Did you know that Anne Hutchinson gave birth to fifteen children? While raising her children and serving as a midwife in her community, she audaciously fought for religious freedom and women’s rights. Because of her differing religious views, Anne Hutchinson was ostracized from the Massachusetts Bay Colony. As one of the first American feminists, she rejected the idea of women’s silence in Church. Anne Hutchinson believed in the Covenant of Grace, which was contrary to the widely accepted Puritan belief of the Covenant of Works. This argument started the Antinomian Controversy, and the controversy almost broke the Massachusetts Bay Colony into pieces. She also held discussions after sermons where the ideas of preachers were praised and criticized, which was something that was also “against the rules”. Anne Marbury Hutchinson’s support and advocacy for religious freedom is comparable to the great Roger Williams, but her bravery and role as a “rejector of the status quo” can be compared to none.
In the summer of 1634, Anne Hutchinson emigrated from England to the Massachusetts Bay Colony in order to attain religious freedom. Her resolve was deeply galvanized by Reverend John Cotton, who was a minister in the Boston area, and she became passionately involved in the Church. Through her extensive religious study, she came across some issues in the teachings of the Puritan Church, so she began to hold discussions at her home about the sermons. Both women and men attended these conferences, and Anne Hutchinson was soon to be criticized by the Puritan Church (Paul P. Reuben). The Church said that a woman could not speak out, and that she must stop scrutinizing their teachings. But Anne Hutchinson did not back down; she stood up taller. ...
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... to challenge the status quo, nobody would have the audacity to overthrow Britain, and the America we know today would be much different citizens to Rhode Island. Rhode Island was a colony where everyone was free to practice their own religion, and, because of Anne Hutchinson, more people stood up for religious liberty.
Anne Hutchinson led the path for many profound American intellectuals to follow. While she is an eminent figure today mainly because of her incorporation of new ideas concerning feminism and religion, she also greatly affected the way people thought. The status quo of the time was to adhere to rigid regulations and teachings, but Anne Hutchinson changed that. Therefore, Anne Hutchinson’s rejection of the status quo not only helped mold the United States of America into becoming what is today, but she also sparked a new interest in thinking logically.
Anne Hutchinson has long been seen as a strong religious dissenter who paved the way for religious freedom in the strictly Puritan environment of New England. Another interpretation of the controversy surrounding Anne Hutchinson asserts that she was simply a loving wife and mother whose charisma and personal ideas were misconstrued to be a radical religious movement. Since this alleged religious movement was led by a woman, it was quickly dealt with by the Puritan fathers as a real threat. Whatever her motives, she was clearly a great leader in the cause of religious toleration in America and the advancement of women in society. Although Anne Hutchinson is historically documented to have been banished as a religious dissenter, the real motive for her persecution was that she challenged the traditional subordinate role of women in Puritan society by expressing her own religious convictions.
James, Edward, Janet James, and Paul Boyer. Notable American Women, 1607-1950. Volume III: P-Z. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1971. Print.
Dorothy Wardell’s article titled “Margaret Sanger: Birth Control’s Successful Revolutionary” explains what inspired Sanger ideas on contraception and what problems she faced while working to change the notions and laws on Birth Control. The central argument presented by Wardell is that Sanger’s efforts led to privileges for women’s bodies and health centers providing methods for women to act on these privileges (Wardell, 736). Although Wardell is effective in supporting her argument, it would be stronger if she included some historical context and evidence of Sanger’s opinion in her own words found in a speech of hers and in Family Limitation. Wardell begins by addressing that “…a definitive biography and assessment has yet to be written.”,
Literary historicism, in the context of this discussion, describes the interpretation of literary or historical texts with respect to the cultural and temporal conditions in which they were produced. This means that the text not only catalogues how individuals respond to their particular circumstances, but also chronicles the movements and inclinations of an age as expressed in the rhetorical devices of its literature. Evaluating the trial of Anne Hutchinson within such a theoretical framework means speculating on the genesis of her theological beliefs with recourse to prevailing theories of gender, class, and interpretation. Because texts are self-contained spheres of discourse, nuanced interpretations of them can be undertaken with greater assiduity than in the case of individuals whose private experiences remain largely concealed from the interpreter's knowledge. A historical analysis of Anne Hutchinson herself is hence, in the present discussion, secondary to the analysis of how she comes across in textual discourse as a palimpsest of seventeenth century gender controversy.
interest in religion and theology. Add to this the influence of John Cotton, and the
The founder and governor John Winthrop gave the famous sermon of “City on a Hill” and led the persecuted Puritans from England to this land and established the Massachusetts Bay. He hoped to build safe place as a Christina commonwealth as an example to show the world. He was a capable governor and a faithful follower of God. When Roger Williams and Anne Hutchinson challenged his authority, they were both banished and went south to establish their own colonies. It might be that his exclusion of people with different believes made him a model of intolerant religious ruler, but at the same time his actions showed another form of democracy. He led the colonists who were Puritans and who shared the same belief of him onto a life of prosper and stability in their land, and he never prevented anyone who disagreed with him from leaving and establishing their ideal place somewhere else. However, living in Massachusetts meant that people should follow the local law. This shows another similarity in the situations today where people in a certain legal area could choose what they want separately from other parts of the country like only four states in te States now legalize marijuana for recreational use. In this way, John Winthrop made a colony bear a democratic spirit as opposed to people yelling for their individual
The Political, Feminist, and Religious view of Frances E.W. Harper, Phllis Wheatley, and Alice Dunbar-Nelson
Even so, she still faced her fare share of naysayers. These people say she was engulfed in her self-proclaimed radical ideas (Elshtain, 9). Additionally, during World War 1, her urgency for peace resulted in her expulsion from the Daughters of American Revolution and unwelcomed at her alma mater because of the lack of religious teachings at the Hull House ( Elshatin,
They were rebellious, even though they were watched closely by their masters and were isolated from each other. Throughout history, many women tried to change the role of women in society. For example, Anne Hutchinson was a religious woman that opposed the church fathers of the Massachusetts Bay Colony by saying "that she, and other ordinary people, could interpret the Bible for themselves." She started to hold big meetings for women (and even a few men came) to hear her criticize local ministers. She was put on trial twice for two separate reasons, but she still stood her ground. The first trial was by the church for heresy and the other was by the government for questioning their authority. Eventually, she was banished in 1638 from the colony. However, this didn 't stop future women from trying to gain independence from traditional values and
Born on February 15, 1820 in Adams, Massachusetts (SBA House), she was brought up into a large Quaker family with many activist traditions. Quakers believed highly in education and a strong work ethic from an early age. “They believed in peace, temperance and justice, and this was to affect her adult concerns about injustices toward women, as well as social problems that come from alcohol,” (Grace). As well as believing that men and women were equal partners before God, which later had an influence on her belief in women's rights. Her mother, Lucy, loved to sing and dance which led to much controversy between her father’s harsh Quaker faith, which later on to her convictions of women equality. “No toys or music were allowed in the Anthony home for fear that they would distract the children from God's word” (Linder). Anthony’s father, Daniel, ran a cotton mill with strong values to refuse slave-picked cotton. At the age of six, Anthony and her family moved to Battenville, New York because Daniel was asked to manage other mills (Grace). Her education began in quaint schools in the small of New York but at fifteen, bega...
Upon her arrival to the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1634, Anne Hutchinson was a much respected member of her community. As time went on, her dealings with the religion began to be...
Firstly John Winthrop whom was the governor of Massachusetts Bay was accusing Anne hutchinson of “troubling the peace of commonwealth and the churches here”. Anne was holding meetings at her house; teaching women and sometimes even men about religion. To quote directly from the document John Winthrop said: “You have maintained a meeting and an assembly in your house that hath been considered by the general assembly as a thing not tolerable nor comely in the sight of god nor fitting for your sex.” with this quote alone you can see Winthrop’s distaste for Anne ;a women, teaching people about religion. you can make the connection that because John Winthrop is the governor of Massachusetts he has more than likely instilled in his people the idea of a strict patriarchal society. In the Quote Winthrop says ‘...considered by the general assembly as a thing not tolerable nor comely in the sight of god nor fitting for your sex”. A General assembly is basically a community, more...
Margaret Sanger was, at large, a birth control activist, but this speech was more about the questioning of birth control corrupting morality in women. People must remember, in the day and age where Sanger presented this speech, November 1921, women were considered very far from equal and much closer to servants or maids. In her speech, I saw that ethos was present in the sense that she gave herself credibility. Through Sanger’s detailed words and actions, and her statements including the presence of scientists and, or, professionals, the masses of listening people could infer that she was very well informed and solid in her statements. Though she presented herself as agreeable, Sanger was firm in her beliefs. In addition, Sanger says, “We desire to stop at its source the disease, poverty and feeble-mindedness and insanity which exist today, for these lower the standards of civilization and make for race deterioration. We know that the masses of people are growing wiser and are using their own minds to decide their individual conduct” (Sanger, par.15). To me, Sanger made herself appeal to the audience by using the word ‘we.’ In the practice of ethos, this focused on the author more than...
...r equality of women whose only representation at the time was through husbands. The brave few who courageously fought in the movement reformed our country and society today. Women such as Alice Paul and Susan B Anthony not only brought on equality for women today these women also brought on a new way women thought towards themselves. Today women think of themselves as independent smart citizens who can be whoever they want to be, politicians, doctors, scientists, etc. In addition women today can wear what they choose. Along with the right of equality and the ability for women to vote there is a responsibility, women should be informed of the political candidates before they vote. All of the freedom we have is a privilege we often take for granted as we don’t think about those women who suffered, abused, and ridiculed for these rights that we have today.
Anne Frank was a German-Jewish diarist. She was known for the diary she wrote while hiding from anti-Jewish persecution in Amsterdam during World War II. Her diary describes with wisdom and humor the two difficult years she spent in seclusion before her tragic death at the age of 15. Since it was first published in 1947, her diary has appeared in more than 50 languages. Perhaps more than any other figure, Anne Frank gave a human face to the victims of the Holocaust.