Since the beginning of the Witch Trials, women were regarded as “corrupting the influence of men.” As technological advances emerged and the transformation introduced the Industrial Revolution, the division of spheres became evident as more women took roles in the labor workforce. The division of spheres implicated that men had the ability to be out in public and participate in politics while women were limited to the only domestic sphere with no voice of opinion. As centuries went by, women worked, but couldn’t receive the same equal treatment compared to men. Flora Tristan tackles this issue with this statement, “Woman is everything in the life of the worker: as mother she an influence over him during his childhood, it is from her and …show more content…
Early industrialization relied heavily on the female labor workforce in rural New England. For example, jobs involving “commercial artisans appear always to have been male, and outwork weavers were overwhelmingly female (Dublin 38).” Men see the embodiment of women as uncontrollable, hysterical, irrational, and incapable of work. Even when Abigail Adams, a progressive advocate wrote to her husband, “If particular care and attention is not paid to the ladies, we are determined to foment a rebellion, and will not hold ourselves bound by any laws in which we have no voice or representation (Katz 172).” John Adams, her husband responded, “As to your extraordinary code of laws, I cannot but laugh (Katz 172).” Her vision for expanding women inferior status ultimately questions women’s identity with …show more content…
The existence of the division of spheres became evident when men had the power to own property, vote, and work in higher paying jobs in comparison with women. Gradually, women developed an identity allowing them to become independent and gain equality. Abigail Adams, Mary Wollestonecraft, Flora Tristan, Mary Kenney O’ Sullivan throughout history have become the voice that represents women; therefore, helping women to fight for equality. The demand for equal treatment allowed women to engage in numerous tasks that were once prohibited. Women demanded the right to vote by protesting in the Suffrage movement. In 1972, Title XI was written to allow equal access to sports for girls. This movement helped girls to play soccer along with boys in a few schools. Thirty years later, the Women's US Soccer team qualified for the World Cup. Now, as of today, gender roles for women only are gradually diminishing. Women are now seen driving in NASCAR, women playing football along with boys in high school sports, and women enlisting in the military. Women were once housewives but are currently taking occupations that were considered a man's job. These contributions made by these women made it essential to strive for higher education to meet the better needs of society and the economy. Hopefully, being educated of the feminist movement will teach us to become advocates for others in
During America's early history, women were denied some of the rights to well-being by men. For example, married women couldn't own property and had no legal claim to any money that they might earn, and women hadn't the right to vote. They were expected to focus on housework and motherhood, and didn't have to join politics. On the contrary, they didn't have to be interested in them. Then, in order to ratify this amendment they were prompted to a long and hard fight; victory took decades of agitation and protest. Beginning in the 19th century, some generations of women's suffrage supporters lobbied to achieve what a lot of Americans needed: a radical change of the Constitution. The movement for women's rights began to organize after 1848 at the national level. In July of that year, reformers Elizabeth Cady Stanton(1815-1902) and Lucretia Mott (1793-1880), along with Susan B. Anthony (1820-1906) and other activists organized the first convention for women's rights at Seneca Falls, New York. More than 300 people, mostly women but also some men, attended it. Then, they raised public awar...
The term witchcraft is defines as the practice of magic intended to influence nature. It is believed that only people associated with the devil can perform such acts. The Salem Witch Trials was much more than just America’s history, it’s also part of the history of women. The story of witchcraft is first and foremost the story of women. Especially in its western life, Karlsen (1989) noted that “witchcraft challenges us with ideas about women, with fears about women, with the place of women in society and with women themselves”. Witchcraft also confronts us too with violence against women. Even through some men were executed as witches during the witch hunts, the numbers were far less then women. Witches were generally thought to be women and most of those who were accused and executed for being witches were women. Why were women there so many women accused of witchcraft compared to men? Were woman accused of witchcraft because men thought it was a way to control these women? It all happened in 1692, in an era where women were expected to behave a certain way, and women were punished if they threatened what was considered the right way of life. The emphasis of this paper is the explanation of Salem proceedings in view of the role and the position of women in Colonial America.
The witch hunts in early modern Europe were extensive and far reaching. Christina Larner, a sociology professor at the University of Glasgow and an influential witchcraft historian provides valuable insight into the witch trials in early modern Europe in her article 'Was Witch-Hunting Woman-Hunting?'. Larner writes that witchcraft was not sex-specific, although it was sex-related (Larner, 2002). It cannot be denied that gender plays a tremendous role in the witch hunts in early modern Europe, with females accounting for an estimated 80 percent of those accused (Larner, 2002). However, it would be negligent to pay no heed to the remaining 20 percent, representing alleged male witches (Larner, 2002). The legal definition of a witch in this time, encompassed both females and males (Levack, 1987). This essay will explore the various fundamental reasons for this gender discrepancy and highlight particular cases of witchcraft allegations against both women and men. These reasons arise from several fundamental pieces of literature that depict the stereotypical witch as female. These works are misogynistic and display women as morally inferior to men and highly vulnerable to temptations from demons (Levack, 1987). This idea is blatantly outlined in the text of the 'Malleus Maleficarum' written by James Sprenger and Henry Kramer in the late fifteenth century. This book is used as the basis for many of the witch trials in early modern Europe (Levack, 1987). The text describes women as sexually submissive creatures and while remarking that all witchcraft is derived from intense sexual lust, a women is thus a prime candidate for witchcraft (Sprenger & Kramer, 1487). In this time period, men are seen as powerful and in control and thus rarely...
Puritans believed in the devil and his role as strong as they believed in God and his role. For many centuries, Puritans had the idea that the weakest individuals in society often committed diabolical acts and sins. Furthermore, Satan selected the most vulnerable individuals to do his bidding, among these individuals, women were often held responsible for many sins, including witchcraft. (Godbeer 12). According to Richard Godbeer, in his book, The Salem Witch Hunt, “it was Eve who first gave away to Satan and seduced Adam.” (Godbeer 12). In 1692, witchcraft became a panic among Puritan society. Even though both men and women were accused of witchcraft, women were seventy-six percent more likely to be accused in Salem than men. (Godbeer 12). Puritan society was a male dominate society and men looked down upon women. There were two particular reasons to why women were often accused of being witches. The first reason, was in due to the Puritan belief that women were the source of evil. The second reason was because of certain events that associated with accusations. These events were being of relatively low social status and income, being rich or financially independent and being a midwife or nurse.
The function of women in politics, the economy, and communal events in American society moved significantly from the pre-Revolutionary war era to the early beginnings of the 20th century. In the years leading up to the American Revolution, women were looked upon as being “subordinate to males” and so as a result women were affected by the laws and regulations forced upon them by men. It was almost as if it was a woman’s right, to get married, have kids, and live out the obligation of being a thorough wife and mother. Because the government was mainly ruled and controlled by men, it was often that women didn’t have the lawful rights, for example the power to vote or be in possession of property.
The early modern era in Western Europe was a dangerous place for women with the rise of so called “witches” populating towns and country sides. With the peak of these witch trials happening between 1560 and 1640 in England (the making of the west 499). This caused the people of Europe to live in fear of the devil and his counterparts on earth. Over 80 percent of victims of these witch trials were women and thousands upon thousands of trials taking place all across Europe and the North American Colonies at the time as well (motw 500). Seeing that women are mostly accused of witches, it raises the questions as to why that is. Upon examining 2 specific cases in this essay, those being of Walpurga Hausmannin from Dillingen, Germany and Francatte Camont from Lorraine, France; one can see that both these cases are very similar in many aspects despite the fact that both these women were trialed in different countries in Western Europe. In this essay, the reader will explore the motivations, visions and the targets of these witch trials with specific evidence and focus on the trials of both Walpurga and Francatte. The reader will also be able see connections between both trials throughout as well.
A huge part of the economical grow of the United States was the wealth being produced by the factories in New England. Women up until the factories started booming were seen as the child-bearer and were not allowed to have any kind of career. They were valued for factories because of their ability to do intricate work requiring dexterity and nimble fingers. "The Industrial Revolution has on the whole proved beneficial to women. It has resulted in greater leisure for women in the home and has relieved them from the drudgery and monotony that characterized much of the hand labour previously performed in connection with industrial work under the domestic system. For the woman workers outside the home it has resulted in better conditions, a greater variety of openings and an improved status" (Ivy Pinchbeck, Women Workers and the Industrial Revolution, 1750-1850, pg.4) The women could now make their own money and they didn’t have to live completely off their husbands. This allowed women to start thinking more freely and become a little bit more independent.
Whereas the women’s suffrage movements focused mainly on overturning legal obstacles to equality, the feminist movements successfully addressed a broad range of other feminist issues. The first dealt primarily with voting rights and the latter dealt with inequalities such as equal pay and reproductive rights. Both movements made vast gains to the social and legal status of women. One reached its goals while the other continues to fight for women’s rights.
History has a way of repeating itself. This is most likely the result of human nature. Humans, despite years and years of evolution, still have some quirks they’ve always had. One such quirk is the fear of things that are different; a quirk displayed throughout history in an event known as a witch hunt.
Most miners, lumberman, and cowboys produced jobs typically done by men due to their overwhelming demand of the task. If it wasn’t for the Women who “tended the garden and animals, preserved food, and helped us at harvest time” (Henretta 479) the agricultural aspect wouldn’t have strived.
Equality between men and women has been constantly debated ever since Adam and Eve were created and one will probably stay for a sparingly long-lasting time. It is an issue that raised conflict among genders. However, women have always been suppressed and have been considered to be the weakest compared to men. In the early 19th century, after the liberty struggles, women's voices were eventually perceived and were given the identical privileges and respect that an individual have always deserved but not fully attained. Actually actions and some of the fundamental desires are free and accessible to every woman around the world, but regrettably there are numerous entities resisting this concept.
Before the turn of the century, women were subordinate to men often oppressed not allowing them to explore new ventures or be independent. According to Julie Peakman, during the early nineteenth century, “All (woman) relay the difficulties in pursuing an independent role of life”. They were required to stay home and take care of children or keep the house in order. However, in the late nineteenth century and early twentieth century, woman began experiencing new found civil liberties and freedom. Susanne Weil comments, “In the nineteenth century as the nation became increasingly industrialized… women's roles as well as the nature of work itself were being radically transformed.” Woman now were no longer required to take care of children but could pursue careers themselves and no longer be dependant on a man. This change was a sudden shock to many men during this time. Not only were they once the only source of income, but now women had much more a voice in the household thus leading many men to oppose these changes. According to the Gale Encyclopedia of the progressive era, even the president opposed these changes, “... former president Grover Cleveland wrote that allowing women to vote would upset the “natural equilibrium” between men and women and cause chaos.” This clearly show how change in women’s statutes not only affected the common men, but also the president of the United States. Many of these men’s objections were transformed and broadcasted into their pieces of literature thus illustrating how many of the men at their time felt as
Throughout history, women have been considered inferior to men, in areas such as the work place. This view of women being lesser spawned from the rules of law and religion, and created ideals by which common European families lived by if they were to be considered socially acceptable. The Industrial Revolution established certain circumstances that amplified these ideals which subordinated women. (Columbia University Press).Through these new ideals, women’s poor wages, and certain labor drawbacks during the Revolution, the initial proactive feministic movement began.
Salem, Massachusetts is infamous for its witch trials. However, after the hysteria of Salem, Stamford, Connecticut was put in a supernatural frenzy with the Katherine Branch witch trials. This kind of accusation was uncommon in a small 17th- century Puritan town. The Katherine Branch witch trials give an inside look at the social, religious, and legal workings in a Puritan society.
Throughout the 19th century, feminism played a huge role in society and women’s everyday lifestyle. Women had been living in a very restrictive society, and soon became tired of being told how they could and couldn’t live their lives. Soon, they all realized that they didn’t have to take it anymore, and as a whole they had enough power to make a change. That is when feminism started to change women’s roles in society. Before, women had little to no rights, while men, on the other hand, had all the rights. The feminist movement helped earn women the right to vote, but even then it wasn’t enough to get accepted into the workforce. They were given the strength to fight by the journey for equality and social justice. There has been known to be