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Antonella Diaz completed Assignment 02

An event that happened that is perhaps related to the “degradation of women” was Kett’s rebellion. It had started due to anti-enclosure struggles in late 15th century that continues through to the 17th century. The rebellion had about 16,000 followers and were able to capture Norwich. Kett had presented 29 demands that would help decrease anti-enclosure by removing the hedges that had surrounded Norwich. A government army had attacked the rebels where a total of 3,500 people was killed. While Kett and his brother William were hanged. (Federici, 2004:82). Due to the deaths of Kett and William, the anti-enclosure struggles had continued. There was now a noticeable presence of women who were wives, widows, spinsters, unmarried daughters, and servants. There was a belief that said that women were above the law due to being legally saved by their husbands. Federici points out that men were told to dress like women so that they wouldn’t be arrested and because of this, the government had then removed this privilege and started arresting any women that was involved with the riots (2004:83). The enclosure had started to lead to the degradation of women because it was difficult for women to become vagabonds due to the nomadic life they would lead. The time of these enclosures the men had become more misogynistic and would resort to violence. Many women were unable to work and provide for their families. However, those women who did work could get work had gotten work in the armies as cooks, washers, prostitutes, and wives. Though even that work had disappeared, so women were back where they had started. Women had found that it became harder for them to support themselves compared to men. Many women were excluded from most occupations that had allowed a steady income. When women had worked, they would receive minor wages compared to the average male wage (Federici, 2004:84-85). I found this to be depressing since even though this act of women receiving less wages than men was during the 15th-17th centuries. It had seemed obvious that we would have evolved from this since we now live in the 21st century however women pay is still lower than men but better than before.