Women's Property Laws

In countries with law founded on English common law -- and some others, as well -- traditionally, women lost all rights to own property or exercise contract rights after marriage. Before marriage, such rights usually belonged not to the woman, but to her father. Here are some laws that gave women control over property, income, and contracts.

Blackstone Law Commentaries
In the 19th century, American and British women's rights -- or lack of them -- depended heavily on the commentaries of William Blackstone which defined a married woman and man as one person under the law.

Coverture
A definition of coverture as it applies to the history of women's property rights.

Curtesy
Curtesy was a legal right of a widower regarding his wife's estate.

Dower
Dower is a legal right on the part of a widow to a share of her husband's estate.

Ernestine Rose
Ernestine Rose biography - a profile of Ernestine Rose, women's rights pioneer and abolitionist, sometimes known as the first Jewish feminist.

Married Women's Property Act 1848 New York State
The basics of the 1848 law granting women more rights to property after marriage.

Women's Property Rights
Property rights of married women, under English common law and especially in America.

Married Women's Property Act 1953
This is the law that amended women's property and contract rights in the Independent State of Papua New Guinea.

Women's Legal Position in Regency Times
A summary of the rights of women in the 19th century, and some laws that changed that. Illustrations include fictional accounts of women's lives.

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