to remarry or ways were found to transfer inherited wealth to a male heir. In the early nineteenth century, the influence of foreign cultures changed the attitudes toward women, as the more affluent women of Argentina began to organize and gather men and women to support the social integration, education and skills of women to” increase independence …show more content…
In 1951,”twenty-three women would be elected as representatives and six women elected as senators, in addition, nearly four million women voted for the first time, including Eva Peron”(www.telesurtv.net) . Under the military dictatorship of the 1970’s Argentina underwent significant social change. Terrorism and violations of human rights gave rise to the resistance of Argentina’s citizens who became independent and rebellious which was comparable to the situation of the women who wanted democracy and not military dictatorships. As the military sought out to eliminate those who defied the government, women would become defiant toward government oppression in the form of a group known as the Grandmothers of the Plaza de Mayo. In 1977, fourteen women would march on the Plaza de Mayo in spite of the military ban on public gatherings. These women were demanding information on their missing children who disappeared as a “systematic effort by the government to rid Argentina of subversive elements” (Mercer, 1998). Initially, the government did not take the “mothers” seriously, calling them out as mothers who could not accept their children left voluntarily. The military did not seem aware of the political nature of the mothers so they did not stop the group. This would be critical because it gave the mothers time to organize and develop into a social movement. Once the military realized the mothers were not going away, the resolve of the women was strong and the military would be unable to stop the movement. The mothers would be “the only group who challenged the political boundaries imposed by a government that banned all political activities and parties” (Mercer, 1998). The mothers would play a critical role in “the resurrection of civil society in Argentina which was essential for political democracy to emerge” (Mercer, 1998). It was the