Which change did automobiles bring about for women?

• A. Increased confinement
• B. Freedom from narrow confines of their homes
• C. Decreased mobility
• D. No change

Answer: (B)

Automobiles expanded women's mobility and autonomy. Having a car allowed women to travel farther and on their own terms, beyond the limits of walking or relying on others for transportation. This made it easier to work outside the home, attend school, run errands, and participate in social and civic life, contributing to greater independence in daily routines. That shift—moving from being largely confined to the home to having more control over where and when to go—best captures the change described. The other options describe effects that don’t fit this history: cars didn’t increase confinement or decrease mobility, and there was indeed a change in how women moved and lived.