The Women's Rights Movement in England: 18th Century and Beyond The 18th century was a time of slow change for women's rights in England . The Enlightenment and the Industrial Revolution coincided at this time in history and brought new ideas about women's rights to England in the late 1700s. In the 1700s women were not as concerned about voting as they were about divorce, adultery, and the right to custody of children. However, as the population of single women grew throughout the 18th and 19th centuries, concern for greater rights for women became prevalent (Wolbrink, November 4, 2011). By 1851, 43% of women in England were single, and they began to campaign frequently and sometimes forcefully for their rights (Wolbrink, November 4, 2011). Reformer and feminist Caroline Norton summarizes the feelings of women in both the 1700s and 1800s in her Letter to the Queen: “I do not ask for my rights. I have no rights. I am only wrong” (CP 148). Rights movements do not arise suddenly, they often simmer long before an uprising. The 18th century is one of these boiling pots. At first women were confined to their maternal roles, but with the growth of knowledge resulting from the Enlightenment women began to rise into the public sphere as activists and reformers. Many constraints and limitations were placed on women in the 1700s. Women could not vote during this time and would not amalgamate a voting rights movement until the early 1800s. Yet many women were upset that, as citizens, they did not they could contribute their opinion to English society. Women could not be members of the House of Commons and could not change the law to allow women to be representatives because they could not vote (CP 146). English women were considered part of the... center of the paper ......one thought running through all these mini-movements is that women, for one of the first times in history, thought they could change the world. References DiCaprio, Lisa, et al. Lives and voices. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2001. Print.Stuard, Susan and Merry Wiesner. "Women in the Enlightenment". Become visible. 3rd edition ed. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1998. 233-269. Print.Wolbrink, Shelly. The suffering of women. History of European women. Drury University. Burnham 205, Springfield, MO. November 11, 2011. Lecture.Wolbrink, Shelly. Victorian Age. History of European women. Drury University. Burnham 205, Springfield, MO. November 4, 2011. Lecture.Wolbrink, Shelly. Package of articles, sources and images for the study of history. Drury University. Burnham 205. Springfield. 2008. Print.