Women and work in Venetian factories between the 1800s and 1900s. History of women in the Italian Risorgimento in a school-work alternation project

Abstract

The essay shows a teaching Unit about the theme of women’s work, through the study of two industrial realities: the Tabacco Factory and the Cotton Factory. The key points of the lessons are the legal condition of women, established by the Pisanelli’s Code (1865), the economic, social and cultural conditions of the workers, and the drafting of protection legislations of female workers: these themes are dealt in the wider context of the first Italian feminism and the Socialist movement. An important moment of the didactic activity is the visit to “History’s places”, during which students come into direct contact with the urban places where people have lived and where the events have been. After that, there is a proposal of some documents about the discussion regarding the protection of women workers. Lastly, some activities about “Civic Education” are recommended and are provided some possible interdisciplinary paths.