What term describes the belief that a woman's special sphere is in the home?

The term that describes the belief that a woman's special sphere is in the home is the "Cult of domesticity." This concept emerged in the early to mid-19th century in the United States and emphasized the idea that women were best suited for domestic roles, focusing on home management, nurturing children, and maintaining moral standards within the household. This ideology promoted the notion that women's contributions to society were primarily through their roles as wives and mothers, reinforcing traditional gender roles and limiting women's participation in public and professional life.

The "Cult of domesticity" was closely associated with the middle class and expressed the virtues of piety, purity, submissiveness, and domesticity. It reflected societal norms of the time, which idealized the home as a woman's rightful place and suggested that her activities should revolve around family and home care, distinct from men's roles in the public sphere.