Textbook: Chapter 5
1. The women of the North wanted freedom for the black women and men of the South whereas white women in the South wanted to keep their slaves. This is what divided them most. Southern women were not seen the same way as Yankee women were. This made for lots of hostility between the two. Black women in the North were free while black women in the South, of course, were not. Just like the men, the women fought against themselves. Where the lived determined who they stood for during the war. Women were fighting against women during the Civil War because they were standing behind their men and doing what was right for each.
2. For blacks the “New South” was their beginning of a new life. They were now considered free, but where were they to go now? Many families stayed on the white plantations because they had no where else to go. When they didn't stay they had tough times ahead, establishing a residence and a family. Many men and women tried to search for family and loved ones that had been sold years earlier only to find out their children had no recollection of them and their loved ones had moved one. Blacks did have success in pursuing an education though. Northern white and black women teachers moved down to educated men and women alike. Colleges started to form as well. Since black men under the 14th and 15th Amendment were granted their rights to vote, they expressed these by electing blacks into local government positions. These angered white women who had been fighting for their right to vote for decades and saw it as an insult. Since their black slaves were freed white women now had to do most of their household work on their own. Especially the elite, women now were forced to either pay for black workers or learn to do it themselves. They had a hard to coping with their new work. Middle class women on the other hand were already use to doing everything for themselves and had little problems adjusting to the emancipation of blacks.
Source Interpretation
Textbook document
1. Thomas Moss and his two associates were lynched for their ability to make money. They angered the white store owner because now that they were not the white men's money makers, they were their own. The white store owner thought it was insulting that he had competition with a black man. What Wells discovered after that day the three entrepreneurs lost their lives was that white men lynched blacks because of their freedom and success and covered it up with rapes and assaults of white men. Because blacks were frequently becoming successful, therefor a threat, white men had to find reasons to limit them.
2. The lynching of blacks was due to the rapes of white women and children and assaults on white men. Wells determined that this was just a cover up reason to limit black people among the South. She found that many of the blacks that were lynched were becoming wealthier and more powerful than expected and white men wanted to “keep the ni—er down” (308). (I do not like using that degrading n word, sorry) She also thought that many of the rapes were not rapes at all, but that they were wanted relationships, not forced. Since women were not allowed to speak out against a white man they were unable to help save a black man from dieing. Wells thought that many white women and black men's relationships were romantic but to save the reputation of the women, white men were forced to lynch those responsible.
Wells states “ I also found that what the white men of the South practiced as all right for himself, he assumed to be unthinkable in white women.” (1308-9) What Wells means is that during the antebellum South white men found themselves in relationships with black women and either sold off their children as slaves or put them in the North to be freed. With that, men were able to have sexual relations with black women, but it was “unthinkable” for a white woman to have a sexual relationship with a black man. White men were not lynched for raping black women, but on the very assumption that a black man was raping a white women, he was lynched, no questions asked or trial set forth.
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Monday, March 24, 2008
Blog # 6
Textbook: Chapter 4
1. During the expansion of the United States women of all ethnicities were burdened with new experiences. Most were not good. Native Americans feared the traveling white settlers for assignations among their fellow tribes were common. Women white and Indian were afraid of the opposite race during the nights. This is something that white women living on the east coast rarely had to fear. When native tribes were attacked many young women were seized to become slaves and prostitutes. Women in the traveling wagons experienced a life like never before. Diseases killed off many of the pack, they still had to perform all, if not more, of the domestic responsibilities and even gave child birth during the six month or longer journey. Once in California though, women set off to make a name for themselves. Many women even traveled alone to start a new life. Women ran boarding houses and food or laundry services, earning fairly good pay. Still, some women became prostitutes, but American women shared this occupation with French, Spanish, Native American and Chinese women as well. Chinese women were captured from China and sold in America as indentured servants and prostitutes. Few out lived their term and were able to marry. Because of the diseases that men carried, prostitute women were very unfertile and didn't live very long.
2. Since women were becoming more independent economically, they also became more independent religiously. Women started becoming more religiously involved which allowed them to speak their mind more freely. They spoke out about reform activities that would help benefit their communities presently and in the future. Many men drank themselves into oblivion so many women and children suffered. Women wanted reforms on alcohol laws preventing their husbands from abusing them. They also wanted more rights concerning their health, including contraception, voting, and laws allowing them more economic independence.
Source Interpretation
Textbook document “Maria Angustias De La Guerra Ord”
1. Maria was both curious and fearful of the strangers because she was unsure if they would be able to figure out her secret. She was curious about the way the solider will respond to her answers. She does not give the solider any answers on the whereabouts of the fugitive she is harboring and she was wondering whether or not he will be able to see if she is lieing or not. She is most fearful that she will be caught and punished. She is harboring a fugitive within feet of the solider and being caught could have been easy. She is able to conceal this fear and curiosity by simple asking a questions. If this man is caught he is sure to go to jail or worst and since she knows how awful that experience is because of her own two brothers then concealing her secret and emotions is no problem for her.
2. The absence of men is the strength that Maria draws on. Her husband is away from home so she was the authority of the dwelling. In the same way that white women became “deputy husband” when the men were not home, she becomes the main source of strength and authority. She draws strength from her husband being away. He is not there to say no, therefore she was no one to report her actions to. She draws courage from the fact that she is helping saving a mans life as well. Her two brothers are both in prison for no reason. She is upset about this and if being able to save one man's life from the suffering her brothers have to face then the chance of being caught is worth it.
1. During the expansion of the United States women of all ethnicities were burdened with new experiences. Most were not good. Native Americans feared the traveling white settlers for assignations among their fellow tribes were common. Women white and Indian were afraid of the opposite race during the nights. This is something that white women living on the east coast rarely had to fear. When native tribes were attacked many young women were seized to become slaves and prostitutes. Women in the traveling wagons experienced a life like never before. Diseases killed off many of the pack, they still had to perform all, if not more, of the domestic responsibilities and even gave child birth during the six month or longer journey. Once in California though, women set off to make a name for themselves. Many women even traveled alone to start a new life. Women ran boarding houses and food or laundry services, earning fairly good pay. Still, some women became prostitutes, but American women shared this occupation with French, Spanish, Native American and Chinese women as well. Chinese women were captured from China and sold in America as indentured servants and prostitutes. Few out lived their term and were able to marry. Because of the diseases that men carried, prostitute women were very unfertile and didn't live very long.
2. Since women were becoming more independent economically, they also became more independent religiously. Women started becoming more religiously involved which allowed them to speak their mind more freely. They spoke out about reform activities that would help benefit their communities presently and in the future. Many men drank themselves into oblivion so many women and children suffered. Women wanted reforms on alcohol laws preventing their husbands from abusing them. They also wanted more rights concerning their health, including contraception, voting, and laws allowing them more economic independence.
Source Interpretation
Textbook document “Maria Angustias De La Guerra Ord”
1. Maria was both curious and fearful of the strangers because she was unsure if they would be able to figure out her secret. She was curious about the way the solider will respond to her answers. She does not give the solider any answers on the whereabouts of the fugitive she is harboring and she was wondering whether or not he will be able to see if she is lieing or not. She is most fearful that she will be caught and punished. She is harboring a fugitive within feet of the solider and being caught could have been easy. She is able to conceal this fear and curiosity by simple asking a questions. If this man is caught he is sure to go to jail or worst and since she knows how awful that experience is because of her own two brothers then concealing her secret and emotions is no problem for her.
2. The absence of men is the strength that Maria draws on. Her husband is away from home so she was the authority of the dwelling. In the same way that white women became “deputy husband” when the men were not home, she becomes the main source of strength and authority. She draws strength from her husband being away. He is not there to say no, therefore she was no one to report her actions to. She draws courage from the fact that she is helping saving a mans life as well. Her two brothers are both in prison for no reason. She is upset about this and if being able to save one man's life from the suffering her brothers have to face then the chance of being caught is worth it.
Sunday, March 16, 2008
Blog #5
Textbook: Chapter 3
1. White women and black women in the south led completely different lives. Elite women in the south prided themselves in their lack of responsibilities and excessive time for leisure. They were seen as dainty women who need not to participate in labor in or outside the home. Even child rearing was their slaves' responsibilities. Non-elite white women worked along side their families in the plantations due to the lack of funds for slaves and did not have leisure time as did the elite women. They also raised their own children. Black women as slaves were not even considered women. There was no divider between men and women's work in the field. Some black women did housework and raised the white women's children Black women were more likely to raise a white women's child than their own. They were often separated from black men and even if they did have children it was very likely that they would be separated in selling. White men often sexually abused their females slaves and if the women and child survived the child took on its mother's status. The opposite case very rarely occurred.
2.Often white families and their slaves developed a personal relationship. In the case of Phyllis Wheatley her poems showed excellence and because of her close ties to her masters, she was able to publish her work and was also freed. Since this often happened, slaves came to look up to and rely on their masters for protection and stability. Harriet Jacobs is a case where none of the above was granted to her. Her master abused her to a breaking point at a very young age. Since she was seen as “the other woman” to her master's wife Harriet was regarded with disdain. The wife was jealous and angry over her husband's affair, but since she was the wife to a plantation farmer she had no ability to do anything about it. Harriet Jacobs story was not unique. Her words depict a dark picture of a women slave's experiences is this era.
Textbook document
1 .Some assumptions about black people may be that they are not very smart or have feelings. Both these stories proved that assumption wrong. In the first story, William and Ellen were very smart and were able to trick the system. Ellen dressed as a white man, spoke and interacted with white men and still outsmarted the men, as a woman. They used their master's adultery as their way out. Because their master had an affair with a slave, Ellen's skin was very pale and was easily mistaken as a white person. They used this mishap to their advantage. The other story showed us how a tear in a bond can change one's attitude. The slave in the second story was devastated when he found out he had been sold because he had been seeing a slave woman on another plantation and had a child with her. These two stories depict slaves with emotions and intelligence which, contrary to popular belief at the time, slaves had neither.
2. Memory and placement plays a great role in any story told. Since the Craft's story is their own the accounts illustrated in the story will be much more authentic. They have much more memory of what they themselves did and said. Polly Shine on the other hand is retelling a story about another slave. These facts may be distorted due to several reasons. She may have or may not have witnessed first hand what happened with the slave in her story, contrary to the Craft's experiences. Shine's interview took place seven decades after the fact, while Crafts' was only one. The amount of time passed and the placement in a story will affect the credibility of a retold story.
1. White women and black women in the south led completely different lives. Elite women in the south prided themselves in their lack of responsibilities and excessive time for leisure. They were seen as dainty women who need not to participate in labor in or outside the home. Even child rearing was their slaves' responsibilities. Non-elite white women worked along side their families in the plantations due to the lack of funds for slaves and did not have leisure time as did the elite women. They also raised their own children. Black women as slaves were not even considered women. There was no divider between men and women's work in the field. Some black women did housework and raised the white women's children Black women were more likely to raise a white women's child than their own. They were often separated from black men and even if they did have children it was very likely that they would be separated in selling. White men often sexually abused their females slaves and if the women and child survived the child took on its mother's status. The opposite case very rarely occurred.
2.Often white families and their slaves developed a personal relationship. In the case of Phyllis Wheatley her poems showed excellence and because of her close ties to her masters, she was able to publish her work and was also freed. Since this often happened, slaves came to look up to and rely on their masters for protection and stability. Harriet Jacobs is a case where none of the above was granted to her. Her master abused her to a breaking point at a very young age. Since she was seen as “the other woman” to her master's wife Harriet was regarded with disdain. The wife was jealous and angry over her husband's affair, but since she was the wife to a plantation farmer she had no ability to do anything about it. Harriet Jacobs story was not unique. Her words depict a dark picture of a women slave's experiences is this era.
Textbook document
1 .Some assumptions about black people may be that they are not very smart or have feelings. Both these stories proved that assumption wrong. In the first story, William and Ellen were very smart and were able to trick the system. Ellen dressed as a white man, spoke and interacted with white men and still outsmarted the men, as a woman. They used their master's adultery as their way out. Because their master had an affair with a slave, Ellen's skin was very pale and was easily mistaken as a white person. They used this mishap to their advantage. The other story showed us how a tear in a bond can change one's attitude. The slave in the second story was devastated when he found out he had been sold because he had been seeing a slave woman on another plantation and had a child with her. These two stories depict slaves with emotions and intelligence which, contrary to popular belief at the time, slaves had neither.
2. Memory and placement plays a great role in any story told. Since the Craft's story is their own the accounts illustrated in the story will be much more authentic. They have much more memory of what they themselves did and said. Polly Shine on the other hand is retelling a story about another slave. These facts may be distorted due to several reasons. She may have or may not have witnessed first hand what happened with the slave in her story, contrary to the Craft's experiences. Shine's interview took place seven decades after the fact, while Crafts' was only one. The amount of time passed and the placement in a story will affect the credibility of a retold story.
Monday, March 10, 2008
Blog 4
Blog # 4
Textbook: Chapter 3
1. “True womanhood” was the ideology that men and women were complete opposites. Women were unable to run businesses, politics and physical labor, but were capable of running the family inside the home. Men on the hand, ran businesses, were political and tended to the physical hard labor. Women were the teachers of the home. “True womanhood” was a Protestant idea and therefore middle class women had a great hand in spreading this idea. Since more middle class women were able to work more at the home they were also able to preach the value of “true womanhood” to lower class women. The absence of the true woman values was what middle class thought made the poor poor ( 143).
2. The Lowell mill girls were a start of a progressive movement for women. Women working for wages was unthinkable at the time. The rise of factories that specialized in women's work made it almost destined for women. This also enabled women to provide for their families, unmarried women to provide for themselves, (just like Murray would have wanted), and for women all around to contribute to the economy. Working also gave women independence. Many young girls were able to move out and start their own lives apart from the conformity they had to face on the farms. Eventually women demanded high wages, leading to a greater opinion in the economy and an actual presence in the colonial system.
Source Interpretation
Textbook document
1. Sanger did not believe that women lacked morals, but had no other ways of support. He saw them with values and morals but those were not enough to keep them from the good money prostitution pays for. Sanger insisted that the high numbers of prostitution “reflected not the inherent lack of virtue” of the women but “rather the relentless financial pressure on poor urban women” (169). These women were succumbed to a lackluster life before entering prostitution with no love, no support and no money. They may have had virtue and morality, but reality got the best of them.
2. Sanger's thought about how women became prostitutes were that there was some force that drove them into prostitution, that women rarely did it for choice. Many women, 513 to be exact, choose to by inclination. That is only one fourth of the women surveyed, though. Most women led lives of harsh realities. Many were alcoholics and needed an outlet for their abuse problem, some were seduced and abandoned by men and couldn't support themselves. Families were also a cause of prostitution. One women's story tells of her father who accused her of being a whore while she was innocent and wouldn't give her proper treatment, and her mother was a raging alcoholic (173). She in turn fled her unloving home to find a better life. Women were not given proper wages that could possibly support them alone; they were abused and abandoned by the ones they were suppose to love and trust. Consequently, these women, trying to support themselves and their families, were publicly ridiculed and degraded. People of the day , mostly middle- and upper-class, could not possibly understand why a woman would choose a life of prostitution. And instead of trying to understand these women and help them, other women mocked and looked down upon these unfortunate souls. If wages were higher for women's work many of the women wouldn't have to prostitute themselves.
3. Sanger's conclusions mirrored the opposite values of his day. He shed light to prostitution and makes the women to be the victims and not the perpetrators. People of his day were unaware of the hardships that prostitutes were succumbed to before hand. Many saw these women as valueless and had a lack of spiritual awareness. Middle- and upper-class women saw them as lacking the “true womanhood” values. In actuality many did, but had no means of support. Sanger saw past the prostitute label and saw what was really the problem and tried to educate others on the problem. He saw not that it was a free willed choice, but a forced and involuntary one.
Textbook: Chapter 3
1. “True womanhood” was the ideology that men and women were complete opposites. Women were unable to run businesses, politics and physical labor, but were capable of running the family inside the home. Men on the hand, ran businesses, were political and tended to the physical hard labor. Women were the teachers of the home. “True womanhood” was a Protestant idea and therefore middle class women had a great hand in spreading this idea. Since more middle class women were able to work more at the home they were also able to preach the value of “true womanhood” to lower class women. The absence of the true woman values was what middle class thought made the poor poor ( 143).
2. The Lowell mill girls were a start of a progressive movement for women. Women working for wages was unthinkable at the time. The rise of factories that specialized in women's work made it almost destined for women. This also enabled women to provide for their families, unmarried women to provide for themselves, (just like Murray would have wanted), and for women all around to contribute to the economy. Working also gave women independence. Many young girls were able to move out and start their own lives apart from the conformity they had to face on the farms. Eventually women demanded high wages, leading to a greater opinion in the economy and an actual presence in the colonial system.
Source Interpretation
Textbook document
1. Sanger did not believe that women lacked morals, but had no other ways of support. He saw them with values and morals but those were not enough to keep them from the good money prostitution pays for. Sanger insisted that the high numbers of prostitution “reflected not the inherent lack of virtue” of the women but “rather the relentless financial pressure on poor urban women” (169). These women were succumbed to a lackluster life before entering prostitution with no love, no support and no money. They may have had virtue and morality, but reality got the best of them.
2. Sanger's thought about how women became prostitutes were that there was some force that drove them into prostitution, that women rarely did it for choice. Many women, 513 to be exact, choose to by inclination. That is only one fourth of the women surveyed, though. Most women led lives of harsh realities. Many were alcoholics and needed an outlet for their abuse problem, some were seduced and abandoned by men and couldn't support themselves. Families were also a cause of prostitution. One women's story tells of her father who accused her of being a whore while she was innocent and wouldn't give her proper treatment, and her mother was a raging alcoholic (173). She in turn fled her unloving home to find a better life. Women were not given proper wages that could possibly support them alone; they were abused and abandoned by the ones they were suppose to love and trust. Consequently, these women, trying to support themselves and their families, were publicly ridiculed and degraded. People of the day , mostly middle- and upper-class, could not possibly understand why a woman would choose a life of prostitution. And instead of trying to understand these women and help them, other women mocked and looked down upon these unfortunate souls. If wages were higher for women's work many of the women wouldn't have to prostitute themselves.
3. Sanger's conclusions mirrored the opposite values of his day. He shed light to prostitution and makes the women to be the victims and not the perpetrators. People of his day were unaware of the hardships that prostitutes were succumbed to before hand. Many saw these women as valueless and had a lack of spiritual awareness. Middle- and upper-class women saw them as lacking the “true womanhood” values. In actuality many did, but had no means of support. Sanger saw past the prostitute label and saw what was really the problem and tried to educate others on the problem. He saw not that it was a free willed choice, but a forced and involuntary one.
Sunday, March 2, 2008
Blog 3
Blog # 3
1. During the revolutionary era women were expected to help and revolutionize themselves as well. They were to take care of fallen soldiers, cook and clean after them, but their roles were limited by their gender. Many women that followed the troops were considered prostitutes and they were always a burden. Even George Washington, a man that is still considered an influential person, saw them as “a clog upon every movement” (81). Women were allowed to be nurses, but their tasks were to clean and make sure the injured men were combed and clean faced. And still, the women that helped in the fields looking after their husbands were considered un-lady like. So, while women were able to help with the war their challenges were still limited to their gender roles.
2. Many women gain rights concerning their husbands’ properties. If a women’s husband died during battle they were given the right to the property. Many women also took care of all financial and business responsibilities while their husbands were away. After the war, even though they were still unable to vote, many women were able to find loop holes in the law and did vote until 1807 when legislature tighten, excluding women all together. New Jersey on the other hand, officially allowed women to vote before. They also gained the right divorce. During the war many women formed groups to support the troops. They began raising money that would help add to the troop’s compensations and supplies. Many even sewed their own shirts and socks and sent them straight to the soldiers. Many African American women gained their independence.
3. Women did many great and challenging things during the revolution that went unnoticed and often unappreciated. Women fought during the war, were nurses, cooks, and even traveled with the men for moral support. All their efforts were still suppressed and considered unhelpful and un-lady like. Nothing was good enough for the men during the revolutionary era. Rarely do we see women being praised for cross dressing so that they can fight for the good of their country. No, those women were considered whores. Occasionally editors favorably mentioned women’s efforts in magazines and newspapers.
4. The benefits of female education was basically to better the family. Females were taught subjects that would be useful to aide their husbands knowledge. Women were also taught so that they in turn could teach their sons in particular, patriotism and citizenship. The proper education of females includes basic mathematics, language, grammar, history, geography and philosophy. The curriculum for women though was altered to
their perceived gender roles. Women were educated to aide their husbands knowledge. Men were allowed other subjects such as advanced mathematics, natural philosophy, Latin, and Greek.
5. Rush and Murray both allow for expanding education for women. They both believe in bettering a women’s education for the sake of her family, but Murray also believes that her education should be for independence and economical purposes as well. They believed women should be refined in many subjects that could better her household, make it more efficient, and aide her husband in financial and business responsibilities of the home.
1. During the revolutionary era women were expected to help and revolutionize themselves as well. They were to take care of fallen soldiers, cook and clean after them, but their roles were limited by their gender. Many women that followed the troops were considered prostitutes and they were always a burden. Even George Washington, a man that is still considered an influential person, saw them as “a clog upon every movement” (81). Women were allowed to be nurses, but their tasks were to clean and make sure the injured men were combed and clean faced. And still, the women that helped in the fields looking after their husbands were considered un-lady like. So, while women were able to help with the war their challenges were still limited to their gender roles.
2. Many women gain rights concerning their husbands’ properties. If a women’s husband died during battle they were given the right to the property. Many women also took care of all financial and business responsibilities while their husbands were away. After the war, even though they were still unable to vote, many women were able to find loop holes in the law and did vote until 1807 when legislature tighten, excluding women all together. New Jersey on the other hand, officially allowed women to vote before. They also gained the right divorce. During the war many women formed groups to support the troops. They began raising money that would help add to the troop’s compensations and supplies. Many even sewed their own shirts and socks and sent them straight to the soldiers. Many African American women gained their independence.
3. Women did many great and challenging things during the revolution that went unnoticed and often unappreciated. Women fought during the war, were nurses, cooks, and even traveled with the men for moral support. All their efforts were still suppressed and considered unhelpful and un-lady like. Nothing was good enough for the men during the revolutionary era. Rarely do we see women being praised for cross dressing so that they can fight for the good of their country. No, those women were considered whores. Occasionally editors favorably mentioned women’s efforts in magazines and newspapers.
4. The benefits of female education was basically to better the family. Females were taught subjects that would be useful to aide their husbands knowledge. Women were also taught so that they in turn could teach their sons in particular, patriotism and citizenship. The proper education of females includes basic mathematics, language, grammar, history, geography and philosophy. The curriculum for women though was altered to
their perceived gender roles. Women were educated to aide their husbands knowledge. Men were allowed other subjects such as advanced mathematics, natural philosophy, Latin, and Greek.
5. Rush and Murray both allow for expanding education for women. They both believe in bettering a women’s education for the sake of her family, but Murray also believes that her education should be for independence and economical purposes as well. They believed women should be refined in many subjects that could better her household, make it more efficient, and aide her husband in financial and business responsibilities of the home.
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