Status of Women in Colonial Society - 1243 Words

Mariama Bessane Professor Perine James American History 1151- Essay #1 Jan 7th,2016 Status of Women in Colonial Society Women were always considered inferior to men since day one. That belief had been existing until the eighteen century. During that period, English Colonists brought to America their ideologies with them. Women did not have the same rights as men did during that time. Women were tied in a leash, kept in the dark, and controlled by society. Life wasn’t easy for them. They were not allowed to express their opinions, and if they did, they would be called wicked or evil and be negatively judged by society. During the colonial era, women played an important, if restricted role in work and religious life. During the†¦show more content†¦Working in farmlands was not an easy task to do, but tobacco became the king of the lands and every hand was useful in order to cultivate it. Women were needed to work the lands no matter how fatiguing it was, and the only way they were able to make the journey through the colonies was to be in a contract as indentured servants. â€Å"The name derived from the indenture, or contract, by which a person promised to work for a fixed number of years in return for transportation to America† (America 75.) Working the land in the sizzling sun caused many servants to die from disease. Those who survived and completed their indentured contract could marry and even have lands with their husbands. Despite the restrictions put on women, the insufficiency of work created opportunities. Women in the city were able to have different lives from those living in farms. In the city, women could socialize with other women. Outside their home, and family, they were allowed to associate themselves with other women, and have their own â€Å"women time† without being bothered by husbands or children. For example, in the city, women could work outside their home as â€Å"tavern hostesses, and shopkeepers and sometimes also worked as nurses, painters, printers, upholsterers, silversmiths, and tan ners.†(America 71) Generally speaking, women in the city had a better life than those who lived on the farms. Women were not only active in working lands and taking care ofShow MoreRelatedTextual Analysis Of Leila Ahmed s Women And Gender1451 Words   |  6 PagesLeila Ahmed’s â€Å"Women and Gender in Islam: Historical Roots of a Modern Debate† â€Å"Women and Gender in Islam† by Leila Ahmed was published in 1992, at a time when research on Arab women was a young, newly emerging field of study. Leila Ahmed is an Egyptian American writer and feminist. Her text â€Å"Women and Gender in Islam† targets proclaimed feminists, both western and non-western, as the intended audience. 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