This reader covers a formative period in women's history - the "first wave of feminism" involving middle-class and working class women. It provides a broad perspective of the major themes in women's history and historiography and each section has an introduction which discusses the historical context and interpretation of the texts. The extracts are taken from a range of primary and secondary sources and cover subjects such as the debate over women's role in society, single women, marriage and divorce, employment, education, industrial legislation, trade unions, motherhood, welfare and social reform, sexual behaviour, prostitution, women in politics and suffrage.