Stuff AP Loves:Stuff AP Loves:Women’s HistoryWomen’s HistoryColonial to 1848Colonial to 1848

Adapted from Adapted from City University of New YorkCity University of New York

Colonial Era EconomicsColonial Era Economics Subsistence farming makes family Subsistence farming makes family

unit group of equal partnersunit group of equal partners Husband, sons tend fields, hunt, fishHusband, sons tend fields, hunt, fish Wife, daughters maintain householdWife, daughters maintain household

Clean, make, & mend clothesClean, make, & mend clothes Prepare, cook food, tend housePrepare, cook food, tend house Make soap, candles, spin, sew, weaveMake soap, candles, spin, sew, weave Help with planting, harvestHelp with planting, harvest

Colonial Era PhilosophyColonial Era Philosophy Enlightenment thinkers Enlightenment thinkers

(Rousseau, Voltaire) (Rousseau, Voltaire) called for egalitarian called for egalitarian treatment of all treatment of all (natural rights)(natural rights)

Not applied to womenNot applied to women Mary Wollstonecraft Mary Wollstonecraft

writes writes A Vindication of A Vindication of the Rights of Womanthe Rights of Woman (1791)(1791)

Early National Era Early National Era PhilosophyPhilosophy

Abigail Adams (1776) Abigail Adams (1776) tells John to “remember tells John to “remember the ladies” while the ladies” while drafting new laws that drafting new laws that will necessarily follow will necessarily follow the Declaration of the Declaration of IndependenceIndependence

John jokingly tells her John jokingly tells her to forget it, and not to forget it, and not much is done (lest men much is done (lest men be subject to the be subject to the tyranny of the tyranny of the petticoat)petticoat)

Early National Era Early National Era PhilosophyPhilosophy

Popular sovereignty requires educated Popular sovereignty requires educated electorate steeped in the principles of electorate steeped in the principles of civic virtue (sacrificial giving to the state)civic virtue (sacrificial giving to the state)

With little public education available, With little public education available, mothers become the primary providers of mothers become the primary providers of education in children (mainly sons) so education in children (mainly sons) so that civic virtue is instilled in the next that civic virtue is instilled in the next generation—”Ask not what your country generation—”Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for can do for you, but what you can do for your country.” (JFK-1961)your country.” (JFK-1961)

Gives rise to “Republican Motherhood”Gives rise to “Republican Motherhood” Promotes early educational efforts for Promotes early educational efforts for

womenwomen

Early National Era Early National Era PoliticsPolitics

Some states had granted suffrage Some states had granted suffrage to women before the revolution!to women before the revolution!

1777-1807 The states of New York, 1777-1807 The states of New York, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and New Jersey which had and New Jersey which had previously allowed women to vote previously allowed women to vote rescind those rights.rescind those rights.

Early National Era Early National Era EconomicsEconomics

Men begin to work outside home in Men begin to work outside home in manufacturing, causing division of manufacturing, causing division of work roles between men and womenwork roles between men and women

Men leave the home for work; women Men leave the home for work; women stay at home and perform traditional stay at home and perform traditional dutiesduties

Women begin to be less important for Women begin to be less important for the economic well-being of homethe economic well-being of home

Reinforces role of women at homeReinforces role of women at home

Early National Era Early National Era EconomicsEconomics

In the1820s, young women are In the1820s, young women are taken from farms to work at Lowell taken from farms to work at Lowell textile towntextile town

By the1830s, women begin to By the1830s, women begin to protest wages, hours, and protest wages, hours, and conditions of employmentconditions of employment

Women begin the labor movement!Women begin the labor movement!

Mary S. PowellMary S. Powell ““At half past six [the bell] rings for the At half past six [the bell] rings for the

girls to get up and at seven they are girls to get up and at seven they are called to the mill. At half past 12 we called to the mill. At half past 12 we have dinner are called back again at have dinner are called back again at one and stay till half past seven. I get one and stay till half past seven. I get along very well with my work. I can along very well with my work. I can doff as fast as any girl in our room. If doff as fast as any girl in our room. If any girl wants employment I advise any girl wants employment I advise them to come to Lowell.”them to come to Lowell.”

Read more about the Lowell Girls at Read more about the Lowell Girls at http://www.nwhm.org/exhibits/Industry/MSPaulLetters.htm

Cult of Domesticity -I Cult of Domesticity -I When husbands went off to work, When husbands went off to work,

they helped create the view that they helped create the view that men alone should support the men alone should support the family. A woman who ventured out family. A woman who ventured out into such a world could easily fall into such a world could easily fall prey to it, for women were weak prey to it, for women were weak and delicate creatures. A woman's and delicate creatures. A woman's place was therefore in the private place was therefore in the private sphere, in the home, where she sphere, in the home, where she took charge of all that went on.took charge of all that went on.

Cult of Domesticity - IICult of Domesticity - IIA new ideal of womanhood and

a new ideology about the home arose out of the new attitudes about work and family. Called the "cult of domesticity," it is found in women's magazines, advice books, religious journals, newspapers, fiction--everywhere in popular culture.

Cult of Domesticity Cult of Domesticity VirtuesVirtues

PietyPiety PurityPurity Submissiveness Submissiveness DomesticityDomesticity

PietyPietyThe modern young The modern young

woman of the 1820s woman of the 1820s and 1830s was and 1830s was thought of as a new thought of as a new Eve working with God Eve working with God to bring the world out to bring the world out of sin through her of sin through her suffering, through suffering, through her pure, and her pure, and passionless love.passionless love.

PurityPurityWithout sexual Without sexual

purity, a woman purity, a woman was no woman, but was no woman, but rather a lower form rather a lower form of being, a "fallen of being, a "fallen woman," unworthy woman," unworthy of the love of her of the love of her sex and unfit for sex and unfit for their company.their company.

SubmissivenessSubmissivenessMen were to be Men were to be

movers, and movers, and doers--the actors doers--the actors in life.in life.

Women were to Women were to be passive be passive bystanders, bystanders, submitting to submitting to fate, to duty, to fate, to duty, to God, and to men.God, and to men.

DomesticityDomesticity

A woman's place was in the A woman's place was in the home. The bourgeois wife was home. The bourgeois wife was busy about her duties and busy about her duties and childcare, keeping the home a childcare, keeping the home a cheerful, peaceful place which cheerful, peaceful place which would attract men away from would attract men away from the evils of the outer world.the evils of the outer world.

SummarySummary By 1850, women were politically, By 1850, women were politically,

economically, and socially economically, and socially subordinate to their husbands.subordinate to their husbands.

A powerful reform movement A powerful reform movement began in the 1840s and continued began in the 1840s and continued for over 100 years. That reform for over 100 years. That reform movement addressed political, movement addressed political, economic, and social injustice. economic, and social injustice.

Reform EffortsReform Efforts

Margaret Fuller (Transcendentalist Margaret Fuller (Transcendentalist editor of editor of The DialThe Dial))

Women in the Nineteenth Century Women in the Nineteenth Century (1845)(1845)

She compared the condition of women She compared the condition of women to slavery: women had neither suffrage to slavery: women had neither suffrage nor equality under the law, their nor equality under the law, their property belonged to their husbands.property belonged to their husbands.

in many cases, divorce was practically in many cases, divorce was practically impossible, and the guardianship of children impossible, and the guardianship of children was almost exclusively given to the fathers.was almost exclusively given to the fathers. Husbands tended to treat their wives at Husbands tended to treat their wives at best as children and at worst as servants. best as children and at worst as servants. Generally, middle and upper class women Generally, middle and upper class women were not allowed careers and their were not allowed careers and their education was not aimed to be on a par with education was not aimed to be on a par with their male counterparts. their male counterparts. The double standard of sexuality and The double standard of sexuality and morality was not questioned.morality was not questioned.

Seneca fallsSeneca falls

ABOLITIONISTS ELIZABETH Cady ABOLITIONISTS ELIZABETH Cady Stanton and Lucretia Mott lead Stanton and Lucretia Mott lead group at Seneca Falls, New Yorkgroup at Seneca Falls, New York

Seneca Falls Convention, 1848, Seneca Falls Convention, 1848, adopts “Declaration of Sentiments,” adopts “Declaration of Sentiments,” modeled on Declaration of modeled on Declaration of Independence, deleting king and Independence, deleting king and inserting men.inserting men.

Declaration of SentimentsDeclaration of Sentiments When, in the course of human events, it becomes necessary When, in the course of human events, it becomes necessary

for one portion of the family of man to assume among the for one portion of the family of man to assume among the people of the earth a position different from that which they people of the earth a position different from that which they have hitherto occupied, but one to which the laws of nature have hitherto occupied, but one to which the laws of nature and of nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the and of nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes that impel them to such a course. causes that impel them to such a course.

We hold these truths to be self-evident; that all men and We hold these truths to be self-evident; that all men and women are created equal; that they are endowed by their women are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights; that among these are Creator with certain inalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness; that to secure life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness; that to secure these rights governments are instituted, deriving their just these rights governments are instituted, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. Whenever any powers from the consent of the governed. Whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these ends, it is form of government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of those who suffer from it to refuse allegiance to the right of those who suffer from it to refuse allegiance to it, and to insist upon the institution of a new government, it, and to insist upon the institution of a new government, laying its foundation on such principles, and organizing its laying its foundation on such principles, and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their safety and happiness.effect their safety and happiness.

He has never permitted her to exercise her He has never permitted her to exercise her inalienable right to the elective franchise.inalienable right to the elective franchise.

He has compelled her to submit to laws, in He has compelled her to submit to laws, in the formation of which she had no voice.the formation of which she had no voice.….….

He has made her, if married, in the eye of He has made her, if married, in the eye of the law, civilly dead. the law, civilly dead.

He has taken from her all right in property, He has taken from her all right in property, even to the wages she earns.even to the wages she earns.

Nothing changed