== Catharine Sedgwick, “First to None,” 1828 ==

== Catharine Sedgwick, “First to None,” 1828 ==

When reading First to None I couldn’t help but feel sorry for Catharine Sedgwick. She spent her life surrounded by her friends and her family who she knew loved, admired, and respected her but she never felt like she was a first priority. She states, “I would not advise anyone to remain unmarried, for my experience has been a singularly happy one”. I think it is interesting that such a great writer of stories about the home and family had such a contradiction in her own life. Sedgwick was a successful author with close friends and family, and she was unhappy with her decision to remain unmarried. I can only imagine how the average women would handle a single existence in a society that was so focused on the family. –Erin Sanderson

When reading First to None I couldn’t help but feel sorry for Catharine Sedgwick. She spent her life surrounded by her friends and her family who she knew loved, admired, and respected her but she never felt like she was a first priority. '''She states, “I would not advise anyone to remain unmarried, for my experience has been a singularly happy one”. I think it is interesting that such a great writer of stories about the home and family had such a contradiction in her own life. Sedgwick was a successful author with close friends and family, and she was unhappy with her decision to remain unmarried.''' I can only imagine how the average women would handle a single existence in a society that was so focused on the family. –Erin Sanderson

As we discussed in class, there was an increase in unmarried ladies along the eastern seaboard, part of which was attributed to there being less men. In the case of Catharine Sedgwick, we see another part of that is a result of the idealization of marriage. Catharine bemoans her unmarried status, attributing it to her high standards and unwillingness to accept mediocre offers. Of course, Catharine could afford not to settle, as she had plenty of successful brothers who were willing to take care of her, at least early on. To what extent did the idealization of marriage impact how lower class women chose their husbands? -- Taylor Brann

As we discussed in class, '''there was an increase in unmarried ladies along the eastern seaboard, part of which was attributed to there being less men. In the case of Catharine Sedgwick, we see another part of that is a result of the idealization of marriage.''' Catharine bemoans her unmarried status, attributing it to her high standards and unwillingness to accept mediocre offers. Of course, Catharine could afford not to settle, as she had plenty of successful brothers who were willing to take care of her, at least early on. '''To what extent did the idealization of marriage impact how lower class women chose their husbands?''' -- Taylor Brann

== Sarah Connell Ayer, “The Widowed State,” 1832-33 ==

== Sarah Connell Ayer, “The Widowed State,” 1832-33 ==

Here we see not only the dependence of women economically, at the time, on men but in her diary entries we also see the signs of the level of romantic love that was popular at this time. She appears to have a very close nit family, which we can see in her letters to and from her children. maybe i missed something, but why was there a decrease in remarriage that was previously more prevalent? did they think that marriage absolutely had to be a romantic engagement  and that the idea of a practical marriage was completely gone? - Will Hechmer

'''Here we see not only the dependence of women economically, at the time, on men but in her diary entries we also see the signs of the level of romantic love that was popular at this time.''' She appears to have a very close nit family, which we can see in her letters to and from her children. maybe i missed something, but why was there a decrease in remarriage that was previously more prevalent? did they think that marriage absolutely had to be a romantic engagement  and that the idea of a practical marriage was completely gone? - Will Hechmer

I thought that this piece was really depressing. First, she looses four children, then her husband, and not long after both her and her youngest daughter die. But, it was interesting to see through her entries how much she loved and missed her husband. It is a sign of the times that she missed her husband because of the love they shared between them. One question though: what were the meetings that she wrote about? Is it a code for church? -Kristina.S.

I thought that this piece was really depressing. First, she looses four children, then her husband, and not long after both her and her youngest daughter die. But, it was interesting to see through her entries how much she loved and missed her husband. It is a sign of the times that she missed her husband because of the love they shared between them. '''One question though: what were the meetings that she wrote about? Is it a code for church?''' -Kristina.S.

 

 

  '''Chapter 8 – School and Mill'''

  '''Chapter 8 – School and Mill'''

== Eliza Ann Mulford, “Rules of the School,” 1814 ==

== Eliza Ann Mulford, “Rules of the School,” 1814 ==