Difference between revisions of "Week 5 Questions/Comments"
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From all the readings this week the one thing that stuck out most to me was this feeling of being stuck between obligation/expectations and personal desires for women during the American Revolution. The revolution stirred up a lot of ideas of “equality” and “freedom” for all types of minority groups…poor whites, free blacks, black slaves, Native Americans and women. I think the readings point to a women’s need to fulfill expectations yet wonder if there were things that needed to be changed. Many of the women discuss their role in helping fight/support the British and their sense of patriotism that was both an obligation and a desire for women. When it came to things such as education, we see the idea of empowering women with certain rights, yet the expectations still remain…a women should be polite, moral, submissive, a good wife and a good mother. What expectations, if any, did the American Revolution actually change? Was the revolution more of an ideological change or were there concrete social changes evident? Were the changes and the increase power/interest we do see, from and for women’s rights truly unique to the revolution, a consequence of the revolution or a continuation of obligation and expected roles? -- Mary Beth D. | From all the readings this week the one thing that stuck out most to me was this feeling of being stuck between obligation/expectations and personal desires for women during the American Revolution. The revolution stirred up a lot of ideas of “equality” and “freedom” for all types of minority groups…poor whites, free blacks, black slaves, Native Americans and women. I think the readings point to a women’s need to fulfill expectations yet wonder if there were things that needed to be changed. Many of the women discuss their role in helping fight/support the British and their sense of patriotism that was both an obligation and a desire for women. When it came to things such as education, we see the idea of empowering women with certain rights, yet the expectations still remain…a women should be polite, moral, submissive, a good wife and a good mother. What expectations, if any, did the American Revolution actually change? Was the revolution more of an ideological change or were there concrete social changes evident? Were the changes and the increase power/interest we do see, from and for women’s rights truly unique to the revolution, a consequence of the revolution or a continuation of obligation and expected roles? -- Mary Beth D. | ||
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| + | Abigail Adams letter to her husband John Adams was the most recognizable primary document out of the readings this week. It’s probably hard to avoid Abigail Adams when talking about U.S. Women’s history. I found John Adams letter sent in response to Abigail’s initial letter interesting because it gives us insight into how seriously she was taken, which unfortunately was not very seriously. Instead, John Adams tells her to be patient and that the leaders do not really have as much power to change the system as she gives them credit for. Abigail then sends a letter to her friend Mercy Warren about the exchange. I think it would have been interesting to see how Warren would have responded to Abigail’s letter. -- Jennifer Feldhaus | ||
