Women of the Shang Dynasty 1800-1200 B.C.

     The role of the woman was to be gentle, calm, respectful, and to obey her husband. Women were lower than men and were subjected to women’s work (tending to the children and needs of the husband). Men also married multiple times and women were used as concubines. 

Women of Ancient Egypt 3000-2000 B.C.

     Egyptian women achieved parity with Egyptian men. They enjoyed the same legal and economic rights. The disparities between people's legal rights were based on differences in social class and not on gender. Egyptian women's rights extended to all legally defined areas of Egyptian civilization. Women could manage, own, and sell private property, which included slaves, land, portable goods, servants, livestock, and money. Women could resolve legal settlements. Women could appear as a contracting partner in a marriage contract or a divorce contract; they could execute testaments; they could free slaves; women could make adoptions. Women were entitled to sue at law. On the death of a husband the woman inherited two-thirds of their community property, but the other one-third was divided among their children, followed up by the brothers and sisters of the deceased. A girl became universally acknowledged as a wife after she physically left the protection of her father's house and entered her new home. The new husband in no way became the new wife's legal guardian. The wife kept her independence, and still kept control her own assets. Although the husband usually controlled any joint property obtained during the marriage it was acknowledged that a share of this belonged to the wife; if and when the marriage ended, she could collect he share. Pregnancy was very important to ancient Egyptian women. A fertile woman was a successful woman. By becoming pregnant, women gained the respect of society, approval from their husbands, and the admiration of their less-fortunate sisters and sterile friends.

Women of Mesopotmia 3500-559 B.C.

     The Mesopotamian woman's role was strictly defined. She was the daughter of her father or the wife of her husband. Women rarely acted as individuals outside the context of their families. Those who did so were usually royalty or the wives of men who had power and status. Soon after puberty, a young girl was considered ready for marriage. Marriages were arranged by the families of the future bride and groom. If her husband-to-be died before the wedding, she was then married to one of his brothers or another male relative. Most girls were trained from childhood for the traditional roles of wife, mother, and housekeeper.