Role of Women

Question 1

What was expected of a woman in 19th century Quebec?

Answer 1

A woman’s role was that of wife and mother. Until married, a woman would be the ward of her father, at which point legal ownership would be transferred to her husband.

Question 2

What role role did religious women’s organisations play in society after the religious revival?

Answer 2

Teaching: they developed primary schools in rural areas, known as petites écoles.
Hospital care: founded and ran several hospitals.
Charitable work: they worked in orphanages, hospices, cared for the sick and invalid, worked in asylums, nurseries, soup kitchens.