inquiry-based lesson plans

OVERVIEW

Important influences on different women's lives:

• Class: one's wealth and status in society
• Religion: Islam altered women's lives wherever it spread

Mesopotamia:
The Middle East was where human civilizations began and women were crucial to the list of human firsts. The first named priest was a woman, there was a woman on the Sumerian kings list, and goddesses like Ishtar were some of the most honored. Learn more. 

Islam:
Islam improved the status of women on the Arab peninsula. It ended the killing of female babies, a practice common in that time, and it gave women special privileges and protections. Learn more. 

Ottoman Empire:
The Ottoman Empire was the last Islamic empire and had a profound impact on women's lives in the Middle East. Learn more.

​World Wars:
After the collapse of the Ottoman Empire in WWI, reforms took place that also changed women's lives. Many leaders tried to westernize, women worked in factories more, and some were forced to unveil. Learn more.