Final answer:
Middle-class wives focused on caring for the children and maintaining the household, often with the help of servants. Working-class wives supplemented the family's income by working at home, engaging in tasks such as childcare, laundry, and piecework.
Step-by-step explanation:
Middle-class women in the past did not work for wages. Their main responsibilities included taking care of the children, maintaining the cleanliness of the house, cultivating good manners among their family members, and purchasing consumer goods to project a cultured and successful image. They often had the assistance of servants in performing these tasks.
Working-class wives, on the other hand, tended to supplement the family's income by working at home. They took on various jobs such as caring for the children of working neighbors, taking in laundry, and doing piecework at home. Some even took in boarders or peddled wares on the street to earn money.
It's important to note that roles and expectations for women varied across different time periods and cultures, so the specific tasks performed by the wife would depend on factors such as social class and geographical location.