Dbq Gender Differences

Over time, the period saw a general upsurge in literacy rates. For example in France between 1680 -1780 literacy rose from 29% to 47% for men and from 14% to 27% for women.

These figures can be interpreted as evidence of a lack of opportunity for women to become literate and this essay argues that gender difference was caused by the social restrictions placed on women within a largely patriarchal society. It suggests that printing did not necessarily have the same impact for women as it did for their male counterparts. This primary source suggests that within marriage men, were encouraged to read appropriate instructional and guidance books known as “conduct books” One example amongst many is “The Art of Governing a Wife. With Rules for

For example the ballad “Tis Not Otherwise, the Praise of Married Life (Exercise 14.1 Allen, G. online), reinforces the role of the patriarchal male and how a man would benefit by taking a wife. This ballad is one of 7,859 17th century ballads held on “The English Broadside Ballad Database” (no date), This database shows the extent of topics sung about and a range of genres include political, religious and seditious songs. The number and variety of topics of ballads and their circulation suggests that the growth and reach of cheap print impacted significantly on the lives of the workers and the poor in early modern

The travel market had expanded from the male elite to include male and female travellers from the “middling sort” and as result, a profusion of travel related letters were written to private correspondents. A large number of these letters were collected, collated and entered onto a the Grand Tour Database (www.grandtour.amdigital.co.uk.) together with published collations and travel guides that formed a genre of factual and entertaining travelogues and guides related guides which were widely circulated for those about to travel and for those interested in, but unable to afford foreign travel. Both printed and personal correspondence allowed its reader to extend their understanding of places, cultures and social structures. (Goodrich, A. Chapter 17pp24-25)

For example “Letters from Italy “ (Sharpe, S. 1765/6) provides a travel guide following Sharpe’s visit to Naples. Sharpe provides observational text describing lifestyle, facilities, and communities and makes prejudicial comments such as “ The proudest Roman could not have called it the garden of the world”. This type of printed material provides historians with information about attitudes of the travelling public and how they compared the social conditions of other