Question

Find out the social ills faced by women in 18th century. Collect information about the reformers for your activity file.

Answer 1

1. 18th century was one of the worse times to be a girl in India due to the prevailing unrealistic and difficult social ills like child marriage, dowry system, sati pratha, polygamy, purdah system, lack of education, female infanticide etc.

2. girls or females were deemed less desirable, as male child was preferred and was given more privileges than the female child.

3. girls hardly received any education, if at all and were married off at a young age, often to someone quite older than them.

4.18th century females were forced to lead a docile and submissive domestic life without free will or decision making power of their own due to a male dominant society. 

5. in 18th century India existed the inhumane and horrific practice of sati pratha, which forced women to burn on the pyre of their dead husband. even if they escaped this, the life as a widow was very unpleasant.