Frontier Women In Westward Expansion

In First Generations Women in Colonial America, Carol Berkin demonstrates the social, political, and economic circumstances that shaped and influenced the lives of women during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries in the colonies. In exploring these women’s lives and circumstances it becomes clear that geography, race, ethnicity, religion, social class, and other factors less fixed such as war each influenced a woman’s experience differently and to varying degrees. In doing this, Berkin first showcases the life of a specific woman and then transposes that life onto the general historical framework and provides a context in which this woman would have lived. The lives of these women exemplified is also explored and demonstrated through the use of comparison to highlight their different experiences. Moreover, this analysis also seeks to identify the varied sources of these women’s power, albeit for many this power was limited. The analysis is broken up primarily by geography, then by race, and lastly by time and war. While these factors provide the overarching context of analysis, more specific factors are also introduced.

In the mid-1800s, many Americans began to move westward, with a variety of motivations. Farmers were drawn west by all of the fertile, open land in the west, offered to them cheap by the Homestead Act. The California Gold Rush was another reason many moved west. Gold was discovered in California, and miners flocked there, hoping to strike it rich. Additionally, cattle ranchers were attracted to the west because their beef cattle thrived on the abundant grasses and open range of the Great Plains. Later on, newly built railroads, including the first transcontinental railroad, made transportation of people and goods west much more feasible, and opened the West to rapid settlement (History Alive). Although Westward Expansion was a time of full

They had the burdens of traveling while pregnant and childbearing as well as the rituals of attending to the sick and dying and the caring of infants and the caring and irritable children. Women also felt themselves in antagonistic relationship with them but more often than not when they maintain their silence. This is expressed in this journal account written by Miriam Davis, “ I have cooked so much out in the hot sun and smoke, I hardly know who I am, and when I look into the little Looking Glass I ask “ can this be me?” Put a blanket over my head and I would pass well for an Osage squaw.” The Westward Expansion was the leading outlet for women to try to break the stereotype of domestic femininity. Proving yet the strength and courage women have always had.

The Forty Niners were the gold prospectors. The Forty Niners were tens of thousands of men and many fewer women. Who all migrated to California in 1849 after they heard there was gold in 1848. The Forty Niners travelled there both land and sea from the East, hoping to make it rich. And the reason why the 49er’s are called that is because it comes from the name given to the gold prospectors who arrived in Northern California around 1849 during the Gold Rush. The name was suggested to reflect the voyagers who had rushed the West for gold.

“Some women fear the fire, some women simply become it.” - R.H. Sin. During Colonial America, women weren’t as valued as in current day. In Colonial times, women worked around the house, didn’t have legals rights, some were wealthy and others were slaves and others lived in the city.

America into an "empire for liberty". He made that happen by expanding westward, to create "room enough for our descendants to the thousandth and thousandth generation”. This westward expansion is also known as the "manifests destiny", where many Americans was our God-given right to expand to the Pacific Ocean and into Mexican Territory.

Lincoln's election meant the end of southern life, that was the perception in the South (Schultz,n.d.). If the west became free states, Southerners believed that the government would outlaw slavery. The election only ignited more tension than was already there. The south began to talk about succession from the Union. and the economical state played an intricate part in the beginning of the war. The south developed differently than the north because they were more dependent on crops and slavery.They believed that reliance on the river ways could sustain the economy in the region, it did to an extent. The north, on the other hand, developed as a result of the market revolution with communication and transportation.

Prompt: Using information you gathered from a variety of texts, write a letter from the chosen group’s point of view, stating their opinion of Westward Expansion by answering the question, “Was Westward Expansion worth it?” Quote evidence from the text to support your claim.

From the years 1800-1850 the nation was filled with battles and affluence. Westward Expansion was America's inclination to possess western territories that have yet to be claimed or negotiate claims with other countries. Expansion of the U.S. was a cause for most battles fought during this time; however, our nation was continuing to prosper. Under, the idea of Manifest Destiny which was the belief that the United States was divinely made to expand from coast to coast, the country began to use any means necessary to expand. Among these were battles, purchases from other countries, and treaties. Conflicts during this period included, but not limited to, The Oregon Territory, Louisiana Purchase, and the Mexican-American war. I believe Westward expansion was an

Throughout history, many debates have occurred over national events. Whether it be the Civil War or the robotic revolution, each event leaves behind a mark on our history, changing our nation. In addition, these events also spark controversy among the American people. One of these moments that many people look back on with either support or opposition is the western expansion of the United States. This topic of the United States expansion was a highly controversial topic among people.

“Evolution is a process of constant branching and expansion.” That quote, once said by Stephen Jay Gould, can represent the Westward Expansion of the United States. In the early 1800s, the United States started trying to expand west. The U.S. acquired Florida, Texas, the Gadsden Territory, the Mexican Cession, the Oregon Territory, and the Louisiana Territory. All of those acquisitions helped evolve the United States into what it is today. Almost all of the land we own is from the Westward Expansion. Unfortunately, the United States were greedy and had to keep branching and expanding out west in order to become a more powerful country. The actions that the U.S. chose to expand were not just to harm others. In fact, none of the acquisitions in the Westward Expansion were through war. The reason for the United States’ actions was to acquire more land, and some of the time, the opposing country would refuse a treaty, and the U.S. showed their greed by attacking those pieces of land, trying to force the opposing country to cede the land. Therefore, the U.S. was greedy and would use any way that it could to acquire land from other countries

Most diaries from women on the westward journey show that they struggled with upholding their roles as wives and mothers, but they did the best they could under the circumstances. Most of their responsibilities were similar to those they had at home. Cooking cleaning, doing laundry, entertaining children etc. was women’s work, but these obligations were much more difficult being in the middle of nowhere. Women also had extra duties, such as packing up the wagon, making sure their children were with them, and taking on their husband’s role when he fell sick. It was common for children to be left behind amongst all the chaos, fall out of the wagon, or become struck with a disease. Mothers could only watch helplessly and had to continue with

This text is a sampling of times, places, and people of the Westward Expansion. A teacher teaching the Westward Expansion will find historical images and stories behind the historical times and the sheet music that correlates to the topics. This cross-curricular resource allows for the stories to be read and the pictures to study, and ultimately the music to be incorporated into the classroom learning. Ultimately this book can be utilized to bring adventure, danger, dreams, and the realities of American life during the Westward Expansion to come alive for students. This will make history fun for all students, allowing students to build more of a connection to the past. This is another great resource but because I don’t teach Western Expansion

The women who ventured out west with their husbands and children had many responsibilities. While they were moving, the women had to keep the children entertained as well as keep everybody healthy. The women were responsible for cooking and cleaning while the men drove the wagons. During the times when they took breaks from traveling or for the night, the women had to continue to watch the children while also cooking days worth of food ahead of time and washing and mending clothes. Further on during the journey, the women began to take part in the men’s usual chores. They would help their husbands drive the wagons, take care of the cattle, and search for buffalo chips to be used as fuel. However, even though the men and women were doing the

Since the beginning of the colonial process, Indigenous bodies have been seen as disposable. The dehumanization of the Indigenous body and the creation of the other, has allowed for the destruction of Indigenous Femininity. A system rooted in epistemic violence created by the colonial era. Continues to affect how Indigenous women are treated in modern societies. The demotion from “Indian Queen”, an exotic and powerful presence in colonial societies, to the “Dirty Squaw”, a figure depicted as lazy, and troublesome. Indigenous women have struggled to be seen as human people, rather than sexual object in the minds of the white settlers. A systematic dehumanization though through the process of epistemic violence. Which continues to affect how Indigenous women are treated today.