Womens Roles Then and Now Essay Example for Free

Womens Roles Then and Now EssayAbigail verbalize she was born November 11, 1744 in Weymouth, Massachusetts to the Reverend William and Elizabeth Quincy Smith. She give tongue to that she married John Adams on October 25, 1764 and they moved to Braintree, Massachusetts where she gave birth to six children. She fearfulnessd for her children at the Braintree home objet dart her conserve was an accomplished lawyer. She was left largely alone for ten years during the the Statesn Revolution to draw in the household. Women raceway a family home were also running a family business. The family homes were centers of production households often had to produce their hold food, clothing, and many of their own supplies. Women were often in charge of coordinating and producing these materials and, thus, were an es moveial part of keeping the family vital and well.Catherine the Great said that she was born May 2, 1729 in Stettin, Prussia to Christian terribleus and his wife, Johanna Elizabeth of Holstein-Gottorp. She said her baptismal name was Sophia capital of Maine Frederica. In accordance with the custom then prevailing in German princely families, she was educated in the main by French governesses and tutors. In 1744 she was taken to Russia, to become the fianc to the grand duke Peter, the nephew of the empress Elizabeth, and her recognized heir. They married on August 21, 1745 at St. Petersburg. Unlike Abigail, Catherine did non have to do the day to day chores of raising a family and running a home. She had servants to do that job.The historical status for women in general during the 18th century in America changed from the previous years. Married womens lives revolved to a large extent around managing the household, a habit which in many cases included partnership in running farms or home businesses. Even those women whose companionable standing afforded increased leisure took up spinning and other activities to replace imported goods. They prepared food for militia moldinessers and made cartridges. War, when it came, touched everyone. Abigail stated that she joined her diplomat husband in Europe in 1784 where they spent eight months in Paris. In 1785, she filled the role of wife of the first U.S. minister to the speak to of St. James in London.They returned in 1788 to a house known as the Old House in Quincy, Massachusetts which she set about vigorously enlarging and remodeling. When John was elected President of the United States, Abigail continued a formal pattern of entertaining. With the removal of the capital to Washington in 1800, she became the first First Lady to control over the White House. She told Catherine that she took an active role in politics and policy. She was so governmentally active her political opponents came to refer to her as Mrs. President.Catherine said that once she married her husband she set about winning the hearts of the Russian people. She learned the language of the people and made up her mind to do any(prenominal) had to be done, and to profess to believe whatever she was required to believe, in order to be qualified to clothing the crown. Being raised in the Lutheran faith she declined the religious services of a Protestant pastor, and sent for an orthodox priest who had been appointed to instruct her in the Greek form of Christianity. On June 28th, 1744 she was into the Orthodox church service at Moscow, and was renamed Catherine Alexeyevna. Catherine was emphatically a sovereign and a politician who was in the last resort steer by the reason of state. Her foreign policy was as consistent as it could be considering the forces she had to content against.It was steadily aimed to secure the greatness and the safety of Russia. She stated that she loved her adopted country and had affection for her people. She incorporated insight ideas into her politics, commissioned art, and created s successful foreign policy. She also expanded the Russian Empire to the Black s ea by defeating the Ottoman Empire in two major wars. Catherines empire spanned over one-third continents Europe, Asia, and part of North America. It stretched form the Arctic Ocean to the North, the Black sea to the South, Alaska and the Pacific to the East, and the Baltic Sea to the West. She reformed the system by creating a legislative commission in 1767, introducing a system of local anesthetic self-government in 1775, and issuing the Charter to the Nobility in 1785.Russia became the largest producer of iron, cast iron and copper. She had more(prenominal) than 200 factories and workshops. Industrial production had doubled the value of domestic and foreign trade tripled. Though she had mount the throne by a military revolt and entered on great schemes of conquest, she never took an intelligent busy in her army. She neglected it in peace, allowed it to be shamefully administered in war, and could never be made to make that it was not in her power to improvise generals out of her favorites.Each of the women had opinions on the role women should play in society during their lifetimes. Abigail told Catherine that she was an advocate of married womens property seriouss and more opportunities for women, particularly in the field of education. Women, she believed, should not submit to laws not made in their interest, nor should they be content with the simple role of being companions to their husbands. She said that women should educate themselves and thus be recognized for their intellectual capabilities, so they could guide and influence the lives of their children and husbands. Abigail along with her husband believed that slavery was evil and a threat to the American democratic society.Catherine stated that she was kind to her servants, and was very favorable of young children. She was rarely angry with people who merely contradicted her or failed to perform their service in her household. Her celebrated toleration stopped short of allowing the dissent ers to build chapels, and her passion for legislative reform grew cold when she found that she must begin by the emancipation of the serfs. She saw no reason to emancipate the serfs because there would be no one to do the work.Abigail Adams would greatly admire the current roles of women today. Condoleezza Rice, the first African-American woman to become the U.S. secretaire of State advising the leader of the world largest superpower, Hillary Rodham Clinton, a U.S. Senator for the state of New York and then the Secretary of State, and Sandra Day OConnor, the first woman appointed to the U.S. Supreme Court.Catherine the Great would also greatly admire the current roles of women today. Indira Gandhi, the top Minister of India from 1966-1977. This was the highest position in the worlds most populous democracy and was especially prodigious for Indian women, who had traditionally been subservient to men. Benazir Bhutto, Prime Minister of Pakistan from 1988-1990 and 1993-1996, the firs t female leader of a Muslim country and Golda Meir, Prime Minister of Israel form 1969-1974.Both Abigail Adams and Catherine the Great would approve of the fact that women have the right to study and become doctors, lawyers, scientists and even politicians. No longer are women confined to the home raising children. nowadayss modern woman has a home, works a full time job and takes care of her children and some even decide to continue their education. Women have come a long way since the set out of time.Referencehttp//www.bookrags.com/printfriendly/?p=essaysu=2005/5/23/231755/036 http//ezinearticles.com/?How-the-role-of-Women-Has-Changesid=3602156 http//www.forbes.com/lists/2005/11/DFBA.htmlhttp//www.forbes.com/lists/2005/11/DZTZ.htmlhttp//www.forbes.com/lists/2005/11/MTNG.htmlhttp//www.123helpme.com/american-womens-changing-roles-in-society-view.asp?id=15 http//en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?titlr=Abigail_Adamsprintable=yes http//fr.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Catherine_11_de_Ru ssieprintable=yes