In the 17th century the women of New England were the heart, the strength and the all-around foundation of the New England colonies. Thought to be weak and inferior to their male counterparts these women lead harsh lives. The scope of the hardship cannot merely be pushed aside as though it could easily be done by anyone, it should be look at as inspiration. The women of this time had no rights like those of England, yet they were the hardest workers in the colonies. The women of this time were relegated to strict roles of homemakers although they often help their husband in some of their business workings. The role of a women in the colonies was to obey without question, essentially be a slave to her husband with no power within the marriage.
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The women could not vote, nor could they hold any office in most churches or politics. They also could not own property or get any form of formal education. They still needed to be able to have the flexibility to adapt for whatever was needed of them. An example of this was Elizabeth Lucas Pinckney, she was the educated and well organized daughter of a British army officer. She was left to care for her mother, sister and three plantations in the absence of her father. She decided to grow indigo which sparked a major and lucrative exporting enterprise. She embodied what the women of the 17th century represented. Because of the large amount of males and the smaller amount of females in the early southern colonies most all women were married. A three to one ratio between male and females made women more of a commodity than companion. Most women who arrived in the southern colonies were indentured servants who were not married but upon arrival that quickly changed. Most of these women died by or before the age of fifty because of diseases and other poor health conditions. Their northern counter-parts in New England were younger and lived much longer heathier lives. Though the southern colonies women struggled early they would soon live longer healthier lives, helping make the ratio to men much
The women could not vote, nor could they hold any office in most churches or politics. They also could not own property or get any form of formal education. They still needed to be able to have the flexibility to adapt for whatever was needed of them. An example of this was Elizabeth Lucas Pinckney, she was the educated and well organized daughter of a British army officer. She was left to care for her mother, sister and three plantations in the absence of her father. She decided to grow indigo which sparked a major and lucrative exporting enterprise. She embodied what the women of the 17th century represented. Because of the large amount of males and the smaller amount of females in the early southern colonies most all women were married. A three to one ratio between male and females made women more of a commodity than companion. Most women who arrived in the southern colonies were indentured servants who were not married but upon arrival that quickly changed. Most of these women died by or before the age of fifty because of diseases and other poor health conditions. Their northern counter-parts in New England were younger and lived much longer heathier lives. Though the southern colonies women struggled early they would soon live longer healthier lives, helping make the ratio to men much