frontier of women's rights
the republican motherhood-- women during the colonial era
Artifact Summary
In the period following the American Revolution, many women began to look at themselves as the parental figure responsible for molding the character of their children into responsible citizens and making the household a sanctuary from the abundant corruption of society. Women saw themselves as "corrupt-free" individuals due to their lack of participation in the "male sphere" (and remained inside the safe "women sphere"), thus making them essentially free from materialism and selfishness. Therefore, the idea of the "republican motherhood" emerged during the late 19th and early 20th century, that argued that women were models of piety and virtue. Further, women were responsible for shaping the moral and intellectual behavior, character, and fabric of society. The idea that women were more pure than men was catalyzed by their efforts in the public sphere-- their efforts to establish public schools and asylums for the mentally ill, abolish slavery, play an instrumental role in the temperance movement, and attempts to suppress gambling and prostitution were only a few of the movements they played major roles in. In terms of motherhood, many women formed Maternal Associations in order to exchange information on how to improve childcare. On the grounds that good educators and role-models of future citizens required a solid education, many women were guaranteed education, which marked the beginning of the advance of women's rights.
Connection to the Thesis
This artifact portrays the role of a women during the early stages of American history. It was included in this exploration in order to assist in providing a holistic overview of the evolution of women and their rights in society. Essentially, the idea of the Republican Motherhood acts as a starting point for the frontier, the time when women began to see a potential frontier of their rights. By providing a "starting point" or the "status quo", one can analyze the entire progression of the frontier of women's rights. The beginnings of advancements for women are present in the Republican Motherhood, however. Due to the ideology that women are essentially molding the characters and morals of the male citizens that would eventually run the country, many leaders saw that it was necessary to educate these role models in order to ensure functional subsequent generations of male rulers and citizens. This artifact directly connects to the thesis statement because it portrays the metaphorical frontier (the frontier of women and their rights) and it's profound impact on American society and life.
In the period following the American Revolution, many women began to look at themselves as the parental figure responsible for molding the character of their children into responsible citizens and making the household a sanctuary from the abundant corruption of society. Women saw themselves as "corrupt-free" individuals due to their lack of participation in the "male sphere" (and remained inside the safe "women sphere"), thus making them essentially free from materialism and selfishness. Therefore, the idea of the "republican motherhood" emerged during the late 19th and early 20th century, that argued that women were models of piety and virtue. Further, women were responsible for shaping the moral and intellectual behavior, character, and fabric of society. The idea that women were more pure than men was catalyzed by their efforts in the public sphere-- their efforts to establish public schools and asylums for the mentally ill, abolish slavery, play an instrumental role in the temperance movement, and attempts to suppress gambling and prostitution were only a few of the movements they played major roles in. In terms of motherhood, many women formed Maternal Associations in order to exchange information on how to improve childcare. On the grounds that good educators and role-models of future citizens required a solid education, many women were guaranteed education, which marked the beginning of the advance of women's rights.
Connection to the Thesis
This artifact portrays the role of a women during the early stages of American history. It was included in this exploration in order to assist in providing a holistic overview of the evolution of women and their rights in society. Essentially, the idea of the Republican Motherhood acts as a starting point for the frontier, the time when women began to see a potential frontier of their rights. By providing a "starting point" or the "status quo", one can analyze the entire progression of the frontier of women's rights. The beginnings of advancements for women are present in the Republican Motherhood, however. Due to the ideology that women are essentially molding the characters and morals of the male citizens that would eventually run the country, many leaders saw that it was necessary to educate these role models in order to ensure functional subsequent generations of male rulers and citizens. This artifact directly connects to the thesis statement because it portrays the metaphorical frontier (the frontier of women and their rights) and it's profound impact on American society and life.