Final answer:
The separation of public and private spheres assigning men to public roles and women to private ones emerged during the Industrial Revolution, where economic shifts and middle-class values enforced gender roles distinctly, with some challenges arising from the First Wave Feminism.
Step-by-step explanation:
The separation of the public and private spheres, and the assignment of men to the former and women to the latter, is a phenomenon that emerged during the Industrial Revolution. This period significantly altered traditional gender roles, particularly in the United States and Europe. The Industrial Revolution saw a shift in economic activities away from households and into factories and offices. Men began working away from home in public settings and women were increasingly assigned to the private domain of family life, focusing on roles such as nurturing and child-rearing. This change was tied to the development of capitalism and the rise of middle-class values, with the household becoming a space characterised by privacy and separated from the economic and political realm.
First Wave Feminism challenged these established norms as women began to argue for their place in the public sphere, drawing on their knowledge of everyday life and domestic management. Overall, the assignment of men to public roles and women to private ones became pronounced during the Industrial Revolution, marking a significant shift from pre-industrial societies where the family's economic livelihood was linked to the home, with men and women working side by side.