Background:
During the colonization of the British New World by British and other numerous other European settlers in the 17th through early 19th century the life of women remained relatively static. The vast majority of colonists, particularly in New England were engage in the economic activity of subsistence farming. A family owned and operated farm relied on a large nuclear (and sometime extended) family working in order to squeeze out an existence.
Women in these households were responsible not for only cooking, cleaning and the care of young children but also in the process of carding, spinning, weaving and ultimately sewing the material necessary in making the family unit’s clothing. As time went on many households participated in the “putting out system” where they took in extra raw materials and worked one of the processes (carding, spinning, or weaving) that they then were paid by “money” by an entrepreneur for their labor.
Below, you will find a series of web links that will give you an insight into the rural life of various females of the early 19th century. Please use these sources as well as your text and other sources to respond to the following prompt.
Compare and contrast the life and expectations of 19th century rural woman to that of a 21st century woman and determine which way of life is more rewarding and fulfilling? Why?
Remember to use and cite illustrative historical details in your responses.
Diary
of Elizabeth Fuller at Fourteen
Diary
of Sally Brown
Diary
of Harriet Bradley
Historical
Sketch of Sturbridge and Southbridge
Cooking
in the 1800s
Household
Loom
Spinning
Wheel
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