On The Shoulders of Giants
Graduation Date
Fall 1999
Document Type
Master's Thesis
Document Form
Degree Name
Master of Arts
Program Name
Humanities
First Reader
Carlos Rodriguez, MA
Second Reader
Patricia Dougherty, OP, PhD
Abstract
This is a printed version of the web site “On the Shoulders of Giants.” It is an ongoing project on the Internet located at the following web addresses, http://www.womenofhistorv.com and/or http://www.historvofwomen.com.
The web site focuses on the historical period between 1770 and 1870 in the countries of England, France and the United States. It recognizes a number of women who by their exceptional writings and actions changed the ideaologies and practices of the societies in which they lived. In Europe and America some women stood up and spoke out against long-held assumptions about male superiority and men's authority over women's minds and bodies. Eventually, by standing on the shoulders of those who wrote, spoke, taught, campaigned, worked, and died before them, modem women have succeeded in gaining many of the rights their predecessors had struggled for.
The web site presents biographies of six pioneer women, along with three essays on the much-debated topics of education, civil law reform, and the right to work There is also a timeline to document the struggles women fought and their successes. Lastly, there are over one hundred links throughout the site to sources on the World Wide Web, as well as a selection of web sites on women’s history and other related subjects. The breadth and diversity of these links provide not only a valuable tool for scholarship but also an idea of what the Internet currently has to offer in the area of women’s history.