Gender Roles
Danielle Jones
AP World History
Period 1
Asia

From 8000 BCE-600 CE East and West
Asia was a patriarchal society
• The emperor could have more than one
wife
• In Southern Asia, women gained little
rights
• Women could not own property
Asia

From 600 CE-1450 CE East and South Asia
continue to see women as inferior




China had a growing number of infanticide if the child
was a female. Chinese tradition put more importance
on a male child as he will carry on the family name
Wives and young girls had foot binding
In South Asia, women remained subordinate to men
and the caste system decided each person’s place in
society.
Women were not educated and worked at home
Asia

From 1914 onward, women soon
began to gain greater rights
– Women were able to gain prestigious jobs,
although they still remained inferior to men in the
work force
– Women allowed to divorce and marry again
– Still expected to provide sons
Europe

In Eastern and Western Europe, women’s
rights were limited (600-1450 CE)
•
•
•
In Western Europe, it was a patriarchal society
Women could gain power if they were upper class
aristocrats or a member of the royal family
In Eastern Europe, women were treated as inferior to
men, yet could have a say in family life. Both men and
women work (mostly agricultural)
Europe

From the 1750s-1914 CE, women’s
rights increased substantially
Industrial Revolution begins (between 174020th century)
 Lower class women who had preciously taken
care of the home and worked in fields shifted to
working in factories
 More children working now

Europe

From 1914 onward, men and women
seem closer to equality
Men and women have equal voting rights, job
interviews, and common rights
 One can choose when to get married rather
than depending on their family to make their
choices

Europe

From 1914 onward, men and women
seem closer to equality (cont)
In Eastern Europe, women still considered
subordinate to men, yet both are required to
work
 Both males and females now educated

Latin America

Aztec and Inca civilizations were more
patriarchal, yet women played major
roles in the civilization

Women could become priestess or work
under the royal family
Latin America

From 1750-1914 CE inequalities
continue to persist
– Social inequalities continue to persist in spite of
laws against it
– Indians, blacks, and people of mixed races
continue to be victims of informal prejudice
– Slavery continued into the 19th century
Middle East

From 8000 BCE-1450 CE, women
possessed some rights
Men were hunters, women were food gathers
(8000-600 CE)
 Women can gain power in courts, priestesses,
scribes, and small business
 Women initially able to conduct businesses
and hold certain jobs; similar to Mohammad’s
wife (600-1450 CE)

Middle East

In recent years, (1914-present) laws
stay similar regarding women
Laws are still very religious, but some women
can have businesses.
 Males can have up to four wives if they can
provide substantial lifestyle for each
