Although a division of labor has almost always existed between the sexes in human society, for much of European history the majority of women worked in the fields alongside the men. In the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, men and women began to move to urban centers by the millions and continued, for the most part, to work alongside one another. With the social and political reform of the mid-nineteenth century, women’s status changed to reflect changes in child labor laws. Universal public education was not yet available, and women were often “forced” (by social custom or by actual force) to remain home as caregivers and housewives.

During the Dark Ages, women were persecuted heavily throughout Europe and were often characterized as agents of the devil. This persisted throughout the Renaissance period as the high-minded ideals of the period rarely penetrated beyond the highly educated (and demographically tiny) social classes. Persecution of women intensified during the Protestant Reformation as the influence of Christianity and the demonization of women was revitalized; many women were executed for witchcraft in this time period. During the Enlightenment era, as Europeans turned away from superstition and towards rational explanations for events, the persecution of women subsided dramatically.

On many social levels, the Protestant Reformation upended the traditional mores and structures of Northern Europe. Regarding gender roles, the Protestant Reformation's chief disruption was to change what was considered the ideal form of womanhood, namely by emphasizing motherhood and the raising of children over against the Catholic ideal of celibate "brides for Christ," better known as nuns. In terms of political power, freedoms, and rights for women, the Protestants did not break very sharply with Catholic teaching.

Madame Geoffrin ran a salon during the Enlightenment era in France. Salons were informal meeting places, particularly in France, where like-minded thinkers could meet freely to discuss radical or revolutionary ideas. Salons were particularly important to spreading the ideas of the Enlightenment and to encouraging new developments. They were very often sponsored by aristocratic women.

Joan of Arc is famous for having fought in the Hundred Years War, a long-lasting battle between England and France for the French kingdom. Initially joining the conflict by posing as a man, Joan of Arc rose to become an inspirational figure for the French armies. The other answers are incorrect because they occurred either before or after Joan's time.

Artemisia Gentileschi is regarded as one of the leading artists of the baroque period and is generally considered to be one of the most progressive artists of her time period. She made a notable impact regarding gender equality in her native Italy when she became the first woman to be admitted into the Academy of Fine Arts in Florence in the first half of the seventeenth century.

The status women rose slightly during the Protestant Reformation. Burnings for witchcraft became somewhat less common, particularly into the seventeenth century, and Luther and the other reformers preached that there was honor and dignity in the household tasks of women. The primary reason why the status of women grew slightly is that Luther and the other reformers generally allowed priests to marry. This elevated the status of women and also had the indirect effect of slightly loosening the demonization of sexuality and intimate relations that pervaded Medieval Catholicism. Still, it would be a big stretch to claim that this time period represented a monumental shift towards gender equality. None of the reformers were advocating for female education or opportunity outside the home, as just one example.

Unfortunately, women’s status did not change dramatically during the Renaissance. For the most part their lived were the same as during the Middle Ages- they had no legal rights, were the legal subjects of their husbands and their duty in life was to be a care for the children and be a good housewife. For poor peasants, this meant working in the fields, for middle class people that often meant working in their husband’s shop, for the upper class this was often sewing, cooking and entertaining. Women were not allowed to live alone, and if they did not marry, they had to live with a male relative or join a convent.

Of these nations, only Italy has yet to democratically elect a female political leader. Margaret Thatcher served as Prime Minister in the United Kingdom during the 1980s; Tansu Ciller was Prime Minister of Turkey during the 1990s; Angela Merkel was elected the Prime Minister of Germany in 2005; Maria de Lourdes Pintasilgo served as Prime Minister of Portugal in 1979. Italy has never elected a female political leader. The same is true of Spain, Sweden, and Greece.

Isabella d’Este served as regent of Mantua, a region of Italy, in the late fifteenth and early sixteenth centuries. She was a leading figure of the Italian Renaissance and an advocate for greater gender equality. She was also a renowned patron of the arts.