# Women´s legal status

The 19th century for Europe and America was known as the "century of the middle class" because of its growing power and prestige. Even more than in the past, upper and middle class women were confined to the private sphere, since domesticity and motherhood were considered their suitable areas.

As marriadge was the expected role for those women, those that did not marry were considered as social failures and denominated "spinsters" even in legal documents.

Taking into account her role of "Angel of the house", a woman at this time was thought to need only a limited education, as we can see in the Unit "Women Exploring".

But did this social consideration have legal support?

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# Try to guess

Who had a better legal position?

- a single woman?
- a widow?
- a married woman?

# Feedback

The rights of a widow or a single woman were more extensive than those of a married one, because a wife´s legal personality was subsumed under her husband´s. Her rights were legally given to her husband and her legal status was reduced to that of a minor.

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