Previously, women existed in a male-governed society and were expected to stay at home raising children and taking care of the home, while men were expected they went home to work and provide for their family. Since the beginning of civilization, women have been victims of prejudices that ultimately “forced women to shed the political, economic, intellectual, and social chains that bound them” (Joshi 13). The complexity of women's struggles during the nineteenth century in the struggle for equality led to many women being arrested and scorned by their communities. Although the consequences feel like a betrayal, many women have risked their livelihoods and put forth determination and willpower to fight and succeed for a much more important goal: equality and respect. However, are the freedoms that human rights activists fought so hard for still not being exercised throughout American society, as many suffragettes hoped? During the Civil War of 1861-1865, when men went off to fight, women were left in the towns and cities to fend for themselves by aggressively taking on all the necessary jobs that required a stand-in. They received very low pay, usually less than half the average wage a man would earn (Thomsen 32). Along with manual labor, the woman would come home and take care of the house and children after a long day of work. For several years, women were able to juggle the male and female roles, yet they continued to earn very little respect in society. During the struggle, many anti-feminists preached their views about women on a daily basis to virtually anyone who would listen. An example is that of Edward H. Clarke, a successful author,......middle of paper......0.000 per year (Glazer 24). Several evaluations have been made with the result that women at a younger age before childbearing age are more likely to get work than women after or during childbearing age because it is believed that there is less responsibility when one is not attached to children. Cited Glazer, Sarah. (2006, April 14). The future of feminism. CQ Researcher, 16, 313-336. Retrieved March 3, 2010, from CQ Researcher Online, "Great Speeches Collection" (2003). Available from: The History Place..Joshi, S.T., trans. In Its Place: A Documentary History of Prejudice Against Women. NewYork: Promenthus Books, 2006. Thomsen, Natasha and Cullen-DuPont, Kathryn. Global issues: women's rights. New York: Archival Book Facts, 2007.