Name: _____________________________________________ Date: ________________________________________

Womens Rights in Turkey Primary Source Packet:

Document A: Atatrk, Speech (Excerpted from Original)

The reason for the lack of success of our society lies in the indifference towards our
women. Man comes into the world to live as long as his destiny allows him. To live is to act.
So, if an organ of a society acts while the other lies idle, then it means that society is
paralyzed. A society must accept all the conditions and necessities on which its success in
life depends. So, if science and technology are necessary for our society, our men and
women must equally master them. As you know, division of labor is necessary in social
life as it is in all the other fields. In general division of labor, women should not only carry
out their duties, but they should also take part in efforts for the prosperity and welfare of
the society.

The most important duty of women is motherhood. If we remember that a childs first
school is his mothers bosom, we can understand the utmost importance of this duty better.
Our nation has decided to be a powerful one. One of the ways to ensure a powerful nation is
to make sure our women are competent in every aspect. For that, our women will acquire
scientific and technical information, and complete every phase of education that men
complete. Thus women and men will walk side by side in social life helping and protecting
each other.

Source: Mustafa Kemal Atatrk, Speech, 1923.

Word Bank:

Indifference Noun. Lack of interest or concern.

Division of labor Noun. Different people are assigned to

carry out different types of tasks.
Prosperity Noun. A successful, flourishing, or thriving
condition, especially in financial respects.
Welfare Noun. The good fortune, health,
happiness, etc. of a person, group, or
organization.

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Document B: Sabiha Sertel (Excerpted from Original)

The chances of unhappiness for an unmarried woman are one hundred percent. I may
agree with you, society will not. I may applaud you, but they will stone you. Do you think
you can live single and free like a man? Thats a bigger fantasy than your romantic dreams.
People at work will always see you as a woman and focus on your sexuality. The minute
you walk down the street arm-in-arm with a man you like, the neighborhood kids will
stone you, the door of every house will be closed to you, and everywhere you go, people
will judge you. Any man you live with will see you as simply a plaything he has temporarily
made his own. Eventually the police will hound you.

Source: Sabiha Sertel (a prominent Turkish female feminist writer), Resimli Ay (The Illustrated

Monthly, a Turkish magazine), 1929.

Word Bank:

Stone Verb. To throw stones at, especially to kill.

Hound Verb. To pursue or harass.

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 Homework:

Instructions:
1. Read both Documents A and B.
2. Using evidence from the text and the source note, formulate an answer to todays
focus question: Did Atatrks reforms actually improve the status of women in
Turkey?
a. Write your answer in paragraph format in the space below.