The Natural Rights of Women during Revolutionary America
Although the colonists won against the British in the Revolutionary War, the win didn’t solve the problem of inequality towards women in America. Victory allowed America to become its own country separated from England, and gave the privilege of forming its own government; but this newfound freedom seemed to be aimed more towards the men of the country. “For many women the Revolution had been a strongly politicizing experience, but the newly created republic made little room for them as political being.” During revolutionary America, women were continually being viewed as the stereotypical housewife that is to keep house and home in a suitable manner for her husband and her family. She wasn’t to participate in politics, economics, or any masculine-sounding practice that only men were viewed strong and smart enough to handle. Women were also not allowed to as educated or schooled as the men during this time period. “Republican ideology primarily concerned a single sex rather than an American community of both sexes.” Any land that a woman was given by her father would become her husband’s land when they were married; she had no say on whether she wanted the land to remain in her name or not. “The ‘real’ story of the Revolutionary years has been thought to lie in accounts of battles or constitutional conventions-events from which women were necessarily absent- and women’s work has been treated as service to men, women’s words treated as trivial.” Abigail Adams wrote in a letter to her husband, John Adams, the second president of the United States, discussing the unequal treatment women were continually receiving. “‘I can not say that I think you very generous to the Ladies,’ she wrote; ‘for whilst you are proclaiming peace and good will to Men, Emancipating all Nations, you insist upon retaining an absolute power over Wives. But you must remember that Arbitrary power is like most other things which are very hard, very liable to be broken” After seeing what men could do with their newly gained power, the women knew they had to take action to prove themselves capable of handling politics, economics, education, and other tasks in a male-dominate society. As men began to take a political leap of faith in creating a new government, women were designated to sit back and let the men handle matters that dealt with politics. …show more content…
Only white men were allowed to vote or deal with any political decision while women’s personal opinions didn’t matter. Women, such as Susan B. Anthony, Lucy Stone, and Julia Ward Howe, wouldn’t tolerate this unfair treatment; these women helped in beginning a social movement known as the National American Woman Suffrage Association in 1890 to obtain voting rights from each established state in America. “Although women had been voting in some states since the colonial era, other states denied women that right.” Women didn’t feel this political viewpoint was fair in that women were members of society just as men were; they also felt that men would begin to get out of hand with their newly found power. Betsy Erkkila wrote in her article, Revolutionary Women, “Do not put such unlimited power into the hands of the Husbands. Remember all Men would be tyrants if they could. If particular care and attention is not paid to the Laidies we are determined to foment a Rebelion, and will not hold ourselves bound by any Laws in which we have no voice, or Representation" These revolutionary women then began to take a stand against the inequality they were suffering in the political world by participating in anything they could to prove their worth. The Edenton Ladies were considered a good example of women taking a stand in politics. Women who were a part of this group led Penelope Barker participated in a political protest against the Tea Act of 1773. Just like this group of ladies, many “women participated little in political rituals because they were thought to lack political responsibility. This exclusion was based on the familiar belief that they could be expected to have personal commitments to their families, but none to the public world.” The political role woman gained through their perseverance
Although the colonists won against the British in the Revolutionary War, the win didn’t solve the problem of inequality towards women in America. Victory allowed America to become its own country separated from England, and gave the privilege of forming its own government; but this newfound freedom seemed to be aimed more towards the men of the country. “For many women the Revolution had been a strongly politicizing experience, but the newly created republic made little room for them as political being.” During revolutionary America, women were continually being viewed as the stereotypical housewife that is to keep house and home in a suitable manner for her husband and her family. She wasn’t to participate in politics, economics, or any masculine-sounding practice that only men were viewed strong and smart enough to handle. Women were also not allowed to as educated or schooled as the men during this time period. “Republican ideology primarily concerned a single sex rather than an American community of both sexes.” Any land that a woman was given by her father would become her husband’s land when they were married; she had no say on whether she wanted the land to remain in her name or not. “The ‘real’ story of the Revolutionary years has been thought to lie in accounts of battles or constitutional conventions-events from which women were necessarily absent- and women’s work has been treated as service to men, women’s words treated as trivial.” Abigail Adams wrote in a letter to her husband, John Adams, the second president of the United States, discussing the unequal treatment women were continually receiving. “‘I can not say that I think you very generous to the Ladies,’ she wrote; ‘for whilst you are proclaiming peace and good will to Men, Emancipating all Nations, you insist upon retaining an absolute power over Wives. But you must remember that Arbitrary power is like most other things which are very hard, very liable to be broken” After seeing what men could do with their newly gained power, the women knew they had to take action to prove themselves capable of handling politics, economics, education, and other tasks in a male-dominate society. As men began to take a political leap of faith in creating a new government, women were designated to sit back and let the men handle matters that dealt with politics. …show more content…
Only white men were allowed to vote or deal with any political decision while women’s personal opinions didn’t matter. Women, such as Susan B. Anthony, Lucy Stone, and Julia Ward Howe, wouldn’t tolerate this unfair treatment; these women helped in beginning a social movement known as the National American Woman Suffrage Association in 1890 to obtain voting rights from each established state in America. “Although women had been voting in some states since the colonial era, other states denied women that right.” Women didn’t feel this political viewpoint was fair in that women were members of society just as men were; they also felt that men would begin to get out of hand with their newly found power. Betsy Erkkila wrote in her article, Revolutionary Women, “Do not put such unlimited power into the hands of the Husbands. Remember all Men would be tyrants if they could. If particular care and attention is not paid to the Laidies we are determined to foment a Rebelion, and will not hold ourselves bound by any Laws in which we have no voice, or Representation" These revolutionary women then began to take a stand against the inequality they were suffering in the political world by participating in anything they could to prove their worth. The Edenton Ladies were considered a good example of women taking a stand in politics. Women who were a part of this group led Penelope Barker participated in a political protest against the Tea Act of 1773. Just like this group of ladies, many “women participated little in political rituals because they were thought to lack political responsibility. This exclusion was based on the familiar belief that they could be expected to have personal commitments to their families, but none to the public world.” The political role woman gained through their perseverance