Frq Women 1750-1914

Eugenia Bejar Period B April 5, 2011 Roles of Women in Latin America vs. Western Europe from 1750- 1914 Women of Latin America were far more influential than those of Western Europe before the European period of conquest from the 1500’s until 1750. However, the time from 1750 to 1914 was a revolutionary period in Latin America, Western Europe, and throughout the rest of the world. Not only so, but it was during this time that the ideas of industrialism, imperialism, democracy, capitalism, and nationalism developed and grew.

Therefore, due to the various revolutions and arising social and political conflicts and innovations, women played and increasingly larger role throughout the world. Though traditional subordination of women still existed in Western Europe, Latin American societies were less socially restrictive. However, women of Western Europe enjoyed more political rights than those of Latin America. In both Latin America and Western Europe, political and social revolutions of a dramatic scale developed and grew throughout the countries.

Amongst the most prominent of these revolutions were the Haitian Rebellion in Latin America and the French Revolution in Europe. The Haitian Rebellion was led by a former slave and targeted against imperialism. Though slaves led the revolt, women were not widely included. However, it is certain that women did contribute to the cause behind the scenes by either slightly fighting or supporting the rebellion, which ultimately failed.

Throughout most of the 1750s until 1914, most of Latin America was dominated by imperial rule which divided it into various colonies or separate spheres of influence. Within the colonies, women, especially those of elite status, were treated entirely subordinate to the men of the household. In contrast, women of lower classes had to work but they strictly kept to working in their homes weaving baskets or tending the fields. In contrast to the Haitian Revolution of Latin America where women were not tremendously involved, women of Western Europe greatly took part in the French Revolution.

In this revolution, the women of France made specific appeals to the king appealing for greater rights, which also helped bring the royal family to Paris. European women were many times the most radical revolutionaries and hoped to attain more rights, yet they did not. When “The Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen” was written in France, it did not account for women so Virgina Wolf wrote a “Declaration of the Rights of Women and Citizen”.

When she did so, Wolf was ridiculed and later killed during the Reign of Terror. In addition, one of the precursors to the French Revolution was Marie Antoinette for her love of luxuries and costly things. In addition, she proves that the role of women in Western Europe was great because she was of great influence on her husband and ultimately was one of the causes for his downfall. Thus, it is evident that women played a rather large role in politics throughout Western Europe from 1750-1914.

Also in Western Europe, Mary Wollstonecraft of England wrote the “Vindication of the Rights of Women” that spoke for women and their rights, demonstrating the political voice and influence that women of Europe had. Though there were some influential female writers in Latin America throughout history, none were neither as influential nor as effective as those of Western Europe. In conclusion, women in Latin America still possessed many traditional freedoms at the time but they did not play a large role in society at large.

In contrast, the women of Western Europe possessed many more political rights and played a larger role in society without having as many social rights as those of Latin America. By 1914, women movements throughout Europe had such a high impact that women were given the right to vote. It is clear that European women played an increasingly larger role in politics, while women in Latin America played large social roles throughout colonial times. However, it is clear that women in both regions played a larger and more significant role throughout their respective societies.