Of particular interest are the petitions by Leveller women in the 1640s. The Levellers believed in religious toleration, basic human rights, constitutional reform, and democratic election. The Leveller women drew up a petition, which had ten thousand signatures, and taking it to Parliament. Though Parliament refused to admit the women's petition, the incident was widely reported. In the second edition of that petition, To the Supream Authority of England the Commons Assembled in Parliament. The humble Petition of diverse wel-affected WEOMEN [sic], of the Cities of London and Westminster, the Borrough of Southward, Hamblets, and places adjacent. Affecters and Approvers of the Petition of Sept. 11. 1648 (1649), the Leveller women argue for their right to fight for their beliefs, dying for them if necessary
Since we are assured of our creation in the image of God, of an interest in Christ equal to men, as also of a proportionate share in the freedoms of the Commonwealth, we cannot but wonder and grieve that we should appear so despicable to your eyes as to be thought unworthy to petition or represent our grievances to this honourable House. Have we not an equal interest with the men of this nation in these liberties and securities contained in the Petition of Right and other good laws of the land? Are any of our lives, limbs, liberties or goods to be taken from us more than from men … without due process of law and conviction by a jury? And can you imagine us to be so sottish or stupid as not to perceive or not to be sensible when daily those strong defences of our peace and welfare are broken down? ... And must we keep at home in our houses as if our lives and liberties and all were not concerned? Must we show no sense of their [husbands’ and childrens’] sufferings, nor bear testimony against so abominable cruelty and injustice? No! Let it be accounted folly, presumption, madness or whatever in us, whilst we have life and breath, we will never cease to importune you.
I do not think the bible would be much help in espousing Women's rights so despite an initial reference to women being made in the same image of God that men are, the petitioner's main aim was to seek equal rights on the same basis that soldiers (Putney and Saffron Walden) and Levellers were fighting for such as freedom of conscience and equality before the law. Given the turmoil and shared sacrifices all families endured during the Civil War, they argue that it should be obvious that they would want to share the benefits that other groups had received. Women were politicised by the Civil War and were obtaining a political consciousness.
However, the male dominated political classes were uneasy about sharing power. Although the petition
was signed by 10,000 women and was very well written (by Katherine Chidley?)it may have been dominated by working class women and this was an unlikely pressure group to influence a Rump Parliament of mostly conservative Presbyterian MP's any more than the Leveller's did. It is difficult to find a similar protest for Women's rights before or immediately after this event. When pressure did come in later centuries it came from the well educated middle class women.
Civil War |
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| Civil War Topics | | | Civil War Figures | | | Significant Dates (Documents, Terms and Battles) | |
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YEAR1649-03-17Act_Abolishing_the_Office_of_King0Act Abolishing the Office of King Act Abolishing the Office of King
Act Abolishing the Office of King
DateThis property is a special property in this wiki.: 17 March 1649
1648-11-18Army_Remonstrance1Army Remonstrance Army Remonstrance
Army Remonstrance
DateThis property is a special property in this wiki.: 18 November 1648
1649-01-30Civil_War_-_Regicide2Civil War - Regicide Civil War - Regicide
Civil War - Regicide
DateThis property is a special property in this wiki.: 30 January 1649, 6 December 1648
1648-12-06Civil_War_-_Regicide2Civil War - Regicide Civil War - Regicide
Civil War - Regicide
DateThis property is a special property in this wiki.: 30 January 1649, 6 December 1648
1660-04-04Civil_War_-_Restoration3Civil War - Restoration Civil War - Restoration
Civil War - Restoration
DateThis property is a special property in this wiki.: 4 April 1660
1642-06-01Commissions_of_Array4Commissions of Array Commissions of Array
Commissions of Array
DateThis property is a special property in this wiki.: 1 June 1642
1645-01-10Execution_of_Archbishop_William_Laud5Execution of Archbishop William Laud Execution of Archbishop William Laud
Execution of Archbishop William Laud
DateThis property is a special property in this wiki.: 10 January 1645
1649-01-30Execution_of_Charles_I6Execution of Charles I Execution of Charles I
Execution of Charles I
DateThis property is a special property in this wiki.: 30 January 1649
1641-05-12Execution_of_Thomas_Wentworth7Execution of Thomas Wentworth Execution of Thomas Wentworth
Execution of Thomas Wentworth
DateThis property is a special property in this wiki.: 12 May 1641
1647-12-24Four_Bills8Four Bills Four Bills
Four Bills
DateThis property is a special property in this wiki.: 24 December 1647
1641-11-22Grand_Remonstrance9Grand Remonstrance Grand Remonstrance
Grand Remonstrance
DateThis property is a special property in this wiki.: 22 November 1641
1647-09-22Heads_of_Proposals0Heads of Proposals Heads of Proposals
Heads of Proposals
DateThis property is a special property in this wiki.: 22 September 1647
1653-12-16Instrument_of_Government1Instrument of Government Instrument of Government
Instrument of Government
DateThis property is a special property in this wiki.: 16 December 1653
1641-12-07Militia_Ordinance2Militia Ordinance Militia Ordinance
Militia Ordinance
DateThis property is a special property in this wiki.: 7 December 1641
1645-06-14Naseby3Naseby Naseby
Naseby
DateThis property is a special property in this wiki.: 14 June 1645
1638-02-27National_Covenant4National Covenant National Covenant
National Covenant
DateThis property is a special property in this wiki.: 27 February 1638
1646-07-01Newcastle_Proposals5Newcastle Proposals Newcastle Proposals
Newcastle Proposals
DateThis property is a special property in this wiki.: 1 July 1646
1642-06-01Nineteen_Propositions6Nineteen Propositions Nineteen Propositions
Nineteen Propositions
DateThis property is a special property in this wiki.: 1 June 1642
1628-06-07Petition_of_Right7Petition of Right Petition of Right
Petition of Right
DateThis property is a special property in this wiki.: 7 June 1628
1649-09-11Petition_of_the_Leveller_Women8Petition of the Leveller Women Petition of the Leveller Women
Petition of the Leveller Women
DateThis property is a special property in this wiki.: 11 September 1649
1647-10-01Putney_Debates9Putney Debates Putney Debates
Putney Debates
DateThis property is a special property in this wiki.: 1 October 1647
1647-06-05Representation_of_the_Army0Representation of the Army Representation of the Army
Representation of the Army
DateThis property is a special property in this wiki.: 5 June 1647
1640-12-11Root_and_Branch_Petition1Root and Branch Petition Root and Branch Petition
Root and Branch Petition
DateThis property is a special property in this wiki.: 11 December 1640
1647-05-01Saffron_Walden2Saffron Walden Saffron Walden
Saffron Walden
DateThis property is a special property in this wiki.: 1 May 1647
1637-07-23Scottish_Prayer_Book3Scottish Prayer Book Scottish Prayer Book
Scottish Prayer Book
DateThis property is a special property in this wiki.: 23 July 1637
1640-04-13Short_Parliament4Short Parliament Short Parliament
Short Parliament
DateThis property is a special property in this wiki.: 13 April 1640
1639-01-01The_Bishop's_War5The Bishop's War The Bishop's War
The Bishop's War
DateThis property is a special property in this wiki.: 1 January 1639
1642-01-04The_Five_Members6The Five Members The Five Members
The Five Members
DateThis property is a special property in this wiki.: 4 January 1642
1648-02-22The_Second_Civil_War7The Second Civil War The Second Civil War
The Second Civil War
DateThis property is a special property in this wiki.: 22 February 1648
1644-12-19The_Self_Denying_Ordinance8The Self Denying Ordinance The Self Denying Ordinance
The Self Denying Ordinance
DateThis property is a special property in this wiki.: 19 December 1644
1645-01-29Treaty_of_Uxbridge9Treaty of Uxbridge Treaty of Uxbridge
Treaty of Uxbridge
DateThis property is a special property in this wiki.: 29 January 1645
1645-06-14