In early times, most of the individuals were farmers, and generally, men were the ones working in the field. Men participated in field activities like sowing, mowing, and reaping, among other field works. Women’s contribution was vital during this colonial era, where women were important cloth producers. Women were in charge of the dairy products as well as poultry, hence contributing to the family economy. Brewing was known to be a female task. Everyone would drink beer rather than water except those who were fully poor.
Later in the colonial period, more goods were invented, and ready-made products were brought. Therefore, this availability of ready-made products reduced the female task and made their work less vital, and there seemed to be a more substantial economic decline in women’s status. Colonists could acquire ready-made clothes from stores, and necessities like candles and soap, which were manufactured at home, were bought and supplied as ready-made. In farms instead of men planting flax hat which women used to make clothes they instead planted cash crop which they sold and the profit they use to buy fabrics, therefore, women were left out of this loop, and their exclusion in the economic world grew to be a stalker (De Hart np).
The expectations of females and males were perceived as weaknesses and virtues. In marriages, men are expected to be the head poof everything; every property, including even the wife, is the property of the man. Men were primary wage earners, and they worked to bring food to the family, while females were responsible for childcare and housework. Women’s paid employment was low in comparison to men, who participated fully in production activities like the planting of cash crops. The kind of tasks available to women were confined to some sectors of the economy where the work women do is the extension of women’s domestic responsibilities like the clothing trade, teaching, and nursing, among other internal related works.
However, this should not bring any exaggerations on the differences between the two sexes since there are many tasks, both private and public, in which both genders are involved. During colonial times, women were excluded from political activities, but instead, few got a chance to participate in a political career as public figures. However, these women were not treated fairly as men. In a male-dominated arena, women in politics were facing discrimination, and men hated them since they felt like they were not responsible for their required task, which was taking care of housework and children. In colonial America, women were not given equal educational opportunities as men did (Ferree, 866).
Both men and women reached a point where both were debating on how to sign the end of colonialism and the Declaration of Independence. Women were interested in wives, daughters or mothers for the democracy of their country as well as the democracy of the female. During this crucial time, men and women worked together for liberty. Both sexes participated in fighting for the modern state, new country and hope for the republic. Before the American Revolution, there was a sphere of duty where women had their work which was not commercial but rather domestic tasks. However, during this time of American Revolution history was created since women were given some responsibilities and political freedom in most affairs despite that some were b default but compared to there before women were given some liberty (Carwardine, np).
Women were given some opportunities to handle family finances for the first time. Women learned a lot about how to manage the family finances, and therefore, men no longer needed to teach them. Despite the fact women have been able to carry this task efficiently, there were still some feelings and mentality that females were weaker and helpless compared to males. Before the revolution, politics and finances were things of men, and no woman would reclaim such, but during this time of the revolution, the arenas believed to be of men, women could also partake. Work is an activity that is carried out in the fulfillment of duties regularly or most of the things done for salary. It requires both mental and physical participation in any work to be successful. Before the American Revolution, women were not allowed to work for finances (Solomon, pg. 29).
The struggle for liberty and independence was going to be a significant, significant moment in American women’s history and America at large. In the 18th century, the feminine was seen as fragile, not bright and fair and not interested in the whole society affair but instead focusing on the female sex only. In wars, women who participated in civil wars. Still, there was some reinforcement of gender differences. Their efforts and sacrifices were taken for granted. After most of their son, husbands and brothers got killed during the war, it was their time now to go home and start handling the finances, struggling to settle debts from the creditors, disciplining the slaves as well as making financial decisions. Due to a lack of wise economic decisions tend to be more difficult for them to make. Poor financial decisions lead to poor outcomes. Many fail in businesses that were held by their husbands and end up in the charity of friends or families.
On the battlefield, the women who accompanied their husbands offered many services by performing their patriotic duties as wives and mothers as well. They washed clothes, cooked food, and, most importantly, disinfected wounds. Women needed to become politicians very fast; therefore, they had self-determination in participating in the war together with their husbands. One of the ways of fighting the enemy was the boycotting imported products. For this reason, women would have stepped in for it to be a success. They step in by bringing clothes and food that could no longer be imported (Paxton np).
Southern ladies wore dresses that were made from home and joined hand to hand with their husbands in singing patriotic songs, while northern women had spinning bees, which they presented to local officials. The female was willing to help with all capabilities to win this battle. They took care of family businesses and the economy or financial decisions when their husbands were in the field fighting the enemy. However, despite the fact ladies have a more significant contribution to the fight against colonialism; it did not prove to the world that both male and female are created the same. In most parts of America, women were still denied their rights no matter how long they fought to help their husbands in fighting (Berkin np).
New Jersey was the only state that allowed women to vote after the revolution of America. All the other countries were reluctant to approve the women’s civic rights. Some women and men demanded their power and to be treated equally to men. They required the right to own property as well as a civil right like voting, among others. The feminist writers used their pieces of literature in campaigning for females to be given the opportunity to serve their country in a political career since they participated in fighting for it. Females demanded equal education opportunities as well. The widows who have lost their husbands in the war are required to receive that opportunity to serve in place of their husbands. Some of the women feminists formed a union that participated in demonstrations to express their anger and present their grievances that both females should receive treatment equally.
Works Cited
De Hart, Jane Sherron, Cornelia Hughes Dayton, and Judy Tzu-Chun Wu. Women’s America: Refocusing the past. Oxford University Press, USA, 2015.
Paxton, Pamela, and Melanie M. Hughes. Women, politics, and power: A global perspective. CQ Press, 2015.
Nash, Margaret. Women’s education in the United States, 1780-1840. Springer, 2016.
Solomon, Richard. “Sexual Practice and Fantasy in Colonial America and the Early Republic.” IU Journal of Undergraduate Research 3.1 (2017): 26-37.
Millett, Kate. Sexual politics. Columbia University Press, 2016.
Powell, Philip Wayne. Soldiers, Indians & Silver. University of California Press, 1969.
Carwardine, Richard. Evangelicals and politics in antebellum America. Yale University Press, 1993.
Berkin, Carol. “Revolutionary Mothers.” (2005).
Berkin, Carol. Revolutionary mothers: women in the struggle for America’s independence. Alfred a Knopf Incorporated, 2005.
Ferree, Myra Marx. “Beyond separate spheres: Feminism and family research.” Journal of Marriage and Family 52.4 (1990): 866.
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