A History of their own : women in Europe from prehistory to the present
(Book)

Includes bibliographical references and indexes.

"This classic two-volume history is an exciting and revolutionary look at women's history, from prehistoric times to the present. Its unique organization focuses on the developments, achievements, and changes in women's roles in society rather than placing women in historical chronology. A History of Their Own restores women to the historical record, brings their history into focus, and provides models of female action and heroism. This revised edition incorporates a new introduction and epilogue and a thoroughly updated bibliography, sorted by subject. Volume One covers women's history from the prehistoric period to the seventeenth century and includes topics such as the treatment of and attitudes about women during mankind's earliest recorded history; the alternating forces of empowerment and subordination imposed on women by ancient religions and the emergence of Christianity; peasant women's daily experiences of childbirth, family life, and field labor in feudal Europe; women's religious lives during the Renaissance; and the contrast between the lives of noblewomen & the lives of townswomen in early modern Europe. Volume Two covers the fifteenth century to the present. Topics include the roles of female monarchs and women of the court; the application of the new tools of the Scientific Revolution to 'prove' traditional views of women; parlor life of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries and wealthy women's dabblings in the arts and social services; the impact of city-living and the Industrial Revolution on women's roles and family life; and the emergence, evolution, and impact of the modern feminist movement. Lively and engaging, this two-volume history takes the reader on a fascinating journey of women's history and the changing roles they have played."--Publisher description