Middlce class women in the 19th century?

Question

I need a few questions answered, so I'm all 'clued up':

I want to know what life was like for unmarried/married middle class women from 1800-1850, and how it changed thereafter.

Subjects: what was common law, were they allowed to have leisure pursuits before 1850 such as shopping (when was this first introduced?) were married middle class women beaten? What were the notions of feminity from a man's view? And finally, what was their daily routine before and after the dates given?

Hope you can help!

Answer 1

Which country are you talking about?

The early 19th century was a time in both America and in england when the notion of 'seperate spheres' became very popular, the idea that married women should stay at home and care for the family, while the man went out into the world of work. "Our men are sufficienty money-making.  Let us keep our women and children from contagion as long as possible" wrote Sarah Hale editor of the American magazine Godey's lady Book.

In America, the early 19th century was a time when teaching became a respectable profession for middle-class single women, as there were not enough male teachers in the public school system, and many more were needed.  Although it was hard work, and women were paid much less than men, it was a source of pride for women to be able to earn an independent living.

Single women were able to go out and about very freely, going to dances, staying out late etc, foreing visitors were often astonished by the amount of freedom single American girls had.

Married women were expected to preside over the home, and of course middle-class women at that time would have had servants to do the housework, so they did not have to work very hard.  In the South, in particular, it was assumed that a lady would lead a leisurely life, slaves would do the work.  Men often went out socializing together, while women stayed at home.

The 19th century was a time when women got involved in social reform.  In America, many women were very active in the Abolitionist movement, circulating petitions, raising money at anti-slavery fairs, even speaking in public against slavery.  And harriet Beecher Stowe's novel 'Uncle tom's Cabin' was immensely influential in gaining support for the Aboltionist movement.

employment opportunities for middle-class women expanded from the middle of the century.  elizabeth blackwell became the first woman to qualify as a physician in the USA in 1850, and the reforms of florence Nightingale made nursing a respectable occupation for women in both England and the USA.  during the civil war large numbers of women worked as nurses, both in paid positions and as volunteers.  Some women took over male clerical jobs in the Treasury, and after the war women continued to be employed in clerical work.

After the Civil War, employment opportunities for women continued to expand.  many more women began to work in office,s particularly after the invention of the typewriter, and they worked as telephone operators, and as sales clerks in the new department stores.

Family socilaizing became popular after the Civil War, rather than men going out on their own, families would go out together to theatres, circuses, etc.  This was the period when family vacations became popular.

Shopping b ecame a popular activity for women with the advent of the department stores.  Being able to walk around and look at things without being pressured to buy made it a much more attractive experience.

In both American and England, women began to attend university in the second half of the 19th century.  In america, there were 40,000 girls in college by 1880, about a third of the student population.  so acceptable had college for girls become, that in 1890 the Ladies Home Journal sponsored a contest to sell subscriptions, the prize was a scholarship to Vasser.

Women's clubs became very popular at this time, women would get together to discuss literature, history, and current affairs.  there were thousands of clubs all over America

One of the comments above suggests that prostituiton was something a girl at that time might do, but on the whole prositution was not a trade followed by middle-class girls.  A middle-class girl would be more likely to be a teacher, and after the 1850s, nursing was also acceptable, while during the later part of the century office work became a common occupation for women.  This would apply to single women of course, married women on the whole were expected to devote themselves to their families.

Answer 2

which country are you referring to?

unmarried women--

could be teachers.

'spinster' was a negative label.

i think this may be the time of the "harvey girls' - women who took jobs on the trains exploring the west (usa)

women probably did all housework and supplemented the family income by taking in borders, making meals, sewing, etc.

married-

seen as property of the husband (coverture doctrine)

could not get custody of children

probably had little leisure time

likely, worked on farms (and probably seen more like an equal than when men went to work outside the farms & got the label of "breadwinner")

i think domestic violence always existed, the silence was just broken in the 70s.  women, seen as property, were to be kept under control

Answer 3

Can you say "Work your butt off?"  At that time unless the woman was somehow rich or supported the answer was she worked.  In England the typical work day ran over 12 hours at the job 7 days a week.  Those who were capable often did stuff like Calimity Jane.  The rest looked for a husband whom they often served well working hard at the home as most of the people then were engaged in growing food.  The city was not so common.  Hookers  was a common profession for an unmarried woman also.  The idea of leisure pursuits assume there was leisure time.  Bad assumption.  Many staved to death both male and female.  The first date is before the invention of the nail so housing was not what one would imagine today.  Consider middle class meant farmer/rancher and all that goes with that.  Not a city life of being served by others.