Homework 2: Chapter 5
1. Using the “Madonna of the Trail” monument on p. 221, what was the stereotypical
view of western women pioneers in the 20th century?
A lot can be picked from this statue in so far as the reality of a woman’s life is considered.
The women are thought as beautiful if they are sun-bonneted thus the concepts of womanhood
also separate spheres can be developed. A stereotype that we can link to this image in view of the
Western women is that sun-bonneted woman, the kind of women that each woman strives to be.
The image portrays the manner in which the ideals of beauty were visualized at this time as they
skin is under the protection of the sunbonnet and the gloves. This is true as the Madonna of the
Trail statue depicts a woman striking out across a landscape which is seen as a plain land and the
woman is in a wind-blown skirt, children in tow as well as a sunbonnet.
2. What does it mean to say that women clung to the "ideas of the true womanhood"
on the western pioneer trails?
This saying brings the image that the women strove to be sun-bonneted as
opposed to them assuming their physiques, that, being specific individuals.
3. What sorts of hardships could women expect on the western overland trails?
The westward expansion journey was really dangerous. The were cases of sicknesses as a
result of cholera epidemics. Second, the women were vulnerable to getting involved in fatal
wagon accidents as a result of falling off or even being involved in stampedes. Thus these
women had to deal with the hard reality of losing either a child or their spouse more especially as
they crossed the many grave sites dotted along this trail. Third, the woen had to endure instances
of child birth in the event of the journey yet the circustances were unfavourable coupled with the
lack of midwives and other doctors. The result was lose of the child or mother’s life all at time
both child and mother.
4. What did the writings of Sarah Winnemucca and Maria Amparo Ruiz de Burton
reveal about the effect of white westward migration on Native Americans and
Californios?
The westward expansion was marked with displacement of the natives and the other after
effects much as race and slavery that were associated with this form of nation building. In their
memoir, the two seem to be engraved on cultural issues whereby they point out to the
movement’s impact of mistreating the women as well as overworking them. On the other side,
they relish on the fact that this movement in some way gave them a more say in the tribal
governance as opposed to that that was there-before enjoyed within their communities.
5.What basic connections did women have to the Gold Rush?
When it came to the gold rush, women could only connect it to suffering. The gold rush saw
a great migration as people wanted to get a piece of this gold from California. Sea and land trips
were made to California on their thousands. In this trips it is the women that suffered most. The
responsibility of taking care of the children was left to them and also during this trips they were
expected to bear more children. Before these trips were made women were left in their homes as
the men went to make stakes in the gold mines before going back to take their wives and
families. Women experienced the hardships of having to vend for families on their own. At the
mines they also had to help in providing for their families since gold mining wasn’t profitable at
that time. This meant that women only had suffering connection which also led to other great
things that followed the gold rush. However, few of this omen were rich and were just seeking
adventures.
6. What were the root concerns that prompted women to join moral reform causes
in the decades before the Civil War?
The initial reason was to support the male missionaries to bring Christianity to the
unconverted both in America and abroad. Another was to push for the widening and deepening
the Protestant faith. They later started to push for their social and political rights.
7. How did women's reform activism depend the "gender consciousness" of
middle class women?
The women reform movement was engrossed in the expansion of the democratic ideals.
This was be possible only if there were more educated women such that they would be in a good
position of being productive members of their societies, that is, they could be able to cast their
votes. Indeed, the expansion for the voting right is the beginning of gender consciousness as this
meant that the women could now have a say in the governance.
8. In what ways did the Oneida community challenge traditional models of family
and marriage?
Unlike many communities, the Oneida community sanctified extra-marital
sexuality. This community owned property collectively and they communally raised
their children. They were also stood out from other communities for collectivizing
sexual relations. Men and women were sexually active but they had to be monogamous
and men were responsible for contraception through withholding ejaculations. Foreplay
was introduced in this community and women here got the best than in any other
communities.
9. Look at the image on p. 234 captioned "Am I not a Woman and a Sister?"
explain the dual messages it contained.
This engraving denotes a black female slave who is in chains also shackles. This
expression thus refers to the manner in which the abolition as well as the women
movements were in most cases tied onto one another as the two movements aided in the
expansions of the democratic ideals such that they were up to increasing the rights, for
instance, the suffrage that minorities underwent. Good examples of abolitionists include
Angelina and Sarah who were from the south and they had a great impact on the women
movements.
10. How did abolitionism encourage women to develop and think about the
specific issue of women's rights? The argument about abolitionism started
when the free blacks and some white sympathizers wanted slavery to be
abolished. This followed by the abolition of many other restrictions. It is then
that women realized that they have more rights to claim from some of the
restrictions that were placed against them and that they could champion for the
abolition of this restrictions.
The abolitionist movement had divisions that dealt with the women’s roles and if
they were to be subordinate or they could be right for them to assume public places as
well as leadership duties in the movement. Through this, the abolitionist thus set ground
for other suffrage campaigns that started in the 20th century together with other rights for
the women, the feminist plus the women of color movements.
11. How revolutionary was the American Revolution for American Women?
http://nytlive.nytimes.com/womenintheworld/2015/07/03/meet-the-women-of-the-americanrevolution/
http://userpages.aug.com/captbarb/femvets.html
http://www.revolutionary-war.net/revolutionary-war-women.html
http://www2.lhric.org/spbattle/wohist.html
Women received a new sense of liberty thanks to the revolution and were able to
express openly their views on important social and political matters. An example is the
1780 manifesto, Sentiments of an American Woman, thought to have been written by
De Berdt Reed, which urged women to support the quest for liberty via boycotts,
household production, support for the soldiers and self-sacrifice. The public mood
changed and this affected the perception of the role of women. Therefore, the Whig did
not oppose the social gatherings, disguised as sewing circles. In many cities it was
usual for a woman to be economically independent, in case she chose not to marry.
Women received a new sense of liberty thanks to the revolution and were able to
express openly their views on important social and political matters. An example is the
1780 manifesto, Sentiments of an American Woman, thought to have been written by
De Berdt Reed, which urged women to support the quest for liberty via boycotts,
household production, support for the soldiers and self-sacrifice. The public mood
changed and this affected the perception of the role of women. Therefore, the Whig did
not oppose the social gatherings, disguised as sewing circles. In many cities it was
usual for a woman to be economically independent, in case she chose not to marry.
Many women decided to take advantage of the new public spirit and sought to expand
the rights of their gender. Abigail Smith Adams (1744-1818) and Sampson, along with
the writers Judith Sargent Murray (1751-1820) and Mercy Otis Warren (1728-1814)
raised questions about women's role in a Republican society. Despite their efforts, little
political achievements followed. The designation of gender roles prevailed and colleges
and professions remained closed to women. Moreover, the "coverture" system stated
that a married woman had no right to property, as she was covered by her husband.
Not all women who lived during the American Revolution took active participation in the
rebellion, as there were also many loyalist women. Regardless of their attitude to the
revolution, however, all women were subject to much the same treatment by the British
army. The continental forces were especially brutal during their campaigns against the
Iroquois in upstate New York. Rape, property destruction and theft were common
events. Loyalist women were particularly vulnerable as they lacked the support provided
to the Whig sisters. In some colonies, the Whig legislatures passed laws to take away
property from the loyalists. Women faced tough challenges if their own views and those
of their husbands on the revolution differed because the law supported men.