The Colonies

I. Southern ColoniesII. New England ColoniesIII. Middle Colonies

Movie RecommendationsThe Scarlet LetterThe Crucible

I. Southern Colonies

A. White Women Newcomers150 Tobacco brides were sent between 1620-

1621Passages paid for with 120 pounds of tobaccoGave males a sexual partner as well as help

on the farm14% womenAfter 1700’s becomes male to female ratio

becomes more balanced

B. Tough ConditionsDisease wiped out many of themLife span men 48 and women 3933% of couples expect their marriage to last

10 years or moreRemarrying was common

C. PatriarchalLoose compared to EuropeDaughters were sometimes left inheritance

because the lifespan was so short

D. Married WomenSubordinated their legal identity to her

husbandChildren and property all belonged to the

husbandMen responsible for all legal actionsWith the adoption of slavery in the 1700’s,

wealthier women sometimes would read and write, play music, and do needlework

Dower Right1/3 of the estate went to the wife if her

husband diedSometimes they would receive more

E. Indentured ServantsProperty of masters for a fixed period of timeUsually 4-7 years¾ migrated to the Chesapeake were

indentured servantsSent to the tobacco fieldsSome sexually exploited but couldn’t marry20% became pregnant which hurt their

ability to work

F. African-American WomenTremendously changed the life of white

womenAt first came over as indentured servants1643, law placed a tax on the labor of African

women1662, established a law that said if your mom

was free, you were free, but if your mom was a slave, you were a slave

AA FamiliesNo marriage and unions hard to obtainSeparated through sale, which left the

mother in charge of the children3 kids was the averagePlanted rice by digging a hole with their heal

and dropping seed, then covered it up with their foot

By 1720’s 9 kids was the average

II. New England Colonies

A. PuritansPersecuted in England4 to 1 male to female ratioWomen married early7.8 children per familyHierarchy in place with established rolesImpotence and desertion were two things

that could led to divorce

Sex out of wedlock accepted as long as they married

Women that had children without a father present were ridiculed publicly and could face punishment

Schooling not as important for girls as they were for boys

B. Disorderly WomenAnne Hutchinson

Interpreted women’s roles and the Bible differently

Held informal religious meetings in her homeTrial in 1637 said that “she was a husband

rather than a wife, a preacher rather than a listener, and a magistrate rather than a subject”

Banished from Massachusetts and moved to Rhode Island

C. WitchcraftMost dramatic crime associated with womenSalem Witchcraft trials in 1692 had 200

accused and 19 hungSatan’s servantsUnique power?Women that were speaking out had to be

possessed because they knew better than to defy gender roles

D. Women’s WorkChildbearing, Childrearing, and food makingProduced candles, soap, made clothesMany women worked togetherSpoke on behalf of husbands estate when he

was awayAfrican-American women taught skill in

“housewifery”

III. Middle Colonies

A. Women in NY and New NetherlandsDutch ruleThey could chose a marriage like what was

prevalent in other ColoniesThey could chose to be equal, have the same

rights, maintain legal identity, and maiden name

Children did not receive inheritance until both parents died

This changed when the English started to have a greater influence in these colonies

B. PennsylvaniaEstablished by William Penn and the QuakersEgalitarian societyBelieved that women should not be

subordinate to menWomen could teach and preachRural areas were different as servitude was

needed among womenFemale slaves were also maids