Native American Women In Colonial Times

Women in colonial society did not have an easy life, which is why they have always played a major role in history. Despite the hardships, pain and trials most of the women experience, they still succeeded in enduring some of the differences between their opposite sex. There were ethnic differences in the treatment of women. Women endured bad weather, crudeness of shelter and were victims of brutally unfair gender discrimination. In the colonial era, women wore mantua gowns, satin gowns, sack gowns and panniers. Mantua gown front was pulled back, illusion of a bustle exposing petticoat. Satin gown was loose drapery gown that was originated in France; similar to the mantua. Panniers were hooped crinolines, petticoats to accentuate the waist and made of whale bone; French for bread basket. Women’s hats included pinners which are small reduced caps that sat on top of …show more content…
Hats also included the pompon popularized by Madame Pompadour which is not a hat but extra fabric like a little headpiece.
North American women's economic, social and family roles varied significantly in colonial times. Factors such as race, ethnicity, class and geographic region influenced this diversity. The Native American woman was held in higher esteem than the European woman for some time during the early pre-colonial woman. In fact, in some ways the Native American woman set the stage for events including European woman's fight for equal rights including the right to vote, even though when the settler's first arrived, they had no such rights. When European women first arrived in America, Native American women did not have equal rights. They were however, regarded in much higher esteem than their British counterparts. This could be due to the fact that Native American religions respect the mother very greatly, seeing the woman as the fountain of life, and respecting the female for her contributions to the cycle of life. The society is less