Domecticity In America Essay Research Paper Domesticity

Domecticity In America Essay, Research Paper

Domesticity in 19th Century

White Middle Class America

Nichole Dillinger

3/6/2000

History 383

Spring 2000

The nineteenth century marked a turning point for women in the United States. As men took work outside of the home women were left to cultivate a place that could serve as a haven from the harsh outside world. This change created a domestic sphere ru

d by women; it paramounted from simple household organization to matters involving moral and religious responsibility, health, education, and social duty. Women found power in their new role; they found equality with their male counterparts without com

ting against them.

The industrial revolution changed the way Americans worked. Men pursued jobs outside of the home. They performed hard labor such as; mining, construction, factory work, and various civil appointments. Most of the day was spent away from the comforts

f a home. This shift transformed the home into a haven from the demands of the outside world. The home set the mood for the dynamics of the family. It served as an influence upon it’s members and was a reflection of the harmony that existed between t

m. Women found themselves with the responsibility of making the home into a “glorious temple” (Sklar 151) where her family could thrive.

A home was the symbol which defined a family. The cleanliness, decor and mood that a home displayed told the economic and religious status of a family. Middle class women did not have servants and most did not have any outside help; leaving them to m

age the household alone. This could be and overwhelming task in an era without the technological advancements of today.

The idea of the home having such a profound impact on the family brought about a movement towards housing reform. An abundance of material was written including; “A Treatise on Domestic Economy” by Catherine Beecher, “The American Frugal Housewife” by

ydia Marie Childs, and “Household Economics” by Helen Cambell (Sklar 166). These manuals approached everything from child care to building a house. They began to bridge the space between what was expected of women and the resources that were available

o carry out those expectations.

Catherine’s book was unique in that it associated psychology with all aspects of domesticity (Sklar 152). Catherine was able to insert her own strong opinions about the superiority of the domestic sphere, while still providing a detailed instruction o

how to carry out household tasks.

For many women the manuals written by Catherine Beecher and the authors of her time were life saving. Lack of adequate information about domestic responsibilities could overwhelm a young wife and mother, causing them to give up and become depressed (S

ar 153). This happened to Catherine’s own mother who was thrust into domestic isolation with little contact with family and friends (Sklar 6). These manuals gave an alternative to oral instruction. Catherine’s book specifically gave an added explanat

n of how important the woman’s role was; allowing women to take pride in their sphere giving them a sense of their own necessity in the world.

Self esteem plays a major role in the changes brought about in the nineteenth century. White middle class women were considered subordinate to men out of necessity for the greater good of society. Their opinions, although valued, were sacrificed to p

mote and strengthen the interests of their husbands. Many women had shallow ambitions and did not realize the power of their natural attributes. Catherine Beecher begins to address the use of this power in the late 1820’s (Sklar 96). She does not en

urage women to take an equal place in civil and political concerns, but to focus on their own sphere and realize the power held within. Catherine suggests that the nation is in need of a savior from moral decline and that women are the perfect moral sa

ors (Sklar 98). She argues that women are endowed with moral energy and that their influence upon their children and spouses are powerful enough to instill moral values.

Moral reform was the first social movement in the United States to consist primarily of women. Moral reform attracted the support of thousands of women from New England to the Old Northwest. This reform distinguished itself from other movements by th

extent to which women ran it. This was nothing new in churches, but moral reform was the first reform movement to become almost exclusively the cause of women. Not only was it comprised of women and led by women; it offered many mainstream, middle cla

women their first opportunity to venture into the public arena and agitate for social change on behalf of women.

The fundamental forces which promoted the growth of the moral reform were: the separation of church and state, which greatly empowered the female population; the emergence of new middle-class norms of gender identity; and a dramatic decline in both fer

lity rates and child death rates. These social changes enabled women to have a foothold in society and their families like they never had before.

By the middle 1800’s most churches were no longer funded by the state and now relied on

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