Ann Carson and her first husband, John Carson, show historians a firsthand source of what it was like to be within the working class in the nineteenth century. Ann Carson grew up with an alcoholic father and many years later, married another. Ann’s father, Thomas Baker, was a well respected man who served on a privateer during the revolutionary war, keeping his family well above the middle class. Carson described through the works of Branson that her childhood was “scenes of perfect happiness unalloyed.”(Branson, 1) While Carson spent most of her adult life working in a china shop, she had motivation and witts among her, which could have only come from her father abandoning the family shortly after the Quasi-War began. Ann became the breadwinner
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Beyond her personality, Ann defied all gender roles by the mere fact that she was the head of the household. It was very uncommon for the woman to be the primary source of income let alone the only source of income. In the year 1812, John left to find work and Ann became a working woman to create a stable environment for her three young children. Branson describes the situation to the reader by writing, “At the time of John 's departure, Ann and the three children were still living with her parents on the corner of Dock and Second streets, with a shop on the ground floor where Ann sold her china.”(Branson, 25) This quote not only shows how badly the Carson as well as the Baker family were doing, but how Ann was able to create her own business through her family 's skills in marketing. Ann Carson’s china shop gave her the income she needed as well as a set place for her that she called her own. Many women owned shops however most of them had other sources of income which gives an example of how Ann’s upbringing allowed her to survive though her husband was presumed …show more content…
Ann’s father leaving the family to fend for themselves was probably a huge part of why she was able to think on her feet. Carson worked in a china shop where she learned business skills as well as the intelligence she needed to survive, she was also the head of her household which showed dominance. The jury believed it was more important to keep gender stereotypes in place than to convict a guilty
Beyond her personality, Ann defied all gender roles by the mere fact that she was the head of the household. It was very uncommon for the woman to be the primary source of income let alone the only source of income. In the year 1812, John left to find work and Ann became a working woman to create a stable environment for her three young children. Branson describes the situation to the reader by writing, “At the time of John 's departure, Ann and the three children were still living with her parents on the corner of Dock and Second streets, with a shop on the ground floor where Ann sold her china.”(Branson, 25) This quote not only shows how badly the Carson as well as the Baker family were doing, but how Ann was able to create her own business through her family 's skills in marketing. Ann Carson’s china shop gave her the income she needed as well as a set place for her that she called her own. Many women owned shops however most of them had other sources of income which gives an example of how Ann’s upbringing allowed her to survive though her husband was presumed …show more content…
Ann’s father leaving the family to fend for themselves was probably a huge part of why she was able to think on her feet. Carson worked in a china shop where she learned business skills as well as the intelligence she needed to survive, she was also the head of her household which showed dominance. The jury believed it was more important to keep gender stereotypes in place than to convict a guilty