Year 9 - History
Women and the Industrial Revolution
Thematic study: how has the role of women in British society changed?
Study Hub
Study Guides
This pupil-friendly study guide includes a unit summary, clear notes, common mistakes, and quick questions with answers.
Unit Summary
In this unit, pupils consolidate and extend their knowledge of history before 1066 by examining how women's roles in British society have changed from the medieval period to the present.
Lesson Summary
You will learn to explain the impact of the Industrial Revolution on the role of women in society.
Key Notes
- Changes to the way people worked during the Industrial Revolution created new opportunities and challenges for women.
- In the 19th century, married women were expected to stay home to raise children and look after their husbands.
- Legislation was passed during the 19th century that limited working opportunities for women.
- By the end of the 19th century, there was a divide between work considered suitable for men and for women.
- The growth of professions like nursing and teaching created new opportunities for some women.
Vocabulary To Learn
- Industrial Revolution: the Industrial Revolution was a period of great change during which improvements in technology changed how people lived and worked
- middle class: in this context, the term middle class is used to describe people who earn a living from professional jobs that require an education
- working class: in this context, the term working class is used to describe people who earn a living from carrying out manual labour e.g. in factories
- legislation: a law or set of laws passed by Parliament is known as legislation
Common Mistakes To Avoid
- The majority of women worked in factories throughout this period.
3 Quick Questions (With Answers)
1. Summarise this historical learning in two key ideas.
Changes to the way people worked during the Industrial Revolution created new opportunities and challenges for women. In the 19th century, married women were expected to stay home to raise children and look after their husbands.
2. Define this history term and explain why it matters in this topic. 'Industrial Revolution'
the Industrial Revolution was a period of great change during which improvements in technology changed how people lived and worked.
3. Correct this common history misconception using evidence language.
Mistake: The majority of women worked in factories throughout this period. Correction: The work women did and whether they worked at all was largely determined by class. From the mid-19th century, legislation placed restrictions on the type and amount of work women were able to do and the number of women working in factories decreased.
More Lessons In This Unit
Browse all guides in the Year 9 History guide library.