American Revolution: Republican Motherhood

The Fem-pire Strikes Back! The American society was shaken up by a revolution and a second great awakening from 1815 - 1860. These developments significantly affected women both inside and outside the home. Although they were still considered inferior to men, women gained new opportunities in the working profession as nurses, teachers, and domestic servants because of the proliferation.

While male slaves simply received punishment from the masters, women slaves were also targeted by the masters’ wives, whose anger stemmed from their jealously and embarrassment that their husbands

1. How did revolutionary America see both improvements and limitations in women’s roles and rights? Revolutionary America saw improvements and limitations in women's roles and rights through various methods. One of the common limitations in women's rights is the topic of gender versus power. In most cases, the husband had legal authority over their wives, ultimately considering the women to be unfit for citizenship.

Between 1825 and 1850, republican motherhood was a term used to illustrate the idea of women’s roles being defined. It encompassed the vision that women should be expected to take time out of their lives and teach their families, specifically children, civil virtues. Expected to have high moral standards and be pure, good civilians, women were put on a pedestal for all to see; meaning, they were intended to act as virtuous girls who had no problems. Women stayed in a sphere, the cult of domesticity, and were not allowed to move from their place and cause trouble. Simultaneously, slaves and African American people were developing their own sphere.

This routine to which women adhered was known as the "Cult of Domesticity" and it was the reasoning behind these women's home lives. Moreover, the market revolution created a myriad of economic dependencies that were not beneficial to many who dwell in the lower rungs of society. These people were, "immigrant and black day laborers, outwork seamstresses, the causal poor," that were effected by, "a combination of overstocked labor markets and intense competition among

They also supervised the slaves to make sure they are doing their work, if the slaves were sick the women would care for them. The women in families did all the funeral stuff in the family. The wealthier the women were the more time they stayed inside. The women were to keep to themselves they were not supposed to gossip or even listen in on it. Men thought that women brought evil, they were useless.

Women were considered inferior to men; they had to rights and most of all no voice. Typically, as the old saying goes ‘they were to be seen and not hear’. Revolutionary Mothers, by Carol Berkin tells of the general stereotypes of women in America, the roles in which they played during the America revolution, and lastly it tells the story of the women through their own words. Stereotypes of Women In chapter one, Berkin states “God had created her to be a helpmate to man….and formed her for this purpose…to be frugal, and obedient (2005, p.4)”.

Women were assigned the role of homemaker, where they were expected to be good wives and mothers. Both women and men belonged to a family, they were all individuals under the power of the paterfamilias which is the oldest living male, it is this person that is responsible for everyone under his control. Unmarried daughters were under the control of the Patria Potestas but upon marriage, the responsibility for the woman is moved to the Manus of the husband. A woman was expected to be chaste and to act with modesty. For women, actions like drinking wine, leaving the home without covering their hair, having private conversations with a common freed woman or attending games without the knowledge of the husband results in divorce (WLGR V 109).

All other household functions are discharged by wife and children” (26). The slaves had it easy as long as they did what they were supposed to be doing. These slaves were provided with shelter, and the only goal that they had to accomplish was to fulfill their master’s desires. On the other end, if you were a slave on the master’s bad side, then they more than likely did not have it easy. Tacitus states, “To strike a slave or to punish him bonds or hard labour is a rare occurrence.

Women and children are socialized to be submissive to male authority and the women’s role is clearly taking care of the home, the husband and the children (Coltrace, Park & Adams,

“Women could not be doctors, priests, judges, or lawyers” (Hopkins 8). For several years there was these bias towards men and because of that women were not entitled to vote, did not receive an education unless you were of royalty, and they were forced to surrender any land inherited to them to their husbands or brother. Women were also only allowed to move to a new community by marrying a man from a different

This is because they had the means to support themselves with one income; therefore, women could stay at home. Domesticity was not common among poor and slave families because both men and women had to work to support their families. The concept of domesticity, specifically the difference between the treacheries outside world and the comfort of home, greatly changed socio-cultural perceptions of children. After domesticity developed, childhood became viewed as a distinct stage of life, in which children’s innocence and morality needed to be nurtured and sheltered from the evils of the world. Domesticity provided the opportunity for wives to offer more nurturing and attention to their children.

Men generally plowed the fields, while women hoed. Both male and female slaves were prevented from having three greatly important things, Family, Dignity and Control over their own lives. These were largely unattainable for any slave; however, these things were kept from slaves in different ways. Female slaves were faced with the prospect of being forced into sexual relationships against their will for the purposes of reproduction, and they were often raped by their masters and overseers. Perhaps more harrowing, many slave women had to witness their daughters suffering the same fate.

Slaves were beaten and whipped, separated from their families and were viewed as property in the eyes of the law. However despite the similarities between the two sexes, there were many differences. Women were treated far more worse than their male counterparts. The male slave was considered to be more valuable.

sometimes worked long after their return from the fields, and long after the men had retired” (White, 1985, p. 122). None of the women’s duties to the slave owners or to their family could be left undone. Slave women had to balance all aspects of their lives