...Mariama Bessane Professor Perine James American History 1151- Essay #1 Jan 7th,2016 Status of Women in Colonial Society Women were always considered inferior to men since day one. That belief had been existing until the eighteen century. During that period, English Colonists brought to America their ideologies with them. Women did not have the same rights as men did during that time. Women were tied in a leash, kept in the dark, and controlled by society. Life wasn’t easy for them. They were not allowed to express their opinions, and if they did, they would be called wicked or evil and be negatively judged by society. During the colonial era, women played an important, if restricted role in work and religious life. During the eighteen century, women were portrayed as weak, unintelligent, and inferior to men. As one minister stated “the woman is weak creature not endowed with like strength and constancy of mind.” (America 70) Women were seen as the “feebler vessels,” not as strong physically or spiritually as men and less emotionally stable. Women of the colonial era were expected to be devoted, passive, powerless, meek, graceful, sympathetic, and above all pure. As a matter of fact, the term “Cult of Womanhood” was an ancient ideology in the eighteen century defining women as pillars of virtue, who represent the value of pity, submissiveness, and domesticity. The role of the women was to be obedient, submissive, devoted to their husbands, and taking care of the children...
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...The Family Sphere: The Changing Role of Women in the Home HIS 310 American Women's History Instructor: Dr. Cheryl Lemus April 18, 2016 Dr. Barbara Welter penned an influential article in 1966 titled “The Cult of True Womanhood: 1820–1860” which shed light on the often restrictive family sphere of existence within which, most American women throughout history had dwelt. According to Welter, true womanhood held that women were designed exclusively for the roles of wife and mother and were expected to cultivate Piety, Purity, Submissiveness, and Domesticity in all their relations (para.2). The Cult of True Womanhood, the idealized sainted mother, unconditional devotee of her husband and children, and the core power within the home still exists in the minds of many American men and women and seems to be an intrinsic part of our shared history. The ideal of the sphere of the American women and her relationship to the family evolved as the colonization of the United States evolved. When the first settlers arrived, women held a much more equitable role, laboring alongside the men to establish the country’s first settlements. As the initial settlements grew, the women who had proved vital in their creation were expected to lay down their hammers and saws and return to the family sphere. The supposition being that the return of the American woman to the family sphere was a returning to of them to their natural roles. She would leave the public sphere and revert to the more domestic...
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...THE DUALITY OF WOMEN’S SEXUALITY IN SEVENTEENTH AND EIGHTEENTH CENTURY PURITAN MASSACHUSETTS Liesl Schnuck November 1, 2011 Due to the strength of their belief in and fear of God, colonial Massachusetts’s society regulated women’s sexuality through a paradoxical relationship: women as saints and women as sinners. Introduction In the religion-obsessed society of colonial Massachusetts, Puritan beliefs dominated contemporary views on sexuality, especially with regard to women. Although Puritan ministers understood human nature’s inability to avoid sexual relations, they adamantly professed that sex must not interfere with religion. In order to create stability within their society, ministers and lawmakers turned towards the women to implement and describe sexual regulation. Women’s social function was not only complex, but also difficult to define. As historian N.E.H. Hull notes, “theirs was a special place, not altogether enviable—for in this land of saints and sinners, they were viewed as both saintlier and more sinful than men.” Not only did society expect and desire women to act morally, but society also feared women for their supposed tendencies to act corruptly. Carol F. Karlsen accurately differentiates between these two identities by naming these women either “handmaidens of the devil” or “handmaidens of the Lord.” This distinction demonstrates the binary opposition of women’s place in society that existed in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. By...
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... Woody Holton and Gordon S. Wood present unique aspects of Abigail Adams and Benjamin Franklin which highlight societal, institutional, and ideological changes brought about by the American revolution. Holton’s depiction of Abigail Adams provides an in depth analysis of the challenges she faces as a wife who assumes the roles typically undertaken by the family patriarch. In wood’s book, the depiction of Benjamin Franklin allows the reader to understand the progressive development of Franklin as he transitions from a gentleman to an ardent revolutionary. An interesting aspect of Wood’s portrayal of Franklin resides in his detailed analyses of his contributions to the American Revolution and the generally negative reception he receives upon returning to the independent colonies. Both Wood and Holton chose these individuals, and specifically the overriding topics of each book, in order to explain these chosen themes through the perspective of well-known historical figures. Although both authors make interesting arguments, Holton’s research on Abigail Adams presents a more significant contribution to historical research by highlighting her contribution to women’s rights and feminism. Woody Holton’s work, Abigail Adams (2009) tells the story of the wife of John Adams before, during, and after the American Revolution. Holton’s depiction of Abigail’s life prior to the American Revolution consists of her childhood, courtship and marriage to John Adams. During John’s early career as a...
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...Here are notes on the role gender played on making colonial religion modern religion. You can use gender as a basis for how the colonial past led our future in one direction. The part I think would be most helpful to you is in red. Open with, “After Adam and Eve, there was Anne Hutchinson and john Winthrop.” Because as you know she was expelled from the Massachusetts Bay Colony By John for preaching something different. Gender: If you happen to be someone who participates in jewish/Christian services? How many men/women attend? Usually more women. Why? Protestant is the most dominant until 1860 As you move into the early 19 century, Baptist and Methodist Predominant is protestant Women in Colonial Society: -Adam’s rib - women is a “helpmeet” for man. The side, to be content with equality. -Equality function - Were on equal terms in the value and their degree of their participation on the development of the colonies. But only men could have leadership roles. Think of a farm. Women were managers of household economy, feeding the family, cultivating and producing the food. Own economic system of home production. Most women would live out their lives as junior partners in the household economy, but denied the control of the land. Yet colonial women were unlikely to feel useless or alienated from their family by the subsistence economy because they conducted the education and discipline of the children and extended family. If her husband died, she would be the sole person...
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...development of our country. In studying the literary works of the colonial period, we are given a chance to peer into the past as we get a sense of religion’s central theme in the colonies, the important issues of the time, and how influential that literature was in shaping our country. Religion had a starring role in the development of the American colonies. Puritan ideals were very influential, and their significance is reflected in the journals and diaries written during their immigration, settling, and day-to-day experiences as they laid the foundation for America. God and religion was referenced many times in poetry and prose during the colonial period in works such as Anne Bradstreet’s “The Burning of Our House,” in which she implied that God had the right to...
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...The colonial life in the new world was not always suitable for most occupants. As the works of Howard Zinn, Deborah A. Rosen, and John M. Murrin’s indicate the hardships of the colonial residents. In the book entitled “A people’s history of the United States” Howard Zinn takes a different approach from familiar text around the time period of Christopher Columbus and described the hardships of Indians as they first made contact with foreign settlers and the horrifying ordeals salves went through just to get across the Atlantic Ocean. Zinn first points out in his book how Columbus took some Arwak Indians native to the island in the Bahamas as prisoners for the sole purpose of finding gold.(1) These Indians either faced hard labor for a prolonged period of time or death by inadequate living conditions under their captures. Moreover, Zinn describes how salves being shipped from Africa to America were plagued with crushing conditions by having been placed in shackles around their necks and forced to walk long miles just to get on a ship. The boat ride was descried as worse by Zinn because slaves were put in a compact space that one could not turn his or her head around. Slaves also faced suffocation within these ships. Deborah A. Rosen takes on a women’s prospective in her...
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...the authors eyes. Carol Berkin attempts to portray a more accurate representation of these influences in her book Revolutionary Mothers, Women in the Struggle for American Independence. Berkin discusses the Colonial white women, Native American, and African American women and how they have helped to construct and shape our history. By basing her position in this book on the various socioeconomic statuses such as the high and low classes, as well as those who supported Loyalist and Patriotic causes during this lengthy battle for Americas Independence. Overall, Berkin has constructed a piece of literature that attempts to depict the real influence of both average common folks as well as famous women have had in our history and how they were affected by the Revolutionary war. By using many different sources and numerous footnotes throughout her 120 page book , Berkin defends her stance on the roles of many women throughout history and their influences. Berkin position is backed up by using diaries from numerous women written during the days of the Revolution, memoirs, legal opinions, law books as well as news paper articles. Also to discredit any other possible arguments, Berkin uses secondary sources such as; literature that women have composed during the colonial periods, and biographies, all form various ethnic races during the 1700’s. Berkin also includes more contemporary pieces from the 1800’s to the 1900’s in order to encompass the full impact that women have had...
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...Colonial Gender Roles The main roles of a woman in Early America were: cooking and cleaning, having a family, and taking care of their spouse and children. The facts are that women were not looked upon as intelligent or equal to a man. In the Early American Era, the struggles women went through has influenced the writing and speaking of equality of sexes and started the feminism phenomenon. People have asked what exactly is a gender role and what makes something a gender role? Most people in the Puritan era did not think much of gender roles as they were societal rules and were not questioned. They had particular roles for men, women, and even children. There are many other questions about gender roles like how women have or are overcoming them...
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...Class Assignment 4 Chapter 4 Washington wanted fashionable clothing that advertised his status as a gentlemen. He wanted to look, live and behave like an English country gentlemen, and wanted to be accepted as a transatlantic member of the British elite. The wealthy colonist’s aspirations testified important developments in the 18th century. Prosperity and growing population tied the English colonies to London and the flow of goods between Britain and America fueled the desires for acceptance by the British elite. They wanted America to be more like London with their wealth and overflowing production of goods. The Great Awakening was a huge religious revival in colonial America striking first in the Middle colonies and New England in the 1740’s and then spreading to the southern colonies. The Great Awakening affected everyone. Whitefield, an Anglican minister came to the colonies and revivals and mass conversions often followed his appearance. Crowds gathered to listen to his sermons and many converted and despaired salvation. Disputes between individuals and more extreme revivals split individuals into two separate churches, New Lights and Old Lights. These Revivals created tension between these two groups. However, The Great Awakening not only brought religious revival between groups it also fostered greater political awareness and participation among colonist. Chapter 5 As the war was drawing to a close conflict between the Cherokee Indians on the southern frontier...
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...on the digital history (see course home page) **You will be tested on all of this material on the respective quizzes Native Americans (Read this for quiz 1) “ The First Americans” (Not a link…go to the assigned website) European Society (Read this for quiz 1) Colonial Era/Exploration and Discovery The Significance of 1492 European Commercial and Financial Expansion Slavery and Spanish Colonization The Meaning of America The Black Legend Colonial Era/17th Century (Read below for quiz 1) European Colonization North of Mexico Spanish Colonization English Settlement Colonial Era/17 century (Read below for quiz 2) English Colonization Begins Life in Early Virginia Slavery Takes Root in Colonial Virginia Founding New England The Puritans The Puritan Idea of the Covenant Regional Contrasts Dimensions of Change in Colonial New England The Salem Witch Scare Slavery in the Colonial North Struggles for Power in Colonial America Diversity in Colonial America The Middle Colonies: New York Fear of Slave Revolts The Middle Colonies: William Penn’s Holy Commonwealth The Southernmost Colonies: The Carolinas and Georgia Colonial Administration (Read below for quiz 2) No readings th Road to Revolution (Read for quiz 3) Colonial America/18th Century The The The The The The Emergence of New Ideas about Personal Liberties and Constitutional Rights Great Awakening Seven Years’ War Rise of Antislavery Sentiment Fate of Native Americans Road to Revolution American Revolution (Read for quiz 3) Entire...
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...Hemphill, C. Dallett. "Women in Court: Sex-Role Differentiation in Salem, Massachusetts, 1636 to 1683." The William and Mary Quarterly 39, no. 1 (1982): 164-75. This source pints out the fact that men held power and authority over women since the beginning of Salem and throughout its development. The law was enforced by patriarchal figures and women were subjects who were expected to follow it. While Salem was a patriarchal society, it surprisingly also allowed women to testify in court and were active in their duties outside of the household. Women were aware of the social issues that surrounded them. This source shows the shift that occurred in Salem and caused women to eventually feel “economically helpless”. The experience of abuse between...
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...The Salem Witchcraft Trials The Salem Witchcraft Trials was an event that occurred from 1692 to 1693. Over 200 people were accused by the children of Salem of practicing witchcraft, Only 19 females and 1 male were executed. The setting in which the trial and accusations arose was a patriarchy, gender ruling, knowledge depending lifestyle for the people of Salem. The women and children of Salem were held to a low extent. Women were expected to be nurturing mothers, the household stability, and subordinate to the men. Male gender roles were learned at a very young age, influenced by their father’s they believed education was very important and it meant power. They were taught to establish social power in everyday settings. Men were expected...
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...rights, liberty, descriptive governments, and equality, among others. The Enlightenment assisted the absences in the standing of thought, the colonial situations and the absent classes respectively. Sadly, even though these principles were progressive, such ideals also had parochial aspects that caused them to be out of reach for most groups of people, namely, the enslaved people, Native Americans, and women. In that sense, this essay illustrates the ways in which these factors contributed to shaping and sometimes contradicting the core American values and some of the more radical aspirations that remained elusive in practice. The intellectual landscape of America’s founding ideals was significantly influenced by Enlightenment philosophy, emphasizing reason, individualism, and skepticism of traditional authority. John Locke's ideas about natural...
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...Why 18th Century Women Sought out Freedom through Prostitution Michelle E. Raines Lindenwood University Abstract This paper reconnoiters the reasoning behind prostitution, focusing mainly on the motives of an 18th century woman. The goal of this research is to provide readers with an explanation of why women resorted to prostitution for freedom. The paper will arrange for you primary sources supporting that prostitution plateaued because of lack of expression, racism, and feminism during the 18th century. The business of prostitution was so important to our society because it allowed women to join the workforce. Unfair treatment spawned one of the greatest highlights of women in this era that this paper will display for you. Why 18th Century Women Sought out Freedom through Prostitution Prostitution is recorded as beginning in 1721 when the French government sent women to the colony so the settled men would refrain from having sex with the Native Americans. These women had found that sex trade created them more freedom/independence instead of marriage. Soon after, the red-light district was formed to segregate the prostitutes. The act of selling sex was not illegal in the US and the law had not known the term “prostitution”. The law had no understanding of what to do, women were still social outcasts and officials looked for petty crimes to target these certain women. So we ask why these women turned to prostitution; freedom was sought through sexual acts due to the...
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