Trabajo, género y estadísticas. La actividad económica femenina en la provincia del Maule a mediados del siglo XIX

This article reflects on female labor in Chile through the lens of statistics generated for a rural province, Maule, in the mid-19th century. It examines the dimensions of female labor and the early construction of categories to define it, as well as the distinctions made between productive activities and domestic work. The study also explores gender biases present in the sources from the period, which influenced the compilation of economic statistics and the visibility —or lack thereof— of these activities. The analysis illuminates a lesser-known phase of female labor integration and contributes to current debates by proposing an innovative intersection of perspectives that integrates economic history, labor history, and gender history.