Women By: Stephanie Chausow
Colonial Era Fewer women than men came over on the Mayflower. Women's roles were the traditional homemaker and mother. Less women were brought over because they were not as physically strong as men.
New England One major issue was women's property rights. Young men often died young and the southern colonies generally allowed married women to retain separate titles to their property and gave widows the right to inherit their husband's estate.
Puritans The Puritans did not approve of women's separate property rights. They feared it would cause conflicting interests between husband and wife. They wanted the women to been seen but not heard.
Puritans Cont. The concept of women's rights as individuals was starting to appear. A husband's power is not absolute over a wife. The authorities would intervene with an abusive spouse. Midwifery and assisting with childbirth were a female monopoly.
Women that Emerged Anne Hutchinson: Held religious meetings in her house that allowed women to get involved. Anne Bradstreet: 1650 became America's first published poet. Phillis Wheatley: An African American literary sensation starting in the 1770's.
Republican Motherhood Started after the revolution Women held the future in their hands and had to instill their children with good values so that they could run a good republic. A healthier relationship with their husbands developed. Women ran family businesses in the absence of their husband.
Cult of Domesticity Rose from the reality that families did not have to make what they needed in order to survive. Women could stay home and teach children how to be proper citizens.
Women Fought for Reforms Women fought for many reforms including abolition. The Grimke Sisters, Susan B. Anthony and Lucy Stone (kept maiden name) Dorothea Dix: Fought for a reform on the asylums.
Declaration of Sentiments Convention held in 1848 in Seneca Falls, New York. Was influenced from the Declaration of Independence Added that all men and women are created equal. Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucretia Mott helped lead this movement. Other people included: Susan B. Anthony and Frederick Douglass
Workforce Rapid growth of textile manufacturing from 1815-1860 caused a shortage of workers. Young, unmarried women moved to New England to fill these roles. In 1852, Harriet Beecher Stowe wrote Uncle Tom's Cabin. Jane Adams founded the Hall House in 1889.
Civil War Women were not allowed to fight. Many women put on men's clothes and fought in the war anyways. Many women were nurses that helped the fallen soldiers. Women worked more because their husbands were gone.
Women's Suffrage Stanton and Cady created the American Equal Rights Association in 1866. Wanted suffrage for all races and sexes. In 1869 the group split into two parties. NWSA the more radical group run by Stanton and Cady. AWSA more conservative, run by Stone and Blackwell.
Womens Suffrage cont. First granted the right to vote in Wyoming in 1869. On June 4, 1919 the 19th amendment was passed, it granted women the right to vote.
WWI/Feminism WWI created many jobs for women because men were fighting. A Wave of Feminism occurred in the 1920's. The National Woman's Party was formed. In 1928 The Equal Right's Amendment was passed. It prohibited discrimination on the basis of sex.
WWII At the start of the war, women made up 1/4 of the workforce. "Rosie the Riveter" became the symbol of the working women. About 350,000 women served in the military. After the war, women were expected to give up their jobs to the returning service men.
The Second Wave of Women Betty Friedan wrote The Feminine Mystique in 1963. It challenged the notion that women are the weaker sex. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 forbid gender discrimination in employment. In 1966, The National Organization for Women is formed to increase awareness of discrimination.
The Second Wave cont. Row v. Wade(1973): Allows women to make the decision of if they want an abortion. In 1994 Geraldine Ferraro became the first woman nominated as a vice president for a major party.