Latin American Women In The 19th Century

Life for women in Latin America during the 19th century was greatly impacted by independence. Latin America in the 19th century was a completely patriarchal society. A patriarchy is a system in which men control the power of women’s labor, sexuality in the household and society, and women’s reproductive potential. Women’s roles in society were divided based on the class system.

The women of the upper class, also known as elites, were pictured as the ones to carry the honor of the family, bear the children, and be presenters of purity. Many of these characteristics will carry over to the national period after independence. Mothers, daughters, and wives were seen as domestic stability within the households. However, it is a different story for women of poorer social status.

By 1836, nearly 40% of all households in Sao Paulo, Brazil were female-headed homes. Men were leaving the cities in search of work in the agricultural and gold mining frontier. It was seen as an opportunity for men to get rich. As of 1802, 56% of the female-headed households in Sao Paulo, were engaged in textile manufacturing. The majority of women worked from their own homes. At least a quarter of Sao Paulo’s homes were engaged in cotton and textile manufacturing. However, the successful textile business crashed at the time of independence because of the massive import of new low-priced British textiles. Although, the economic impact was a national concern, it had the largest impact on women. British textiles replaced more than half of local producers in Sao Paulo between the years of 1802 and 1836. Thousands of women suddenly found themselves unemployed and trying to provide for their families. Many women had to try to find work in other