Final answer:
As industrialization progressed in the late 19th century, middle-class women became preoccupied with social activism, joining organizations and advocating for community issues, rights, and suffrage, which laid the groundwork for the early feminist movement and societal reforms.
Step-by-step explanation:
Middle-Class Women's Preoccupations in the Late Nineteenth Century
During the late nineteenth century, as industrialization progressed and food supplies increased, middle-class women began to become increasingly preoccupied with social activism. These women joined different organizations, such as the National Association of Colored Women's Clubs and the Women's Christian Temperance Union, to become more engaged in community issues. The shift toward formal education and public life led them to question the idea that the home was the only proper place for a woman. Women's increased involvement in educational pursuits, including obtaining high school and college diplomas, and realization of their economic empowerment as consumers, laid the groundwork for advocating for women's suffrage, a pivotal right granted in the early 20th century.
Although middle-class women were increasingly engaged in these areas, there was still considerable debate about women's 'proper sphere'. The discussion of whether women's roles should extend beyond domesticity continued even as new opportunities arose.
The backdrop of all these changes was a broader reform movement, where middle-class reformers sought to improve society by altering personal behavior, advocating for morality, and pushing for women's rights. The early stages of feminism saw women volunteering to improve public health and children's welfare. Such involvement was not only a result of the more plentiful food and the industrial growth, but also of the cultural shift towards recognizing women's contributions to society beyond their homes.