Chapter Reflection Questions
How did patterns of family life and attitudes toward women differ in the northern and southern colonies?
In the Chesapeake colonies of the South, women primarily served the purpose of bearing children. An unbalanced ratio between men and women meant that few women remained unwed for long, and women gave birth on average every two years and had an average of eight children each if they lived long enough. These women were rarely able to raise their children by themselves, as childbirth was one of the most common causes of death for women. Those who were able to raise their children often did so without the aid of their husbands, as they were much younger than those who they married and thus outlived them.
In the New England colonies, family structures were significantly more stable, as the sex ratio was more balanced, and death rates declined quickly. Women still gave birth to many children from a young age, but those children were more likely to survive than in the Chesapeake, and families were more likely to stay intact; …show more content…
The Enlightenment in Europe encouraged people to trust in their own rational thought rather than just rely on religious faith to advance, and this impacted the colonies too. This newfound scientific knowledge inspired interest in education, implying a rise in philosophical thought. Many white Americans became literate in this time period (women 's access to education was severely limited), and this newfound literacy led to demand for written media such as books, pamphlets, almanacs, and newspapers. Education also made many advancements, as children moved from inconsistent homeschooling to public schools and sometimes even higher education institutions, though other races were often denied education or had no interest in it (the former for African Americans, and the latter for Native
How did patterns of family life and attitudes toward women differ in the northern and southern colonies?
In the Chesapeake colonies of the South, women primarily served the purpose of bearing children. An unbalanced ratio between men and women meant that few women remained unwed for long, and women gave birth on average every two years and had an average of eight children each if they lived long enough. These women were rarely able to raise their children by themselves, as childbirth was one of the most common causes of death for women. Those who were able to raise their children often did so without the aid of their husbands, as they were much younger than those who they married and thus outlived them.
In the New England colonies, family structures were significantly more stable, as the sex ratio was more balanced, and death rates declined quickly. Women still gave birth to many children from a young age, but those children were more likely to survive than in the Chesapeake, and families were more likely to stay intact; …show more content…
The Enlightenment in Europe encouraged people to trust in their own rational thought rather than just rely on religious faith to advance, and this impacted the colonies too. This newfound scientific knowledge inspired interest in education, implying a rise in philosophical thought. Many white Americans became literate in this time period (women 's access to education was severely limited), and this newfound literacy led to demand for written media such as books, pamphlets, almanacs, and newspapers. Education also made many advancements, as children moved from inconsistent homeschooling to public schools and sometimes even higher education institutions, though other races were often denied education or had no interest in it (the former for African Americans, and the latter for Native