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.