Final answer:
Single women could own property before the mid-1800s, but married women's property and wages belonged to their husbands due to coverture. Women's property rights expanded gradually through legislative changes over the 19th and 20th centuries. Married women typically could not secure grants in their own names until later reforms.
Step-by-step explanation:
During the American Revolution and the subsequent years, single women could own property, but married women were largely restricted due to the legal principle of coverture. Prior to the mid-1800s, women's property and wages became their husbands' upon marriage, and they couldn't execute a will or own real estate independently. It wasn't until various legislative changes throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, culminating in laws like the Equal Credit Opportunity Act of 1974, that women gained more rights to own property and manage finances independently.
Specifically, married women were unable to secure a grant in their own names because any property they owned became their husbands' once they married. The doctrine of coverture essentially erased their separate legal identities. Additionally, home lenders often required married women to secure their husband's approval for loans and did not consider a married woman's income. Single women faced fewer restrictions and might own property, which in some states lent support to their right to vote.
Even after the Revolution, conditions for women did not notably improve. In fact, changes in property laws at times made it easier for husbands to sell property without a wife's consent. It's important to note, however, that these conditions varied by state and over time, reflecting the evolving nature of women's rights.