The provisional management of the children shall rest with the husband, petitioner, or defendant, in the suit for divorce, unless it be otherwise ordered for the greater advantage of the children, on petition of either the mother, or the family, or the government commissioner. The above quote is an excerpt from the Napoleonic Law Code. What does this demonstrate about the rights of women in Napoleonic France?

Question

1 point
Under Napoleon, men and women were treated as equals
Under Napoleon, women had more rights than men
Under Napoleon, men had more rights than women
Under Napoleon, divorce was not permitted for men or women

Answer 1

The excerpt demonstrates that under Napoleon, men had more rights than women. The provisional management of the children is assigned primarily to the husband, indicating a legal preference for male authority in family matters, which reflects the broader gender inequalities of the time. Therefore, the correct statement is:

Under Napoleon, men had more rights than women.