Womenhood dbq

The ideals of womanhood have been in constant change since America gained its independence from the British. The importance of women changed between the American Revolution and the outbreak of the Civil War. From the Revolutionary war, women were seen as teachers and gained a new and more important role in the home. This helped foster the emergence of the cult of domesticity which gave women the task of taking care of the home and being the center of the home. Republican motherhood revolved around women being educated. Republican motherhood and the cult of domesticity would not have been achieved without the issues of race and class. In addition to the documents, women were thrust into the war as they took over positions that were vacated by men and worked as teachers, retail sales clerks, office workers and mill and factory hands. Women also took an important role as they entered the field of nursing which was previously only done by men. As the Civil War began, women not only became the important figure in the home but they began to have jobs outside of the home. There were women societies that provided the soldiers with things that they needed. In the south, women were forced to take care of the slaves that their masters had. The Revolutionary War was where the concept of Republican motherhood began to take origin. Women knew their place in the world. This role of women was that they would educate their sons and also make sure that they would be functional members of society. Benjamin Rush said, “every citizen has the liberty…our ladies should be qualified to a certain degree by a peculiar and suitable education…” (Doc. B) There was not always access to education for women, although they were encouraged to attend school at the elementary level. Opportunities were hard to achieve even with the little education that women had. It was difficult to find jobs. “…what woman needs is not as a woman to act or rule, but as a nature to grow…” (Doc. E) The American