Middle Eastern Women: Their Lives in Harems

It is difficult to find information about Middle Eastern women in history because men recorded most of what is written in the history books. Without this information and understanding, the western world places general stereotypes on women who come from a different social class, occupation and point of view. As educators, our job is to make sure that we present and make available information on all social classes and from multiple points of view for our students.

This unit will explore the lives of women who lived in harems in the Middle East. It will also discuss the misconceptions commonly held by westerners in regards to harems. Several images are included throughout the unit which depict harems. Seventh grade students in the Philadelphia School District take a social studies course called Eastern Hemisphere. Students study the five continents in the eastern hemisphere and there is only so much time allotted to study this entire time period and our textbooks rarely mention or discuss women’s views, struggles or lives. This unit will allow for an exploration of women who lived in harems during the Ottoman Empire and will discuss their lives within the palace.