History Of African American Womanhood

The Antebellum Period that lasted roughly from 1825–1850 is an era known for its many reform movements and major transformations in American society. Prior to the popularity of reform movements in American society was the 1828 election in which Andrew Jackson became the seventh president. Jackson professed himself the “champion of the common man,” where the “common man” meant white men. Nevertheless, his presidency caused the development of a more popular mass democracy, or Jacksonian Democracy as it is commonly referred to. The westward expansion that occurred during Jackson’s presidency lead to a shift in America’s economical makeup from a mercantile/market economy to capitalism.

During this time period, “Slavery shaped the lives of all Americans, white as well as black. It helped to determine where they lived, how they worked, and under what conditions they could exercise their freedoms of speech, assembly, and the press.(Foner 400)” As a female slave, you were not only considered inferior due to your skin color, but also looked down upon because of your gender, therefore being subjected to twice the amount of equalities that men were exposed to. Female slaves, unlike male slaves, not only endured physical hardships, but also were subjected to the emotional destruction of being raped, taunted by the masters’ wives, and separated from their

Among the 1820’s and 30’s the Social Reform Era took charge throughout the nation. This era declared change for women, Native Americans and African Americans (Document K) since free white males had conquered political suffrage for themselves. The rest of America’s population was left ignored and neglected. To avoid this unwanted discrimination, the Abolition and Women’s Rights Movements were created.

Revolution to America and the World Imagine an empire, so large and ever reaching influencing every country, state, and city in the world in more ways than one. Now imagine a loosely structured confederacy of only thirteen newly founded colonies which, proclaiming to be states, have not only seceded from this vast empire, but have become entrenched in a hostile war over their own sovereignty. That was the exact situation The United States was in with England, The United States a newly formed coalition is now confronted with the Goliath like beast that is England.

The early women’s rights organization was developed based upon the standards and experiences of different endeavors to promote social justice and to enhance the human condition. These efforts are known as change. Among these were the Abolition and Temperance movements. The personal and historical connections that united, and on occasion divided the movement for women’s rights existed before 1843, have advanced over the subsequent century and a half. The 1877 Woman’s Suffrage amendment had been initially brought into U.S. Congress.

Historians may argue that the inclusion of only white males in this brand-new society makes the American Revolution a failure, but the American Revolution changed the social aspect of the colonies for the better. The change of social status of minorities is not immediate, but the revolution allows for necessary changes to happen in the future. For example, a majority of the north abolished slavery less ten years or even before the end of the revolution. The rest of the north and the slave-dependent south abolish slavery within the next eighty years (Document 5). After the Revolution, women feel they have a voice.

During the early 1800’s, President Thomas Jefferson effectively doubled the size of the United States under the Louisiana Purchase. This set the way for Westward expansion, alongside an increase in industrialism and overall economic growth. In fact, many citizens were able to thrive and make a better living in the agricultural business than anywhere else. All seemed to be going well in this new and ever expanding country, except for one underlying issue; slavery. Many African Americans were treated as the lowest of the classes, even indistinguishable from livestock.

In addition, all women were denied the right to vote. “The cult of true womanhood ideology extended middle-class ideals far beyond the middle class and affected marriage, female education, and employment choices, as well as strategies for obtaining women’s rights…”(WOMEN). American women of the late 1800’s struggled with no rights in the government, considered inferior, and married women had no separate identity from her husband. One reason American women were treated poorly is because of their rights in the American government.

After the Civil War, women were willing to gain the same rights and opportunities as men. The war gave women the chance to be independent, to live for themselves. Women’s anger, passion, and voice to protest about what they were feeling was the reason of making the ratification of the 19th amendment, which consisted of giving women the right to vote. One of the largest advancement of that era was the women’s movement for the suffrage, which gave them the reason to start earning

Sally Hemings was a slave on the Monticello plantation in the late 18th century, and her experience helps us to understand that her gender aided the way she was treated versus if they went by the color of her skin (Dilkes Mullins). {Woman during this era were thought of as property, they were objectified, they were treated poorly and had no choice. Their husbands were liable for anything that they did} [Being a female during this era outweighed what one 's social status was. It did not matter what race you were, but if you were a woman, you were treated as such] (Dilkes Mullins). Ms. Hemings was a beautiful sixteen-year-old enslaved girl (Gordon-Reed, 102) who was more than just a slave on the Monticello plantation.

While reading about American history the thing that I found most appealing was the limited rights that women had during this era. Although women gave the early settlers longer life expectancy and brought hope to their future, women still were not considered equal to a man. Women were discriminated against and didn’t play an important role in early American history. Generally, women had fewer legal rights and career opportunity than men because they were considered weak and not able to perform certain tasks. Different women came from different ethnic backgrounds and were all created equal in the eyes of men.

Books were not allowed. Approximately 405 of women had very little communication skills. Women were tired of being unequally treated and in the early nineteenth century women began to unite together and began to create important social movements where they began to state their opinions political, social economical, and racial oppression. Later on women began to demand equal wages and better working conditions. Women were tired of being unequal

In the period between 1900 and 1920, the federal government and reformers were very successful in bringing social, economic, and political reform to the federal government. While not every aspect of it was successful, the rights of women, fighting against child labor and limiting the control of trusts and monopolies were three distinct successes of that time. Even before the progressive era, women challenged their place and articulated new visions of social, political and economic equality. The progressive era was a turning point for women as organizations evolved fighting for equal rights. Woman began to become very involved in a variety of reform movements.

The Women’s Right Movement came to be due to the lack of voting rights, unfair wages, and unfair hours. They fought against the oppressive traditional social structures created in America. Their goals were to gain even voting rights for all women, to create laws to safeguard against unsafe hours and working conditions, protection against unfair wages, the end of domestic violence, the prohibition of alcohol, and the overall collapse of the oppressive social structure generated for women in

In a perfect democracy, both of these groups should have been able to easily petition the government and have their voices heard equally. The age of social reform in America closely mirrored social reform in Britain, both in time and in subjects. Britain abolished slavery in 1833, and groups of influential women’s suffragists argued for women’s rights much like those in America. The abolitionist and women’s rights movements perhaps drew inspiration from British reforms, and both nations found themselves in similar moral condition after the Revolution. However, America would have a long way to go before these social reforms actually strengthened