In the 17th Century, the norms of English society were build on a binary structure on the basis of gender. Women's roles in society were merely domestic and their priorities were to their households. Women were always living under the supervision of a male figure: whether it was their father before they were wed, to their husbands once they were married; once women became widows, they were still bound to a male figure, which usually became their sons or whoever was left authority by the diseased husband. Women were allowed to work, but they were limited to jobs such as embroidery, food-preparation, domestic servants. Some women became housewives and apothecaries. Regardless of their job availability, women were not allowed to perform male dominating practices. In fact, women were only educated up to their need of practice. 
In the early 17th century, only women who were born or married into upper class were given a high education. This typically meant women would be allowed to learn to read and write, to play and instrument or learn art, but was never intended to allow them to become highly participants of the work force or become involved in politics. Nevertheless, towards late 17th century, boarding schools for girls opened up opportunities to other socioeconomic classes to educate their female population. Regardless, most women were housewives and their duty was to their husband. Housewives, were not just in charged of cleaning and cooking, however; a housewife were an important figure in the managing of their husband's farms and small private business. 
In the 17th century, women were not allowed to vote and, thus, did not play a direct role in politics. The way they could influence political decisions was through household conversations with their husbands (those who were able to vote), and even through gatherings within their community groups. However, since there were the voting population was strictly male, social gatherings amongst women were not very successful. This does not mean they women were useless. Their motivation won them the educational reform that allowed the increase of boarding schools for girls throughout the nation. However, women still lived under a patriarchal society, therefore they were still perceived to be unequal to their male counterparts. While they were able to create social reforms, their status remained beneath that of a man: "[a woman] is too low in the scale of humanity to make her tribute..." (Fawcett, 559). A woman at this time had no position attempting to change the decisions made by the parliament. The only world they knew was their own, thus, they were bound to make for themselves the best of it with what they had. 
 
The women suffrage movement did not start until the 18th century when the expansion of settlement across seas gave way to new cultures. Women eventually gained access to the new cultures that expeditions were encountering either by relayed information or traveling along with their husbands. They learned about their social structure and came to realize the similarities of patriarchal societies vs those who allowed women equality. Which gave them something to compare to, and strive for to either change or become.