Periodization is an easy shorthand that historians use to refer to important trends in history. But while labels such as the Jacksonian Era or the Gilded Age can convey the dominant events and prominent people of the past, they also mask the reality that all people do not experience historical events the same way.

For women in particular, the political or intellectual changes that form the basis of traditional periodization often did not create the same upheaval that they did for other members of society. This misrepresentation is evident in standard divisions in Jewish history as well. It is important to see the history of women as both a part of and in contrast to its broader context.

To avoid the limitations of classic periodization, we have divided the documents into half-century increments. Select a TIME PERIOD from those listed on the right hand side of this page for a list of "Document Study Sheets" based on documents from those years.

Each “Document Study Sheet” contains:

• a reproduction of the primary source
• background material
• specific discussion questions related to the primary source

From the individual “Document Study Sheets”, you can also access:

• Teacher Notes for teaching that type of primary source
• a Student Activity Sheet for that type of primary source

1850-1899

1900-1949

1950-2000