Women Of The Nineteenth Century Essay Research

Women Of The Nineteenth Century Essay, Research Paper

Women of the Nineteenth Century

During the early nineteenth century, women were subjected to stereotypes that limited what their gender was thought to be capable of. No woman was able to escape the inferior label. The level of so-called inferiority differed between races. African American and Native American women surprisingly held much importance and responsibility in caring for the family and the community, whether it was a plantation or tribe. From hard labor to excelling at certain jobs that increased respect amongst their peers, these two races of women often handled much more of the workload. They also held a higher status when compared to men within their own race than did Anglo American women. Prior to the nineteenth century, Anglo women were perceived as submissive homemakers who married for social status or to protect what the family already owned. They were responsible for far less than African and native women of the time were. The social reform movement and women s rights movement changed women s roles differently between races. The movements provided Anglo American women with opportunities and new thought processes that raised the expectation of themselves as members of society while hindering the previous lifestyles of Native American women(this essay will focus on Cherokee) and doing little to change the lifestyles of free or slave African American women.

Because of horrible racism and the fact that the majority of African Americans were still slaves in the first half of the nineteenth century, social reform and women s movements did little to change how they were perceived by white society. Free African Americans were no longer the legal property of a slave owner, but were considered outcasts by whites. With little political or legal rights, free blacks had difficulties finding jobs that paid even remotely well. The women of these families struggled along with her husband and children to make ends meet.1 Struggling was something slave woman knew all too well.

African American slave women were not really affected by the movements of the nineteenth century since they were, still in fact, the property of someone else. The roles slave women played within the plantations were, however, of much more significance than any responsibility Anglo women held during that time.

Slave women performed many jobs that males also were accustomed to such as carrying and spreading manure as fertilizer, hoeing the fields, and carrying wood. In addition to these responsibilities, women of the plantations took on jobs that were strictly considered female work like cooking, sewing, weaving, and midwifery.

The important aspect of these additional jobs was that they offered the women a chance to increase their respect and status among other slaves and the slave owner.2

Excelling at a task offered some women slaves opportunities others could not receive. An exceptional seamstress might sew clothes for her master to sell, sometimes retaining a bit of the profit she made for him. Midwifery was difficult and took several years to learn, but once a woman was able to assist in childbirth, she often found herself helping in many other areas. Midwives responsibilities usually extended to caring for men and children, as well as pregnant women. In fact, the majority of a slave s medical care was provided by these women slaves.3 Not every female slave had such opportunities, though.

Many spent their existence in the fields from sunup to sundown, where the teachings of their youngest daughters took place. Some larger plantations had groups of women called trash gangs. These were made up primarily of children being introduced to plantation labor, pregnant women, and elderly members of the slave population. With such a difference in age amongst members of trash gangs, many lessons on life, religion, and culture were passed down to the youngest of the female slaves.4

The important thing to realize about slave women was their self-reliance. They lived largely independent lives from slave men. Women were not as submissive on plantations as were other races of women. Male dominance was based on ownership of land and property and the ability to provide for his family. On a plantation, neither male nor female owned the land they lived on or the roof over their head for they were dependent on their master for these things. Putting slave men and women on an equal plane like this contributed to a slave woman s sense of independence.5

This mentality carried throughout the nineteenth century, as only the results of the Civil War would truly alter free and slave African American s lives. Other races of women would not have to wait so long.

Anglo American women entered the nineteenth century passively as the colonial times were being absorbed by industrialization, but would quickly change. Romance novels were introduced, stressing the idea that marriage should be out of love and not for monetary gains. Soon marriages were being based more on physical attractiveness, leading to wives being looked at as companions and not servants by their husbands. Along with finding more fulfillment in their marriages, Anglo women began being incorporated into the social reform ideas for creating the perfect society.6

These ideas of how women should behave in the role of socie