1. The Changing Roles of Women 1620-1870

2. Women’s Involvement in Politics (1692) Salem Witch Trials. Many New England women were accused of being witches. Anne Hutchinson’s trial is the most famous. Women were unable to vote and had a status of a legal minor. A woman could not initiate divorce, or hold a contract without her husband’s consent. Women could not attend town meetings.

3. Changing Political Roles… Women’s Rights Movement: Lucy Stone, Dorthea Dix, Mary Lyon, Lucretia Mott, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Susan B. Anthony. (1848) Seneca Falls Convention. First Women’s Rights convention (1848)Declaration of Sentiments. Lucretia Mott, Elizabeth Cady Stanton. (1852) Harriet Beecher Stowe wrote Uncle Tom’s Cabin, which opened eyes to the evils of slavery.

4. Changing Political Roles… The Grimke Sisters were bold reformers who rallied for the emancipation of all slaves. (1866)American Equal Rights Association (Susan B. Anthony) (1868) 14 th Amendment made women citizens. (1869) 15 th Amendment excluded women, which frustrated them, and furthered their cause. (1869) National Women’s Suffrage Association (Mott, and Stanton)

5. Analysis In the 1600’s, in the Massachusetts Bay Colony, women were not allowed to attend meetings, because men thought they were too “soft” for political matters. They didn’t even have the right to a fair trial (Salem). However, small changes accumulated such as women advocating the abolition of slavery, and the Declaration of Sentiments, and the 14 th Amendment. Within two centuries, women had a political revolution.

6. The Cult Domesticity to Independence The woman’s job was to be a moral, and religious influence on her children, and to teach them discipline, and manners in the home. Unnatural for a woman to stay single. Unusual for women to be formally educated. Women were not expected to read. When they did read, they were gentle nonsense stories for their “soft” minds. A good mother cooks, cleans, is moral, obedient, religious and produces many children.

7. Leaving the Cult… Prostitution was common among women in the 1600’s, and 1700’s. This was one of the first ways that women were able to make their own money. Widows in the south were able to own their own property and help on plantations. (Abigail Adams was a women’s property advocate.) In the 1800’s, a single woman could own property, however, when she married, her husband gained rights, and control of the land.

8. Leaving the Cult… Lowell Factory hired women. This was a huge step for women, because although they did tedious tasks, they worked every day for their own paycheck. Many women moved to crowded cities, where all of the factories were located. Women decided not to have as many children, as it was to expensive to feed ten kids when living in the city. Women started using early forms of birth control.

9. Leaving the Cult… (1830’s) Mary Lyon was a strong believer in educating women. (1837) Mt. Holyoke Female Seminary opens, and educates women. (1837) Oberlin College admits women. This is the first co-ed college. Women became more educated, and started striving for intellectual jobs, such as being a teacher, or a writer instead of a maid or a factory worker.

10. Gaining independence.. As families traveled west on the Oregon Trail, women adopted some traditional male roles, such as herding animals, gathering food, and providing safety for their families. They also kept their traditional child-rearing, and cooking roles.

11. Analysis The original view on educating women was that women were too soft and were not smart enough to be educated. In 1837 Oberlin College began to admit women and Mt. Holyoke Female Seminary opened. After being educated, many women realized that they were capable, and valuable individuals. They pushed for more independence. Originally women would live with their parents until they married and then they would live with their husbands. They were not allowed to have jobs and women who lived alone were frowned upon. Soon, women were hired in factories, or as teachers, and made their own money. On the Oregon Trail, the traditional gender roles changed, and expanded. The culmination of education, a job, and breaking tradition added to women’s independence.

12. Important Ladies Abigail Adams: First Lady. Women’s Rights advocate (property rights, education rights). Elizabeth Cady Stanton: Women’s Rights activist, and abolitionist. Wrote The Declaration of Sentiments. Founded the National Women’s Suffrage Association. Lucretia Mott: Helped write the Declaration of Sentiments. Abolitionist, and women’s rights activist.

13. Important Ladies Lucy Stone: Women’s Activist who pushed for women’s education rights, and abolition. Mary Lyon: Women’s education reformer. Mount Holyoke Female Seminary. Harriet Tubman: Freed Slaves on the Underground Railroad. Harriet Beecher Stowe: Wrote Uncle Tom’s Cabin. Important abolitionist, and strong woman.

14. Important Ladies Annie Hutchinson: Accused of being a witch, and was put on trial, and cruelly executed. Sacagawea: a Native American who was a credit to all women for helping Lewis and Clark navigate their expedition. Susan B. Anthony: Women’s Rights activist who pushed for education rights. Organized the American Equal Rights Association.

15. Important Ladies Sojourner Truth: A former slave, who became an a abolitionist and Women’s Rights activist. Dorthea May Bradford: Governor Bradford’s wife. She committed suicide by falling off the Mayflower after the death of her newborn. Dorthea Dix: Organized the first Mental Asylum. She was also a Women’s Rights advocate.

16. By: Renee Engelke Kenda Szczesniak Maureen Farley