Final answer:
Jane Addams aimed to expose the different challenges faced by rural and urban women, focusing especially on the plight of urban women. She created Hull House to support and educate vulnerable populations, and her work with others like Janie Porter Barrett challenged traditional views of women's roles and contributed significantly to urban and social reform.
Step-by-step explanation:
Jane Addams' main purpose in comparing the lives of rural and urban women was to highlight the disparities in their experiences and bring to light the challenging conditions faced by women, particularly those living in urban environments. Addams was a pioneering social reformer who, influenced by her own affluent upbringing and education, became a champion for women's rights and social welfare. By setting up Hull House, she aimed to improve the lives of poor mothers and immigrants, providing education and support that were pivotal in changing societal perceptions of women's roles both in the home and the wider community.
Women like Jane Addams and Janie Porter Barrett, by their active engagement in the public sphere, refuted the notion that women's work should be limited to the domestic sphere. Through their efforts, they demonstrated the capability and the right of women to engage in public life and social reform, counteracting historical notions of a 'separate sphere' of activity for women. Their legacy is particularly evident in urban history, where their contributions have had a lasting impact on social policies and the development of social work as a profession.