Data Literacy for Social Studies (based on Gozen et al., 2024), Female Ownership Shares Across the 10 Most-Common Industries: Detailed Industries, 1850-1880

Women's role in the economy shifted during the antebellum period, and this played an important part in the growing momentum of the suffrage movement. Although female-owned establishments accounted for less than 2.4% of establishments in all states and were smaller than male-owned establishments, they also employed more women and paid them higher wages. We created this bar graph using U.S. Census data from 1850 to 1880 and based on the work of Ruveyda Gozen, Richard Hornbeck, Anders Humlum, and Martin Rotemberg from their 2024 paper, "Historical Differences in Female-Owned Manufacturing Establishments: The United States, 1850-1880." This graph highlights that in both the production of women’s clothing and women’s hats (millinery), female-owned establishments made up 40% of the establishments within those industries. Female-owned establishments also made up 10-15% of establishments in hair work and artificial flowers and feathers. According to Gozen, Hornbeck, Humlum, and Rotemberg, the relatively high levels of female ownership in these subindustries could reflect not only the fact that women had more experience in such areas, but also the trust and connections made with the other women in these industries.