During the early 18th century, the role of women in American society did not change much from the 17th century. Their lives remained centered in the domestic realm, working in the home and taking care of the family. Women in 18th Century were taught little except domestic duties and religion - any education given was designed to further these ends. The American Revolution, taking place around mid-eighteenth century, led to some changes for women in society. After seeing the increased role of women during the revolution, women were given respect for their efforts, leading to a new way to be seen by men in society.
Throughout the 18th century, marriage was still the ideal for men and women. It was believed that marriage helped a husband keep a woman under control, so that they don't become fee-spirited and so they can learn to become real women. The concept of love marriage became more popular during this time. This led to a stronger bond between husband and wife, leading to happy and stable families, which is a key element in the formation of stable and orderly societies. The transatlantic trade brought goods, slaves, as well as ideas to the colonies which induced Americans to see women and marital roles differently than previous generations had. The idea of finding "true love" influenced eighteenth century women to delay marriage until they found a man they desired. By the end of the 18th century, most marriages were seen as a partnership, rather than as a hierarchical structure, because of the ideas brought over from other geographical areas and cultures. Eighteenth-century women mainly worked in fields that required some type of domestic work. Some jobs included cooking, childcare, spinning, making clothing, and nursing sick families. Women worked these jobs because it was easier for them to work in a job in which they had experience in. However, their economic activity increased during the revolution. Many women were patriotic during the war and permeated their patriotism in political, civil, and domestic life. Some women participated in boycotts, helped the US spy on the British, and even cooked and took care of American soldiers. They would protest on products like tea and cloth, both significant products they used in the home. This led for them to start making their own cloth, which eventually helped specializes the women clothing manufacture workforce in America. At home, they took care of the agricultural work and took care of the house work and family while the husbands were away. Women were very helpful in taking care of situations at home and participating in war efforts while their male family members were away at war, which helped them develop a more respected image in society. While women did not have much significance in other areas, religion was an aspect where women held positions of dignity and respect. During the series of revival, the Great Awakening, many women started going to churches, participating in religious events, and even created new sects of Christianity. This exposure to the religion led women to become more involved with Christianity and eventually led to women holding respectable positions in religion. They became active in Methodist and Baptist churches. Although women were not allowed to preach messages to the public, they had a voice and vote, surprising, in church affairs. The opportunities for a woman's education change dramatically during the 18th century. A woman's role was centered in the domestic sphere, which meant she would raise and teach the kids. The education of a woman became a priority, as they were know thought to be the best suited to educate the future generations of America. Many teachers were women, so it was necessary for them to get the proper education so that they could teach the future citizens and politician of America. This also led to an increase of women as teachers. Women began to read and write. Some wrote books, while others became musicians or artists. This increase of literacy led to an increase of job opportunities for women of the 18th century. The role of women religiously, economically, and educationally changed dramatically during the 18th century. The 1700's brought many new opportunities for women in jobs, as well as great respect in society. In a marriage, women were treated better and treated more equal to the male counterpart due to ideology brought over from other countries, especially from Europe. Marriage relationships were closer knit, leading to a stable family and society. Most of this great change happened after the American Revolution, after society saw the important effort put in by women while their husbands went to war. In general, the eighteenth century brought great change for the status of women in society. Smith, Merril D. Women's Role in Eighteenth Century America. N.p.: n.p., n.d. Google Books. 2010. Web. 13 Jan. 2017. |
AuthorSimran and Ananya Archives
June 2017
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