How Did The Iroquois Confederacy Influence Feminism

In the early American colonies, women who had money, schooling, or special skills were sometimes able to hold the upper hand in their household. Unfortunately, most women in the patriarchal family, did not have as many rights. They were to perform different everyday jobs and were rightfully controlled by

The demand for independence and equality were perhaps the most driving catalysts of the American Revolution, but given that these ideals only applied to white men at the time, I wonder how many women imagined that they would ever enjoy such liberties. In the nineteenth century, it was assumed that the natural order of society dictated that men and women were predestined to live out their lives as they always had. Women were expected to be submissive, obedient, and subservient to the men around them. Women 's struggle for equality has been a long-fought battle and continues into the present time. Those who began the crusade for women’s rights in the mid-1800s courageously defied the status quo of their time to forge the way for women to participate in every way they aspired to do so, standing up for what they believed and showing the world that women were competent, capable, and intelligent. This paper will explore how women’s role in society was transformed during the period leading up to the Civil War, providing a snapshot of the courageous people and events that shaped the futures of women in America.

During the nineteenth century, women and their constitutional rights were compromised based on the division of race and class. Upstanding causation women with powerful husbands and their status as true “citizens” was the first battle against a male-controlled government as their struggles were made visible. Due to their wealth and the color of their skin, these women were given attention as they protested male supremacy. However, the rare experiences towards women of color (African, Native-Indian) and lower class women who were forced to work under dire conditions were deemed “invisible” to this movement. Considering they did not fit the standards of race and class, their position as “women” or citizens was not fought for. Evidence of this issue lies in the document edited by Miriam Schneir “Seneca Falls Declaration of Sentiment and Resolutions” and its failure to include ethnic women. To further address the reality of degradation that slave, native, and impoverished women faced, the articles, “Cherokee women and the Trail of Tears” by Theda Purdue and “Reading Bodies and Marking Race” written by Walter Johnson and “Industrial Revolution on Women” by Dubois Dumenil will reveal the lack of political opposition and the “invisibility” of the experiences these women endured and not resolved. Discussing the “invisibility” factor that controlled the lives of Native Americans, African slaves, and lower class women, these communities were belittled as women of power and money were

In non-Indian societies, gender roles were vastly different than those of the Native American Paiutes. The settlers depended on the core values of “True Womanhood” to organize their social structure. To be considered a “True Woman,” you had to possess qualities of all of the following: married, mother, pious, submissive, fertile, young, beautiful, white, moral compass of the household, sexually pure, and no wage earning. Additionally, women were also expected to stay at home within the private sphere. Women weren’t seen as economic contributors because the work they did was “natural” and didn’t deserve a wage. White men, of course, established these roles to create a better organized society where men held the power (Class lecture 9/19/2017). Yes, it effectively gave structure and organization to the everyday lives of these settlers, but it also put women in a position where they were almost never fit into the expectations.

The first article provides a complete understanding of how Iroquois women’s cultural and traditional identity in 18th century. Carson mentions that both male and female have power in Iroquois society but they received power from different sources and present them in a variety of way. For example, woman is usually responsible for farming as to provide corns, beans, squash that they grew. The Men takes care of outdoor job such as hunting. More importantly, men tried to consolidate and extend their powers in every aspect. According to the article, “male chiefs governed the villages and the larger confederacy, but in order to build a powerful consensus behind their leadership.” As a result, this economic relationship between I men and women allow them to have right and prerogatives.

When comparing the roles of American Indian women to that of female colonists, one can see major distinctions. The first thing that is abundantly clear is that American Indian women had much more power and independence than the female colonists. Female colonists were rarely allowed to do things without the approval of their male counterparts; whereas, American Indian women often had complete control in their villages/tribes. Male colonists believed that the native women had too much leverage and authority among their tribes because they were allowed to do things that the female colonists were not, including having roles such as politicians, physicians, chiefs, and warriors. Colonial women were almost forbidden to ever take part in such lifestyles

In today’s era, women are viewed as independent significant members of society. They are allowed to hold a career, vote, pursue an education wherever they want, have access to birth control, buy homes and so much more. Women have so much more freedom today than they used to. For many years’ women had to fight for the same rights as men. This essay will discuss the oppression society placed on women and how they advanced in social positioning throughout the years. Women’s advancements in society can be seen within the writings of some great American scholars who have lived throughout these eras.

America is known for being a land of freedom and opportunity for all who reside within. However, throughout history that is not the whole truth. Freedom came with time and effort for those who fought for it. Still fighting in the front lines are women, moreover their impedance, goals, and the want to gain equality. Treacherous roads filled with centuries of misogynic upbringing and glorified objectification, a difficult journey to achieve equal ground for all genders. The words of Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Judy Brady emphasized women empowerment and equity; words that will echo on as prime examples for women rights.

From the pre¬Revolutionary War period to the early twentieth century the role of women in society has far changed. Before women were seen as subordinates and were subjected to the authority of men. Because the man was the dominator, women did not have the right to vote or own property. Women were expected to perform the duties of wives and mothers. However, women were able to rise from the power of men toward the beginning of the Civil War. During the nineteenth century many reform movements such as education brought about changes that paved the way to women’s rights. Furthermore, women started working during the Civil war because they lost their husbands in the war. In 1876 “Women’s Declaration of Independence” was read at the Centennial Exposition

Throughout the history of the world women have often been subjected to fewer rights and to a lower social class than that of men. In most societies the traditional role of the woman was the role of wife, mother, and caretaker. Women endured this type of prejudiced behavior since the dawn of time until the first women’s movements began to develop during the 1800’s in the United States and Europe. These women’s movements are often referred to as feminist movements or feminism. The development of feminism in the 1800’s was a very crucial part of history because women began the long road of gaining women’s rights with the Seneca Falls Convention, the founding of the National American Woman Suffrage Association, and the first National Women’s

The patriarchy that oppresses all women is addressed by feminists that demand a chance in a male dominated world. In Indigenous communities, some find it hard to grasp the concept of equality as women held integral roles. It is important to note how colonization has impacted the feminist perspective of Indigenous women before colonization. Women were respected

From the earliest times of man, women seemed to always be seen and treated as inferior, and certainly not equal. With the birth of the United States, and the wars that followed, the female population finally gained the confidence to voice their thoughts of their roles in society. The impact of the Revolutionary War, the Civil War, and the Progressive Era impacted the roles that women played in society in momentous ways because all three of these events were times of partial chaos with which came the more confident voices of women voicing their concerns about society’s views of them. The Revolutionary War was a time when thoughts and views were not as easily muted and, because of this, women, for the first time in history, took advantage of this and voiced their concerns verbally and through their actions such as Abigail Adams and the Sons and Daughters of Liberty. Due to similar unrest, the Civil War proved to be an exceedingly important time for women because they were able to partake in a actions such as speaking out against slavery, filling male positions in factories, and even aiding wartime doctors. A final event that created arguably the most change for women is the early Progressive years and the spin off actions that followed such as the call for women’s votes, the rising leadership roles that they called for, and even their aiding of the poor and sick in places such as the Hull House.

Because women come from all races, social classes, and age, they have been an important instrument in shaping western ideology and the world. Feminism is a broad term encompassing the entirety of the historical movement in the nineteenth century and the philosophical thought leading into the twentieth century (Zophy and Kavenik 206). Although the term wasn’t popularized until the 1950’s and 60’s, it represents the ideology into the modern era. With Woman’s History being a major thread of United States history, it is important we understand the progression of women’s rights, freedoms, and feminism throughout the Colonial Era, the Woman’s Suffrage Movement, and the rise of second and third wave

In July 1848, the Seneca Falls Convention, held by Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucretia Mott, became the first meeting to be held on behalf of women’s rights. It was at this convention that the Declaration of Sentiments was drafted, and modeled after the Declaration of Independence by asserting the equality of men and women throughout the document. This was to show that men were not the only one who had the right to equality, but also woman. At the time, not everyone, even women, believe in the the idea of women being equal to men because in this century it was believe women were fragile creatures who only live within the domestic and social sphere. Within the past few decades the role of women in America changed dramatically; they have right to vote, to education, to work, etc. Yet substantial inequalities remain between women and men.

The rights and freedoms that women in the United States enjoy today did not come without struggle, and currently there is nowhere in the world women are treated equally to men. Henceforth the 17th hundreds women have been trying to affirm their position in the fabric of America. Early public policies treated wives and mothers as wards of their husbands and women in general were not considered citizens under the Constitution of the United States, the founding document referred of “men created equal”. Women were oppressed by gender and could not legally acquire land ownership, enter into contracts, initiate legal actions, acquire bank loans and wives that worked, their husbands controlled their money. Furthermore, women were barred from higher