Role of Women in Early Republic
analytical Essay
1773 words
The role of women in the Early Republic is a topic mostly overlooked by historians when dealing with this era of American history. The triumphs of the Revolution and the early events of the new nation were done solely by men. However, women had their own political societies and even participated in the Revolution. Women's roles began to take a major turn after the war with Great Britain. This was due in part to their involvement in the war and female patriotism. Others believed it was due to the easier access to formal education for young women. Whatever the reason, it inspired women to challenge the social structure of the Early Republic. The roles of women were changing in the Early Republic. However, progress was slow and little change followed after the Revolution. This change in social structure elicited two questions. What caused this social change and what was the major setback for the progression of women's rights? These were the questions Linda Kreber's Women In The Republic: Intellect And Ideology In Revolutionary America, Caroline Robbins' review of Mary Norton's Liberty's Daughters: The Revolutionary Experience of American Women, and Sheila Skemp's review of Lucia McMahon's Mere Equals: The Paradox of Educated Women in the Early American Republic attempted to answer. Each of the pieces of literature agreed that the social equality of women was changing, but each offer a unique aspect of what changed it, and what slowed progression of equality. Linda Kreber's Women In The Republic: Intellect And Ideology In Revolutionary America was written to focus on the role of women after the revolution. Kreber analyzed the various roles of women in the revolution, and the impact these roles had on women in the republic following. ... ... middle of paper ... ...by Skemp, the greatest change in women's rights at the time was education opportunities for young women. McMahon also felt that motherhood was the greatest setback for women's rights. For each piece literature, the questions of “what caused the greatest change?” and “what was the major setback?” were the two most important points addressed. Works Cited Kreber, Linda K. Women In The Republic: Intellect And Ideology Revolutionary America. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, Aug. 1, 1986. Robbins, Caroline. Book Review: Liberty's Daughters: The Revolutionary Experience of American Women. Vol. 104. (Rosemont Pa: Pennsylvanian Magazine of History and Biorgraphy, 1980), 517-519. Skemp, Sheila. Book Review: Mere Equals: The Paradox of Educated Women In The Early American Republic. Vol. 33. (Philadelphia Pa: Journal of the Early Republic, 2013), 571-574.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that the role of women in the early republic is a topic mostly overlooked by historians when dealing with this era of american history.
- Explains that linda kreber's women in the republic: intellect and ideology in revolutionary america was written to focus on the role of women after the revolution.
- Analyzes robbins' analysis of mary norton's liberty’s daughters: the revolutionary experience of american women, which highlighted the subservient nature of women to men in the early american household.
- Analyzes the paradoxical relationship between educated women and men in the early american republic.
- Compares linda kreber's book women in the republic: intellect and ideology in revolutionary america with mcmahon'
- Analyzes how caroline robbins' review of liberty's daughters and kreber’s book shared many similarities. norton said the revolution was the driving force behind changing the role of women in the early republic.
- Compares robbins' and skemp's views on the role of women in the home.
- Analyzes how linda kreber, caroline robbins, and sheila skemp pronounced different conclusions as to what caused a change in women's rights in the early republic.
- Cites kreber, linda k., robbins, caroline, and skemp, sheila. women in the republic: intellect and ideology revolutionary america.
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