Readings:
Ulrich, introduction through chapter 5
Taylor, chap. 15
Points of Entry:
Martha Ballard's Diary online:
Great Awakening and Religion in early America:
Last of the Mohican clip:
Questions for discussion:
How did gender shape colonial America?
How did gender shape Martha Ballard's life and profession?
How did gender intersect with race?
In early colonial America gender played a large role in daily life. It was a man's world, and women who were considered normal were supposed to stay at home and attend to domestic matters. Women were not supposed to go to school or even have jobs. Women were in a sense "hidden." This allowed for men to retain most of the political, social, and economic power within the society. However, one position that brought women into the public sphere was that of the midwife. Midwifery was part of an "underground" community and economy of women. In colonial America gender took a backseat to racism. If a white woman and a black man were out in public, no matter the situation, the woman would certainly be treated with more respect than the black man. -Zach
ReplyDeleteMidwifery was an all female job until mothers began to turn to doctors in labor. Only women tended the birthing process. Midwives made an income of sorts, even though it was mostly in goods and not money. Their service however did not advance their status beyond the powerlessness of their gender at the time. Although Martha Ballard was akin to those frontier heroines, they still abided by the gender restrictions of their time. In the book A Midwife's Tale Ballard always refers to the residences she visits by the name of the husband, despite the fact that she is helping the wife. All the men did was alert her and the other women when their wife went into labor. Considering the amount of work midwives did, it is ridiculous that they did garner a position of higher power and agency in the community and their personal lives.
ReplyDeleteI would like to think that colonial America helped shape our notion of gender. For the most part, the roles which men and women assumed prescribed specific duties outlining their responsibilities within and outside of the home. Although Martha Ballard's experiences were the exception, her diary reveals many of the contributions women made; it also reveals some of the potential dangers women faced. I do not look to victimize women, I merely point out that women were at a marked disadvantage. As women were viewed as submissive and docile, they were expected to assume nurturing roles: they tended to household chores and cared for the children. Martha Ballard managed well within her assigned role of mother and midwife but her role as a midwife allowed her greater mobility within society and afforded her greater respect within the community. In this way she served to redefine colonial misconceptions about women and their role in early America.
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