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Women 's Movements During Post Revolution Ideals Of The World

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Antebellum Reforms in Women’s Movements

Post revolution ideals of the world were drastically altered by the emergence of the first republican government and the virtues it espoused; this cultivated Republican Motherhood, the idea that in this new society, men had to grow to be citizens with republican morals and it was the woman’s responsibility to become an educated, rational and virtual being to enforce these ideals upon children in order to foster a republican society. This eventually led to the Cult of Domesticity that abandoned the principles of republicanism and gave further a purpose for women to remain in the household and manage domestic activities. This northern middle class movement was in part gratifying to women as they were viewed through a lense of extended parity and purpose, though it also hindered the displayal of independent intelligence. Although this antebellum movement was partially degrading, it did bring about discussion of women’s suffrage and their hand in abolitionist and temperance movements for the first time. Responses to this varied, from radical ideas of feminism to submissive acceptance of their new separate sphere resulting in a wide shift in middle class conflicts of a woman’s place in a family as well as a family’s place in society. These radical ideals though, did not transfer to the south, lower classes or slaves; these working classes found their place in factory work and slaves, especially slave women, held next to no rights at all.

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