During all their migrations, hardship and persecution, it was essential to their survival to keep their tribal identity. Since life expectancy was very short and many children died it was also important to have women marry very young and bear many children. There was no leeway for individual women or men to choose to live in a different way. The religion at that time was animist, or worship of spirits. Various spirits are tied to each family and each clan, and only men can conduct the religious rituals.
Male elders give advice and pass judgement.
The family line is patrilineal, so a married woman goes to live with her husband's family. She is less valuable to her birth family because she will not stay with them, and in her husband's family she is an outsider. She must work for her husband, his parents, his siblings, his uncles, aunts, grandparents as well as her own children. This is a system that keeps women out of power. There are extremely high expectations for women.