Native American Gender Roles
Women have not always had an easy life. In order to fully understand and analyze a period of time, a full examination of women?s everyday life is necessary. Although, through history, inferior to men, the roles of and status of women in the sixteenth, seventeenth, and eighteenth century America, contributing to a prosperous society. The gender roles and status of women had some similarities, but overall differed greatly between the Native American women, the European American women, and the enslaved African Women.Women had very active roles in Native American culture. They were always busy in the camps, often carried heavy burdens, attended to the household duties, made the clothing, and prepared the food for the family. The women have been depicted as the slave of her husband, but a patient beast of encumbrance whose labors were never done. This was not true at all. The men and the women often shared the obligations of life. ?Men took responsibility for fishing as well as the hunting, whereas women harvested and prepared the products of wild plants, including the grinding and milling of seeds. The men?s work activities entitled travel, while the women?s activities were to stay close
Such variances in gender roles further exemplify the diversity that existed among Native Americans. As soon as she married her husband, she lost all legal existence. Slaves worked for a far longer period of time then any other woman had to. Although women had the legal privilege to divorce a bad husband, she did not have any legal right under the law. Spinning, weaving and stitching made all clothing. Before a woman was twenty-five years of age, she was expected to be married with at least on child. A man who believed that woman were separate (but equal) to men would give his wife more freedom than a man who believed that woman were inferior to men. She had to please her husband, bear and raise children, educate her children, and manage all daily household activities. They both did many of the work around the house and they took care of all of the cooking and the raising of most children. The women primarily worked in the fields and the men built the frame of their living areas. The widow was able to take over her husband?s business, trade and property. Part of the role of the woman was to take raw goods and turn them into useful items, such as food, candles, and clothing. Woman could have more legal rights depending on their marital status and attitudes of her husband if she was married. There were not that many women that were forced to be slaves. Women?s roles have drastically changed through time.
Common topics in this essay:
Native American,
Native Americans,
European Americans,
Anglo-America Boyer,
Native America,
African American,
Class Discussion,
Roles Women,
Americans African,
native americans,
Europeans Americans,
gender roles,
legal rights,
american women,
european americans,
women slaves,
native america women,
packing unpacking,
labor women,
women shared,
women treated,
americans european americans,
roles status women,
native americans european,
|
Acceptance Essays
