History Paper 1 3
Kalie Clifton
HISTB17A
February 17, 2015
Analytical Paper #1
The difference between colonial women and women in today’s world is quite significant. Colonial women had nowhere near the amount of civil rights that women have today. Being a woman in colonial times, women may have noticed the need for change in their civil rights. This could be the main reason why colonial women chose to leave their life behind after being captured by the Natives and create a new identity or life with their tribe. In colonial times married women were not allowed to make their own decisions in any aspects of their life. For example, it was the law that married women were not allowed to make judgments regarding their own economic circumstances (14 Berkins). Not being able to control their own lives colonial women were more likely to be unhappy. This could contribute to the reasons why colonial women chose to stay with their captors so they could live a freer life. In Carol Berkins “First Generations; Women in colonial American,” she teaches the audience about what life was like during the colonial times for women. Berkin makes it very clear that married women were not considered equal to their husbands during colonial times. For example, Berkin said “ as a feme covert she was stripped of all property; once married, the clothes on her back, her personal possessions --- whether valuable, mutable, or merely sentimental --- and even her body became her husband’s to direct, to manage, and to use (14).” Basically Berkins is saying that having a wife is a man gaining another piece of property. This clearly shows how women were not considered equal to their husbands. Another reason why women probably chose to stay with their Native captors is because a wife is expected to obey her husband, and a husband is expected to direct the life of his wife (9). So colonial women probably felt scared to leave a life they have come so accustomed to with the men directing all aspects of their lives. So
HISTB17A
February 17, 2015
Analytical Paper #1
The difference between colonial women and women in today’s world is quite significant. Colonial women had nowhere near the amount of civil rights that women have today. Being a woman in colonial times, women may have noticed the need for change in their civil rights. This could be the main reason why colonial women chose to leave their life behind after being captured by the Natives and create a new identity or life with their tribe. In colonial times married women were not allowed to make their own decisions in any aspects of their life. For example, it was the law that married women were not allowed to make judgments regarding their own economic circumstances (14 Berkins). Not being able to control their own lives colonial women were more likely to be unhappy. This could contribute to the reasons why colonial women chose to stay with their captors so they could live a freer life. In Carol Berkins “First Generations; Women in colonial American,” she teaches the audience about what life was like during the colonial times for women. Berkin makes it very clear that married women were not considered equal to their husbands during colonial times. For example, Berkin said “ as a feme covert she was stripped of all property; once married, the clothes on her back, her personal possessions --- whether valuable, mutable, or merely sentimental --- and even her body became her husband’s to direct, to manage, and to use (14).” Basically Berkins is saying that having a wife is a man gaining another piece of property. This clearly shows how women were not considered equal to their husbands. Another reason why women probably chose to stay with their Native captors is because a wife is expected to obey her husband, and a husband is expected to direct the life of his wife (9). So colonial women probably felt scared to leave a life they have come so accustomed to with the men directing all aspects of their lives. So