inquiry-based lesson plans

OVERVIEW

Important Influences on different women's lives:

• Class: one's wealth and status in society
• Race: your skin tone and the social expectations
• Christianity: the dominant religion divided between Protestants and Catholics

Ancient Traditions:
The Ancient Greeks and Romans had lots to say about women and it wasn't all that nice. Stories, myths, and depictions tell us a great deal about the way women in various positions were treated and lived. Learn more.

Roman Empire:
Between 500 BCE and 500 CE, most of Europe was under the control of the Roman Empire. Women had specific jobs and social rules they had to follow. Wealthy women were often educated but kept hidden away from men they weren't related to. Poor women had more freedoms but harder lives. Learn more.
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Romans eventually shifted from polytheism (belief in many gods) to monotheism (the belief in only one God). When they did this, they adopted Christianity throughout the empire. This had a big impact on women's lives. Learn more.

Middle Ages:
Because Europeans accepted monarchies (governments ruled by a king or queen) and the idea that power should be passed from parents to children along "bloodlines," women often rose to the top job when their father or husbands died. This happened enough that there was an "Age of Queens" in the Early Middle Ages. Learn more.

For average women though, life was different. Europeans were regularly at war, so the best hope for an average family was for their sons to become a soldier and maybe even a knight. Some girls used marriage as a chance to improve their station, others looked to the church and lived as nuns where they could get an education, while others mastered their crafts and made a living in the markets. Learn more.