Multiple Choice: How did laissez-faire economic policies affect women in the United States in the late 1800s? (1 point)
Responses
Regulations barred women from employment in labor-intensive industries.
Women typically enjoyed evenings off from work to care for their families.
Women typically earned higher hourly wages than their male counterparts.
Women were forced to endure long hours and unsafe working conditions.
Women were forced to endure long hours and unsafe working conditions.
To determine the correct answer, we can analyze the statement and apply our knowledge of laissez-faire economic policies in the late 1800s.
Laissez-faire economic policies promoted minimal government interference in economic activities. This meant that businesses had more freedom to operate without regulations. With this in mind, we can eliminate options 1 and 2, as regulations barring women from employment or granting them special privileges would contradict the principles of laissez-faire.
Now, we are left with options 3 and 4. However, it is important to note that laissez-faire policies did not directly control or determine wages. Wages were typically determined by supply and demand in the labor market. Therefore, it is unlikely that option 3, which states that women typically earned higher hourly wages than their male counterparts, would be the correct choice.
Option 4, which states that women were forced to endure long hours and unsafe working conditions, aligns with the consequences of laissez-faire policies. These policies allowed businesses to operate without significant government interference, resulting in poor working conditions and little protection for workers, including women. Therefore, the correct answer is option 4.