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Comparison: Women in Medieval Europe and Song China

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WORLD HISTORY PROJECTORIGINS/ LESSON 5.4ACTIVITYCOMPARISON: WOMEN IN MEDIEVAL EUROPE AND SONG CHINAUnless otherwise noted, this work is licensed under CC BY 4.0. Credit: “Comparison: Women in Medieval Europe and Song China,” OER Project, https://www.oerproject.com/1PurposeBy zooming in on the stories of women in specific societies, we can better understand the challenges women faced throughout history and, in many parts of the world, continue to face today. Through comparing the experiences of women across different regionsand time periods, we can see how societies constructed the roles and status of women within them, and perhapslearn to question the ways in which women’s roles are defined today.Process1.Read “Medieval Women in Western Europe, c. 1000–1350 CE” and “Women in the Song Dynasty of China, 960–1279 CE.” (Note: Your teacher might have you read just one article, and then ask you to work with a partner who has read the other.)2.Working alone or with your partner, use the information in these articles to complete the Comparison Toolbelow. Comparison ToolTopic of comparisonPart 1: Identifying and describingCases you’re comparingTime period
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT ORIGINS / LESSON 5.4ACTIVITYCOMPARISON: WOMEN IN MEDIEVAL EUROPE AND SONG CHINA2LocationP&DHow did women of different classes contribute to the economic well-being of their families and society?SimilaritiesDifferencesCommunityHow were women’s status and roles in their communities defined or limited by laws?SimilaritiesDifferences
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT ORIGINS / LESSON 5.4ACTIVITYCOMPARISON: WOMEN IN MEDIEVAL EUROPE AND SONG CHINA3Belief systemsHow did belief systems impact women’s lives in these regions?SimilaritiesDifferencesPart 2: AnalyzingYou can use the acronym ADEto determine the historical significanceof similarities and differences you identified. Amount—Think about how manypeople were impactedby the similarities/differences.Depth—Think about how stronglypeople were impactedbythesimilarities/differences.Endurance—Think about how longthesesimilarities/differences impacted people.Claim 1: SimilaritiesWhat was the most significant similarity between women’s experiences in medieval Europe and Song Dynasty China?
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT ORIGINS / LESSON 5.4ACTIVITYCOMPARISON: WOMEN IN MEDIEVAL EUROPE AND SONG CHINA4Claim 2: DifferencesWhat was the most significant difference between women’s experiences in medieval Europe and Song Dynasty China?3.Considering the roles of women in these societies, which society was the most desirable for women? Why?4.If we compare medieval Europe and Song China to today’s society, how have women’s roles changed and how have they stayed the same?