1. What were the main sources of feminism’s revival in the late 1960s and early 1970s? How did this differ from the “Third Wave” of feminism in the 1990s?
One of the main sources of the feminism revival in the late 1060s was the liberation in sexuality women had the birth control pill which allow them to have more freedom. The power of being of controlling their own sexuality gave them the feminism feeling the auto-authority of not having to restrict their lives to a family structure but to experiment in different relationships. Women in the 1960s were well educated and they did not wanted the unwanted jobs that men left so they were focus in getting the jobs that they wanted or they were capable of doing according to their level of studies. They were forming organization to continue with the feminist but instead women called it “Women’s Liberation” (635). This organization helped women to get a high level of self esteem. They work in small groups having meeting and talking about anything helping each other with their own experiences.
2. According to Phyllis Schlafly, “What’s Wrong with Equal Rights for Women.” Do you agree or disagree with her?
Phyllis thought that taking care of the children and staying home was a privilege not an unfair situation that women feminists did not wanted anymore. So she campaign against feminism because she had strong ideas about womanhood. She did not wanted to get the same rights as men because she did not wanted to be drafted at war since she thought that was a men’s duty. Also she claimed that the ERA was wrong because it “abolish a woman’s right to child support and alimony.” She also said that men were the ones who suppose to support the family why women had to out and support their children and husband? And the last argument was that in case of divorce usually women got the custody of their children and why let it go when everything for Phyllis was perfect the way it was. I am not agreeing with her because as a woman I do not think I need the financial support of a husband to live my life. I know I could support my own family. And I also would like to have a realization as professional. Phyllis did not have dreams and expectations as woman and it was lazy because she wanted to stay at home and not work.
3. In your opinion, is the war of the sexes over (in the 21st century) or do women still have a long fight ahead of them? Why or why not?
Discrimination still exists especially in the work field. Women still earning less than men and also in some call “men jobs” women usually do not get hired because of their physical condition. Women are not as strong as men in some cases and that is the excuse but hey… some women are very strong that they can do anything. But I think now women have the doors open to do pretty much anything they want. If we get ambitious and have dreams and goals there will be no obstacle that could stop us.
Textbook document
1. What do the documents suggest are the most important characteristics of the feminist revival of the 1990s? How is it different from the movement of the 1960s and 1970s?
Women were more liberal and open mind. There was no major difference between the revival of the 1990s feminism but indeed women were somehow with different personalities and experiences than the women in 1960s. They already had been living the in a new world totally different than the 1960s. they had experience and they were self dependant. So their idea was to continue with the third wave of feminism but it was to satisfy their own needs since they already were having freedom in all aspects of their lives.
2. Do the documents offer compelling reasons for young women to identify with the term “feminism”? The reasons were that women can chose their own sexual taste no matter if they wanted to be with a man or with another woman. In the 1990s the word…lesbian or bisexual was not a big scandal. It was becoming to be normal so the feminist were telling women that there was no shame to be hiding their sexuality since society were adapting to the new changes in women desires.
Monday, December 3, 2007
Sunday, November 11, 2007
Blog # 11
1. Is it appropriate to speak about a “New Woman” in the 1920s? If so, what was new?
In the 1920s women had definitely living a different life than the women in the 1800s. it is important to mentioned the progress they have gained by this time. Women were feeling with a greater freedom and they had the choice to control their lives. They were even changing their way of dress. It was a prosperous era in which women benefit of. Women were becoming shoppers. The 1920 was a progressive and prosperous era. Industries were growing and expanding internationally. Women also were more involved in politics and especially working outside home. There were an increased of working wives and mothers. Women were enjoying freedom that they became great consumers; also they had more freedom about sexuality. Not all women were having so much fun in this era. There were others that were poor and did have to work hard not only that but still suffering discrimination and it was hard for them to get involved in the workforce and in politics.
2. Why did women active in politics encounter so much difficulty accomplishing their agenda in the 1920s?
Women were gaining power and they of course wanted to be involved in politics but many factors stop them from been successful in join ether the Republican and Democratic Party. Women were very divided some were working in organization fighting for their political rights while other were still fighting for the antilynching law and others were indifferent to any of those movements. White women seemed to be interested in participating in politics but they did not have enough support from other ethnic groups; they were alone fighting. African American had their own suffrages groups but also wanted to save their men from the ridiculous lynching. They were more concerned in help primary their own people than step up and work with the other women to support the suffrage movement. It was hard for them as well because a lot of white women could not accept work with blacks since was really difficult for them to forget their superiority one day lost. Young middle-class women were not interesting to join any suffrage organization since they were busy spending money and satisfying their own pleasures. Women had big class and age issues which stopped them to become powerful in politics.
3. How does the image on page 499 represent some of the experiences of women during the Great Depression?
The picture reflects the misery that many Americans face in the Great Depression. She definitely seems worried about the future of her family. She had no control over the situation that they were living because unfortunately she was not the only one. Florence and the children were really having trouble finding food. Unemployed and with two children it must been very difficult. Not only that; but it they did not have anything to wear the only cloth that they had was very old. This picture creates an impression of hopeless. it is a sad picture since the children were in the same pain as the mom. They wanted to help their mom by looking for food as well as the Florence. The children were not enjoying their childhood at all.
4. To what extent did World War II challenge gender stereotypes for women? To what extent did it reinforce them?
Since men were drafted to fight in Europe and Japan women had to find out the way to keep up with the household since they were the only supporters of the family. So women had to go out again a look for work and somehow help the soldiers at war too. There were many job opportunities for women they were clerks, electricians, cookers, etc. and also were trained to learned skilled jobs. But that was not all women also wanted to be part of the war; so many of them were also recruited to join the military. Women’s opportunity had come to break the barriers that exist between men and women. But still was racial segregation among them black women were not allow to work in the Defense industries but since they really needed people, they soon had to hire African Americans as well. It was so sad that the opportunity of women came as a result of the World War I but it gave women the opportunity to prove that they were smart skilled as men and they can survive without them.
In the 1920s women had definitely living a different life than the women in the 1800s. it is important to mentioned the progress they have gained by this time. Women were feeling with a greater freedom and they had the choice to control their lives. They were even changing their way of dress. It was a prosperous era in which women benefit of. Women were becoming shoppers. The 1920 was a progressive and prosperous era. Industries were growing and expanding internationally. Women also were more involved in politics and especially working outside home. There were an increased of working wives and mothers. Women were enjoying freedom that they became great consumers; also they had more freedom about sexuality. Not all women were having so much fun in this era. There were others that were poor and did have to work hard not only that but still suffering discrimination and it was hard for them to get involved in the workforce and in politics.
2. Why did women active in politics encounter so much difficulty accomplishing their agenda in the 1920s?
Women were gaining power and they of course wanted to be involved in politics but many factors stop them from been successful in join ether the Republican and Democratic Party. Women were very divided some were working in organization fighting for their political rights while other were still fighting for the antilynching law and others were indifferent to any of those movements. White women seemed to be interested in participating in politics but they did not have enough support from other ethnic groups; they were alone fighting. African American had their own suffrages groups but also wanted to save their men from the ridiculous lynching. They were more concerned in help primary their own people than step up and work with the other women to support the suffrage movement. It was hard for them as well because a lot of white women could not accept work with blacks since was really difficult for them to forget their superiority one day lost. Young middle-class women were not interesting to join any suffrage organization since they were busy spending money and satisfying their own pleasures. Women had big class and age issues which stopped them to become powerful in politics.
3. How does the image on page 499 represent some of the experiences of women during the Great Depression?
The picture reflects the misery that many Americans face in the Great Depression. She definitely seems worried about the future of her family. She had no control over the situation that they were living because unfortunately she was not the only one. Florence and the children were really having trouble finding food. Unemployed and with two children it must been very difficult. Not only that; but it they did not have anything to wear the only cloth that they had was very old. This picture creates an impression of hopeless. it is a sad picture since the children were in the same pain as the mom. They wanted to help their mom by looking for food as well as the Florence. The children were not enjoying their childhood at all.
4. To what extent did World War II challenge gender stereotypes for women? To what extent did it reinforce them?
Since men were drafted to fight in Europe and Japan women had to find out the way to keep up with the household since they were the only supporters of the family. So women had to go out again a look for work and somehow help the soldiers at war too. There were many job opportunities for women they were clerks, electricians, cookers, etc. and also were trained to learned skilled jobs. But that was not all women also wanted to be part of the war; so many of them were also recruited to join the military. Women’s opportunity had come to break the barriers that exist between men and women. But still was racial segregation among them black women were not allow to work in the Defense industries but since they really needed people, they soon had to hire African Americans as well. It was so sad that the opportunity of women came as a result of the World War I but it gave women the opportunity to prove that they were smart skilled as men and they can survive without them.
Sunday, November 4, 2007
Blog # 10
1. How did African American women approach the issues of reform and suffrage?
Black women did not full participation on the suffrage since they were still seen as a lower class women and of course they wanted to get involved in the movement since it was for women in general not only for whites. So they realized that the only way to get involved was forming their own organizations and clubs. So they could help each other and also be participants of the suffrage movement. Black women were still discriminated even though they had the freedom from the slavery but it was difficult for them to get involved in political and social activism.
What were the main differences between the emerging feminist movement and the suffrage movement?
The suffrage movement was basically a movement to gain political and social power. Women believed they had the rights to choose their own party and of course to vote as men did. So they formed organizations and women worked together to protest and make the congress to consider their petition. In the other hand the feminist movement was about women in power of their own lives. They wanted to have sexual freedom, individuality and birth control. Women wanted to get rid of true womanhood since they were becoming more independent of men. The women who participated in this movement were educated middle class women and artists. These women had a different lifestyle; some of them had their own apartment, other women were living in “free unions” and also there were lesbian women living with their couples. Not all the women who supported the suffrage movement were participants of the feminist movement.
1. What were the various definitions of feminism according “Talks of Feminism. . .”?
In Cooper Union six men and six women had a meeting with the purpose to answer the question: What is feminism? In the debate Rose Young said that for her feminism was “some fight, some fate, and some fun.” Edwin Bjorkman said “that woman shall have the same right as man to be different.” George Middletown said “feminism means trouble: trouble means agitations; agitation means movement; movement means life; life means adjustment – so does feminism.” People had different definitions of feminism but all of them lead to the same concept “freedom for women.”
2. What role does women’s economic independence play in feminist thought?
Women no longer had to be subordinated to men so they manage their own businesses. They were the owners of their lives and their money. They could decide to do anything they wanted with their finances. Since feminist women were the middle-class college graduates and professionals and artist they were totally independent. They had the power to start a new movement.
What is your own definition of feminism?
Feminism to me is giving the women the opportunity to take their own decision and let nobody decide what is right or wrong for their lives. Women as human being have the same capabilities to create a new world and have the power they deserve in society. Women are intelligent and smart enough to control their own lives. So feminism was a good cause that many women in the past fought for which they thought it was fair.
Black women did not full participation on the suffrage since they were still seen as a lower class women and of course they wanted to get involved in the movement since it was for women in general not only for whites. So they realized that the only way to get involved was forming their own organizations and clubs. So they could help each other and also be participants of the suffrage movement. Black women were still discriminated even though they had the freedom from the slavery but it was difficult for them to get involved in political and social activism.
What were the main differences between the emerging feminist movement and the suffrage movement?
The suffrage movement was basically a movement to gain political and social power. Women believed they had the rights to choose their own party and of course to vote as men did. So they formed organizations and women worked together to protest and make the congress to consider their petition. In the other hand the feminist movement was about women in power of their own lives. They wanted to have sexual freedom, individuality and birth control. Women wanted to get rid of true womanhood since they were becoming more independent of men. The women who participated in this movement were educated middle class women and artists. These women had a different lifestyle; some of them had their own apartment, other women were living in “free unions” and also there were lesbian women living with their couples. Not all the women who supported the suffrage movement were participants of the feminist movement.
1. What were the various definitions of feminism according “Talks of Feminism. . .”?
In Cooper Union six men and six women had a meeting with the purpose to answer the question: What is feminism? In the debate Rose Young said that for her feminism was “some fight, some fate, and some fun.” Edwin Bjorkman said “that woman shall have the same right as man to be different.” George Middletown said “feminism means trouble: trouble means agitations; agitation means movement; movement means life; life means adjustment – so does feminism.” People had different definitions of feminism but all of them lead to the same concept “freedom for women.”
2. What role does women’s economic independence play in feminist thought?
Women no longer had to be subordinated to men so they manage their own businesses. They were the owners of their lives and their money. They could decide to do anything they wanted with their finances. Since feminist women were the middle-class college graduates and professionals and artist they were totally independent. They had the power to start a new movement.
What is your own definition of feminism?
Feminism to me is giving the women the opportunity to take their own decision and let nobody decide what is right or wrong for their lives. Women as human being have the same capabilities to create a new world and have the power they deserve in society. Women are intelligent and smart enough to control their own lives. So feminism was a good cause that many women in the past fought for which they thought it was fair.
Monday, October 22, 2007
Blog # 8
Blog #8
What were the most significant developments in women’s wage labor in the late nineteenth century? How did they affect working-class, middle-class, and elite women?
In the late nineteenth century the economy increased dramatically. As a consequence women labor increase. Women worked in the production of clothing which was the introduction of women in new fields. The majority of women worker were young and unmarried. That was an excuse for employers to pay a minimum wage to these women since they did not have any responsibilities only to support themselves. The middle and upper class had the opportunity to get educated, participate in civic activities and also to have public authority (284). The married women that were working were considered the worst of the society since they were considered the cause of social crises.
Since women wages were cut and were victims of layoff; they were part of many strikes and labor conflicts. In the 1870’s angry workers joined the Knights of labor, it started a secret organization but gain popularity because of campaigning to short the working hours to eight hours.
The growth of the post-Civic War era created a vast amount of factories and industries that gave a new and important role to women of the middle and upper class. They did not stay anymore at home cooking and making cloth but they went to shop. That was their new obligation as house women.
What is the importance of the images on page 345 for understanding Native American women’s experience during the era of western consolidation?
Those pictures show the “before and after” Indian American children. White people were trying to Americanize the Indians so they used to take a picture just to show the changes of the children lives. In the before picture the girls are not sitting on chairs they had a blanket to cover them and they braids this shows their own culture. They look sad and very uncomfortable. In the “after” picture they are grown up with a dress no more blankets around and no braids but their face is still sad. Looks like the world that they living on is very uncertain definitely is a world were they not belong to. Even though they were getting educated they were not happy.
What different sorts of women does Bessie Van Vorst meet in the factory, and how and why do their responses to their work vary?
Bessie started working in the factory sealing bottles of pickles at the begging she was making everything fast and working hard but when the day was over she started feeling the consequences. She had terrible pain in her hands her whole body aches. She met many girls at the factory some of them were just working for pleasure. They were supported by their parents by they wanted to buy cloths and give themselves some treats. Other women had children and husband but they still wanted to work at the factories. While Bessie was there because she did not have anyone to support her and she must work.
Why does Van Vorst conclude that working women are passive in accepting their working conditions and unwilling to stand up for themselves in the way of working men? Do you think she is right?
I do not think women were passive. Women were still afraid to speak up about their rights. They were making so much less money than men but still since they were women they always were complaining to each other and talking about their unfortunate but they did not say anything to their employers. Also women were not complaining with their employers because they felt that it was a good opportunity that they finally worked outside the house. So for them to strike was not a good idea since they were grateful of the chance given to work in a factory.
What were the most significant developments in women’s wage labor in the late nineteenth century? How did they affect working-class, middle-class, and elite women?
In the late nineteenth century the economy increased dramatically. As a consequence women labor increase. Women worked in the production of clothing which was the introduction of women in new fields. The majority of women worker were young and unmarried. That was an excuse for employers to pay a minimum wage to these women since they did not have any responsibilities only to support themselves. The middle and upper class had the opportunity to get educated, participate in civic activities and also to have public authority (284). The married women that were working were considered the worst of the society since they were considered the cause of social crises.
Since women wages were cut and were victims of layoff; they were part of many strikes and labor conflicts. In the 1870’s angry workers joined the Knights of labor, it started a secret organization but gain popularity because of campaigning to short the working hours to eight hours.
The growth of the post-Civic War era created a vast amount of factories and industries that gave a new and important role to women of the middle and upper class. They did not stay anymore at home cooking and making cloth but they went to shop. That was their new obligation as house women.
What is the importance of the images on page 345 for understanding Native American women’s experience during the era of western consolidation?
Those pictures show the “before and after” Indian American children. White people were trying to Americanize the Indians so they used to take a picture just to show the changes of the children lives. In the before picture the girls are not sitting on chairs they had a blanket to cover them and they braids this shows their own culture. They look sad and very uncomfortable. In the “after” picture they are grown up with a dress no more blankets around and no braids but their face is still sad. Looks like the world that they living on is very uncertain definitely is a world were they not belong to. Even though they were getting educated they were not happy.
What different sorts of women does Bessie Van Vorst meet in the factory, and how and why do their responses to their work vary?
Bessie started working in the factory sealing bottles of pickles at the begging she was making everything fast and working hard but when the day was over she started feeling the consequences. She had terrible pain in her hands her whole body aches. She met many girls at the factory some of them were just working for pleasure. They were supported by their parents by they wanted to buy cloths and give themselves some treats. Other women had children and husband but they still wanted to work at the factories. While Bessie was there because she did not have anyone to support her and she must work.
Why does Van Vorst conclude that working women are passive in accepting their working conditions and unwilling to stand up for themselves in the way of working men? Do you think she is right?
I do not think women were passive. Women were still afraid to speak up about their rights. They were making so much less money than men but still since they were women they always were complaining to each other and talking about their unfortunate but they did not say anything to their employers. Also women were not complaining with their employers because they felt that it was a good opportunity that they finally worked outside the house. So for them to strike was not a good idea since they were grateful of the chance given to work in a factory.
Sunday, October 14, 2007
Blog # 7
Blog # 7
1. What divided the women of the North and South in the years immediately before and during the Civil War?
In the south there were different social classes but the difference between poor and rich growth enormously. There was a huge amount of slaves that still remain in the shadow. That created violence and conflict among the slaves and owners. Black women were trying to find their own way in the society but it was difficult for them because white women wanted to maintain their power over slavery. While women in the north south for equal rights with men and they were starting the suffrage movement. Women in the north were well advanced in their prospective as women besides the fact that they were wealthy they did not wanted to owned slaves alleviate their needs. Women wanted to work together to gain more power and fight altogether for their rights as females.
2. What impact did the emergence of the “New South” have on women?
The reconstruction of the south brought many advances for black women slaves they started fighting for their freedom to take control over their labor, children and even their own body. White women did not want to lose their slaves because they were afraid to be affected dramatically economically. Since, they would not have an available work force to keep up with their farms. After the Confederacy many slaves stayed with their owners for months since they did not have a place to go or some others did not know they gained freedom. Some slaves went to look for their love ones or family members that were separated from them. They also wanted to raise their children since they were fighting to get their rights as a free people. Ex-slaves were more interested in their education than own properties. So many institutions were opening to educate them. Black women became teacher to educate their communities.
White women now had big loss as a consequence. They had food shortages and a collapse of economy was in the way. Also many women lost their husbands in the battle field of the civil war.
Textbook documents (Pgs. 306-310)
According to the passage there were three owners of this successful grocery store: Thomas Moss, Calvin McDowell and Henry Stewart but in the same suburb there was another grocery store owned by a white man which of course did not want another store competing with his. Not only was another store by was owned by black people which was very disturbing for a racist white men.
The prevailing opinion about lynching Negro was that they were criminals. Black men were known as disturbers of the white communities. They were charged to rape white girls. Therefore they were lynched.
Wells found that the same white men that tortured lynched and burned black men were still raping black Negro girls when ever they could. And the worst of the case was that black men were not rapists of whites they were only “weak to accept favors from white women.”
1. What divided the women of the North and South in the years immediately before and during the Civil War?
In the south there were different social classes but the difference between poor and rich growth enormously. There was a huge amount of slaves that still remain in the shadow. That created violence and conflict among the slaves and owners. Black women were trying to find their own way in the society but it was difficult for them because white women wanted to maintain their power over slavery. While women in the north south for equal rights with men and they were starting the suffrage movement. Women in the north were well advanced in their prospective as women besides the fact that they were wealthy they did not wanted to owned slaves alleviate their needs. Women wanted to work together to gain more power and fight altogether for their rights as females.
2. What impact did the emergence of the “New South” have on women?
The reconstruction of the south brought many advances for black women slaves they started fighting for their freedom to take control over their labor, children and even their own body. White women did not want to lose their slaves because they were afraid to be affected dramatically economically. Since, they would not have an available work force to keep up with their farms. After the Confederacy many slaves stayed with their owners for months since they did not have a place to go or some others did not know they gained freedom. Some slaves went to look for their love ones or family members that were separated from them. They also wanted to raise their children since they were fighting to get their rights as a free people. Ex-slaves were more interested in their education than own properties. So many institutions were opening to educate them. Black women became teacher to educate their communities.
White women now had big loss as a consequence. They had food shortages and a collapse of economy was in the way. Also many women lost their husbands in the battle field of the civil war.
Textbook documents (Pgs. 306-310)
According to the passage there were three owners of this successful grocery store: Thomas Moss, Calvin McDowell and Henry Stewart but in the same suburb there was another grocery store owned by a white man which of course did not want another store competing with his. Not only was another store by was owned by black people which was very disturbing for a racist white men.
The prevailing opinion about lynching Negro was that they were criminals. Black men were known as disturbers of the white communities. They were charged to rape white girls. Therefore they were lynched.
Wells found that the same white men that tortured lynched and burned black men were still raping black Negro girls when ever they could. And the worst of the case was that black men were not rapists of whites they were only “weak to accept favors from white women.”
Sunday, October 7, 2007
Blog # 6
What were the different kinds of experiences that particular groups of women had as the United States expanded west to the Pacific Coast?
In 1848 gold was discovered in California. American families migrated to the west and invaded the Indian’s land. At the time men were still in charged of the economic obligation and women with the childbearing and childrearing. Indians were afraid of the white people because there were rumors that “whites were killing and eating them (208).” Americans destroyed their production and houses so Indians end up in ruins; they had severe losses as a consequence.
In 1850 there was a massacre, 130 Pomo Indians were killed by the U.S army.
Also Indian girls were raped and kidnapped by Americans settlers (210). Indian girls were infected by white men with syphilis creating a great amount of infertility among them. The number of Indians was greatly reduce again since before they had already suffered the invasion of Mexicans and had to live under their rules.
Mexican women were living in California when adventurer white men arrived. These men married wealthy Mexican women who owned land. At that time women laws protected them to have control over their properties. But American wanted complete control and sought against the Mexican law. Finally American men passed a legislature that gave control over women properties and then Mexican women end up the same way as Indians, poor, offering domestic service and without their lands.
At the Gold Rush brought more men than women to the California mines. Some of those women followed their husbands but other just went for the adventure as men did. White women maintain their womanhood they stayed at home and took care of their families. While other women worked for the miner cooking their meals. Also there were prostitutes giving their services to men an making them wealth and independent as a consequence.
2. What kinds of historical developments brought American women into reform activities in the antebellum years?
The antebellum push to moved forward establishing social and cultural norms improving the society (213). In the 1820s women started a second Great Awakening since there were working in social and moral causes over time. Women converted to Protestants and supported their husbands in their missionary activities. As a result women started to advocate for moral reforms among the families.
Another important development was the abolitionism. Christians believed that slaves as any other human had the right to be free and condemned slave owners to be sinners for the mistreated of their servants. It also helped women to fight for their rights.
The women’s right was another important impact in American history. Women believed that they also deserve a better life. They wanted to have the same rights as men. They started to fight for freedom from their husbands. In the 1860 finally a bill was passed in the New York State giving wives the rights to own and sell their own properties, control their own wages and have the custody of their children in case of separation.
The civil war was a foundation for women to enter the men’s fields. They became active in the war serving as nurses, spies and soldiers. Other women were volunteers getting in charged of soldiers clothing and feeding.
1. Maria responds to the strangers she encounters with both fear and curiosity. About what is she curious? What is the source of her fear and how does Maria exhibit or conceal her reaction?
The Lieutenant and his people enter Marias room without permission and Maria not knowing what happen outside when they were talking with her servants. She was curious to know if they have founded Chavez. The officers looked everywhere inside the room and they found nothing. So they asked Maria that they were rumors that Chavez was in her house. Maria was surprise and responded with another question. She asked them if they have founded anywhere in the house and obviously they have not founded yet because they were looking in her room. Maria’s fear is the fact that she has a fugitive of the law hiding in her house. Knowing that at any moment she could be discovered and face severe consequences.
What is the source of strength that Maria draws? How does the absence of men affect the way she acts?
The fact that Maria was living without her husband made her independent and she responds to the responsibilities that she felt she has as the head of the house. She is just responding to the necessities presented at that moment. The absence of Maria’s husband made her stronger to take decisions in which the whole house is in danger.
In 1848 gold was discovered in California. American families migrated to the west and invaded the Indian’s land. At the time men were still in charged of the economic obligation and women with the childbearing and childrearing. Indians were afraid of the white people because there were rumors that “whites were killing and eating them (208).” Americans destroyed their production and houses so Indians end up in ruins; they had severe losses as a consequence.
In 1850 there was a massacre, 130 Pomo Indians were killed by the U.S army.
Also Indian girls were raped and kidnapped by Americans settlers (210). Indian girls were infected by white men with syphilis creating a great amount of infertility among them. The number of Indians was greatly reduce again since before they had already suffered the invasion of Mexicans and had to live under their rules.
Mexican women were living in California when adventurer white men arrived. These men married wealthy Mexican women who owned land. At that time women laws protected them to have control over their properties. But American wanted complete control and sought against the Mexican law. Finally American men passed a legislature that gave control over women properties and then Mexican women end up the same way as Indians, poor, offering domestic service and without their lands.
At the Gold Rush brought more men than women to the California mines. Some of those women followed their husbands but other just went for the adventure as men did. White women maintain their womanhood they stayed at home and took care of their families. While other women worked for the miner cooking their meals. Also there were prostitutes giving their services to men an making them wealth and independent as a consequence.
2. What kinds of historical developments brought American women into reform activities in the antebellum years?
The antebellum push to moved forward establishing social and cultural norms improving the society (213). In the 1820s women started a second Great Awakening since there were working in social and moral causes over time. Women converted to Protestants and supported their husbands in their missionary activities. As a result women started to advocate for moral reforms among the families.
Another important development was the abolitionism. Christians believed that slaves as any other human had the right to be free and condemned slave owners to be sinners for the mistreated of their servants. It also helped women to fight for their rights.
The women’s right was another important impact in American history. Women believed that they also deserve a better life. They wanted to have the same rights as men. They started to fight for freedom from their husbands. In the 1860 finally a bill was passed in the New York State giving wives the rights to own and sell their own properties, control their own wages and have the custody of their children in case of separation.
The civil war was a foundation for women to enter the men’s fields. They became active in the war serving as nurses, spies and soldiers. Other women were volunteers getting in charged of soldiers clothing and feeding.
1. Maria responds to the strangers she encounters with both fear and curiosity. About what is she curious? What is the source of her fear and how does Maria exhibit or conceal her reaction?
The Lieutenant and his people enter Marias room without permission and Maria not knowing what happen outside when they were talking with her servants. She was curious to know if they have founded Chavez. The officers looked everywhere inside the room and they found nothing. So they asked Maria that they were rumors that Chavez was in her house. Maria was surprise and responded with another question. She asked them if they have founded anywhere in the house and obviously they have not founded yet because they were looking in her room. Maria’s fear is the fact that she has a fugitive of the law hiding in her house. Knowing that at any moment she could be discovered and face severe consequences.
What is the source of strength that Maria draws? How does the absence of men affect the way she acts?
The fact that Maria was living without her husband made her independent and she responds to the responsibilities that she felt she has as the head of the house. She is just responding to the necessities presented at that moment. The absence of Maria’s husband made her stronger to take decisions in which the whole house is in danger.
Monday, October 1, 2007
Blog # 5
Blog #5
1. What were the implications of the system of slavery for southern white and black women?
People on the south were wealthy because of their big production of cotton, rice, sugar, and tobacco produce by the slaves. The production was the social, political, and cultural center of slavery society (155). Women life was different from the women in the north. Men from the south protected their women. They were jealous of their women’s honor and families. For women was a virtue to consider men the head of their families. An indifference to men would not give women any social or political authority. For wealthy women maternity was not important. They had slaves to take care of their children.
2. What is the significance of the story of Harriet Jacobs for our understanding of slave women’s experiences? (pp. 166-167 “Trials of Girlhood”)
Harriet Jacobs story reflect her most cruel moments of her life. Being a slave was a very difficult situation especially for a girl because she could not protect herself of her master. She was sexually abuse by her master in her early years of adolescence. After a decade of suffering she escaped. But she encountered the agony of living in an uncomfortable place without her daughter. Finally after seven years she moved to the south with her daughter. Harriet story had a quite happy ending but not many slave women were that fortunate. Slave women live without hope and worked hard to please their masters.
1. How did characters in these two accounts reject and resist the assumptions
about black people fundamental to the slave system? On what personal resources did they draw to make their challenges?
Slaves were not allow to learn about their families and nether learn how to read and write. But there were some slaves that escape to their slavery and found a way to publish their stories. The Crafts for example planned to run away from their masters and start a new life in the south were slaves had better opportunities. They went over their limitations not only gain their freedom but also were able to speak and recorded their own experiences. In the case of Polly Shine was interview by the Works Progress Administration (WPA) in 1938. The WPA set many different questions that Polly answered according to her experiences. Polly reveals many facts that were very cruel for slaves in her slavery time.
2. Both of these stories were written after the fact: the Crafts’ ten years following the emancipation and Polly Shine’s after about seven decades. Evaluate the role memory plays in these accounts, and consider the ways in which it distorts or possibly authenticates the narrator’s experiences.
Even it took a long time to publish these two stories. The slave experiences were accurate. Many slaves suffered the same treatment. Most of the slaves did not have the chance to publish their stories but it is a fact that slaves have no rights and were used to prosper their masters. So masters had to impose many rules to control their slaves. Masters could not be nice with their slaves because they could lose their power and as a consequence lose their fortune. The mistreatment that slaves suffered was so traumatic that stayed in their memories for ever.
1. What were the implications of the system of slavery for southern white and black women?
People on the south were wealthy because of their big production of cotton, rice, sugar, and tobacco produce by the slaves. The production was the social, political, and cultural center of slavery society (155). Women life was different from the women in the north. Men from the south protected their women. They were jealous of their women’s honor and families. For women was a virtue to consider men the head of their families. An indifference to men would not give women any social or political authority. For wealthy women maternity was not important. They had slaves to take care of their children.
2. What is the significance of the story of Harriet Jacobs for our understanding of slave women’s experiences? (pp. 166-167 “Trials of Girlhood”)
Harriet Jacobs story reflect her most cruel moments of her life. Being a slave was a very difficult situation especially for a girl because she could not protect herself of her master. She was sexually abuse by her master in her early years of adolescence. After a decade of suffering she escaped. But she encountered the agony of living in an uncomfortable place without her daughter. Finally after seven years she moved to the south with her daughter. Harriet story had a quite happy ending but not many slave women were that fortunate. Slave women live without hope and worked hard to please their masters.
1. How did characters in these two accounts reject and resist the assumptions
about black people fundamental to the slave system? On what personal resources did they draw to make their challenges?
Slaves were not allow to learn about their families and nether learn how to read and write. But there were some slaves that escape to their slavery and found a way to publish their stories. The Crafts for example planned to run away from their masters and start a new life in the south were slaves had better opportunities. They went over their limitations not only gain their freedom but also were able to speak and recorded their own experiences. In the case of Polly Shine was interview by the Works Progress Administration (WPA) in 1938. The WPA set many different questions that Polly answered according to her experiences. Polly reveals many facts that were very cruel for slaves in her slavery time.
2. Both of these stories were written after the fact: the Crafts’ ten years following the emancipation and Polly Shine’s after about seven decades. Evaluate the role memory plays in these accounts, and consider the ways in which it distorts or possibly authenticates the narrator’s experiences.
Even it took a long time to publish these two stories. The slave experiences were accurate. Many slaves suffered the same treatment. Most of the slaves did not have the chance to publish their stories but it is a fact that slaves have no rights and were used to prosper their masters. So masters had to impose many rules to control their slaves. Masters could not be nice with their slaves because they could lose their power and as a consequence lose their fortune. The mistreatment that slaves suffered was so traumatic that stayed in their memories for ever.
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