Industrial Revolution Women's Roles Essay

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The Industrial Revolution in England brought about a major change to women’s roles in society. New job opportunities for women arose as the need for low-cost workers increased, and women could seek employment outside of their homes. There was a drastic change to the societal expectations of women before, during and at the end of the Industrial Revolution, with women being introduced to the workforce and eventually gaining more freedom as individuals.
Before the Industrial Revolution, women were expected to remain at home and care for their children. They had little legal rights and were economically and socially dependent on their husbands. Essentially, women had no legal identity apart from their husbands. In the 18th century, it was common …show more content…

Events that occurred during the Industrial Revolution led to women gaining higher positions of power in both society and the workplace. By 1833, 56.8% of workers in Britain were women, over half of the population (Mitchell, pg 167). There was also a small but steady rise in the percentage of female commercial business owners. In Manchester 1788 8.9% of commercial business owners were women, a number that rose to 12.1% in 1850 (Manchester …show more content…

Yes, thousands of women had to deal with terrible working/living conditions as well oppression, but it is because of those pioneers that women's rights
The world today would be drastically different if it were not for the Industrial Revolution. Specifically, it impacted women’s roles in the workplace as well as in society. They were able to make a living for themselves without needing to depend on a husband, and women’s rights movements around both Europe and the United States were influenced by progress made during and directly after the Industrial