Women In The Colonial Era

The American Colonial Era covers the time in early American from 1607 to the American Independence in 1776. It includes events that led to the establishment of the constitution, and the revolutionary war. During the era of Colonialism the colonist and settlers arrived from Europe to the new world in search for land, religious freedom, opportunities for wealth and broaden the their influences over the world affairs. Most settlers were, English but they we’re also German, Sweden and Dutch. The first settlers settle in Jamestown, Virginia in 1607, which became the first successful permanent English settlement in what would become the United States.

The life of a women during the Colonial Era was very harsh, and mostly demanding in where society

Women were considered to be the weaker link of the family, and not as strong physically or mentally as men. Colonial women are expected to give total respect to the men and to obey them without question. Their lives was depended on the religion, wealth, and the society or colony they are from. Colonial women did not have many legal rights or at least freedom during the period. Women were not allowed to do many thing such as voting, holding public office, or even the right to serve on juries. Opportunities for them outside the home were frequently restricted. Unmarried or window colonial women had many legal rights than a married colonial women. They had right such as buy or sell property, act as a guardian, had the right to sue or be sued, and a widow received a one-third of the personal property of her deceased husband. When a colonial women got married the legal existence is suspended, which means a husband can owned whatever belonged to them. Married women could not buy property, make a contract, sue or be sued in court, and especially could not make a will without the consent of her

The Puritans practiced strictness in their religion, lifestyle and conduct and women were expected to abide with these rules. Women did not participate in town meetings and were excluded from making decisions in churches. They treated harshly in the Puritan commonwealth. Women had to dress in a certain ways covering their hair and arms. If a Puritan women was dress immodest, and was guilty of it could be stripped to the waist and whipped until their back were bloody. Winthrop wrote in his journal “Puritan woman was driven to despair by her inability to ascertain whether she was one of God’s elect or one of the damned”. Women believed to be more disciplined and more moral than men. Wealthy European Colonial women lived in great town houses and colonial mansions. Their clothes were highly elegant made with silks and stains. They would make sure that servants and slaves performed necessary task in order to continue to have a lavish lifestyle. The only job wealthy European colonial women had was focusing n visiting other women and arranging special social events in where their husbands would meet with their contemporaries. The last group of women in the colonial period are Native American. In where the women played a important role. They were more than just mothers of the tribes. They