Coverture

Coverture was a legal doctrine in English and American law, historically applying to married women. Under coverture, a woman's legal identity was largely subsumed by her husband's. This meant that upon marriage, a woman could not own property, enter contracts, or earn wages independently; her rights and obligations became entwined with her husband’s. The concept effectively rendered married women legally dependent on their spouses. Coverture began to erode in the 19th and 20th centuries as women’s rights expanded, culminating in laws that recognized their legal autonomy and ability to own property and engage in business activities.