Women's Work and Wealth: Measuring the Impact of Incremental Liberations, 1850-1870

Author

Hannah KellyFollow

College

College of Business Administration

Date of Last Revision

2024-06-03 12:59:42

Major

Economics

Honors Course

ECON 497

Number of Credits

3

Degree Name

Bachelor of Arts

Date of Expected Graduation

Spring 2026

Abstract

Using a two-way fixed effects difference-in-difference model, this project analyzes data from the IPUMS Full Count census for 1850, 1860, and 1870 at a state level for 48 states. Four models assess the impact of property laws on women's real property holdings, labor force participation, household types, and real property values.

By quantifying the impact of various legal reforms on women's economic empowerment, this project fills a gap in the understanding of the intersection between law, society, and women's economic agency during a transformative period in pre-industrial American history. These impacts can implicate the effectiveness of legislative measures in advancing gender equality and economic mobility in the modern day.

This project aims to understand how laws affected women's economic status in the U.S. from 1850 to 1870. Specifically, it looks at laws regarding property and work rights for women, such as married women's property acts and earnings laws. By studying historical census data from 48 states, the project evaluates how these laws influenced women's property ownership, job opportunities, and economic independence. The goal is to measure the impact of these legal changes on women's financial well-being during a significant period in American history. This research helps fill gaps in understanding how laws shape women's economic empowerment, providing insights into gender equality and economic progress today.

Women's work and wealth in the United States has been pivotal in shaping the trajectory of the economy, but historical understanding of their economic contributions remains fragmented. This paper examines the impact of various property and labor rights laws on women's property and income growth as well as their rise in various occupations from 1850 to 1870. This especially focuses on married women's property acts, earnings laws, and sole trader laws on women's economic liberation through this time.

Prior to the 1870s, there is a lack of national data on women's economic status, with existing case studies often limited to specific states or industries. Theoretical discussions clarify the importance of property rights in women’s economic participation, with laws enabling women to hold property being directly correlated with increased market engagement. Married women’s property acts are predicted to positively influence labor force participation rates by providing greater economic autonomy.

Using a two-way fixed effects difference-in-difference model, this project analyzes data from the IPUMS Full Count census for 1850, 1860, and 1870, encompassing 48 states. Four models assess the impact of property laws on women's real property holdings, labor force participation, household types, and real property values.

By quantifying the impact of various legal reforms on women's economic empowerment, this project fills a gap in the understanding of the intersection between law, society, and women's economic agency during a transformative period in pre-industrial American history. These impacts can implicate the effectiveness of legislative measures in advancing gender equality and economic mobility in the modern day.

Ultimately, my findings showed that none of these laws impacted women’s real property values or overall labor force participation rates with statistical significance. Married women’s property acts did have significant impacts on overall unemployment, lowering unemployment in states which passed the law. Sole trader laws, similarly, increased the number of women in trade professions in a statistically significant manner in states where the law was passed. States which passed married women’s property acts were more likely to have women living in family households and less likely to live in non-family households. States which passed sole trader laws saw the opposite effects in household preferences. Earnings acts were not effective across any models.

Research Sponsor

Dr. Sucharita Ghosh

First Reader

Dr. Danyang Zhang

Second Reader

Dr. Ali Enami

Honors Faculty Advisor

Dr. Ali Enami

Proprietary and/or Confidential Information

No

Recommended Citation

Kelly, Hannah, "Women's Work and Wealth: Measuring the Impact of Incremental Liberations, 1850-1870" (2026). Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects. 1788.
https://ideaexchange.uakron.edu/honors_research_projects/1788