1776 was the year that turned a new page in American History about women’s roles and rights. The era right after the American Revolution was considered the New United States. Women’s social status has changed significantly. It was not unusual for women to work as “printers, innkeepers, merchants, and teachers” (MacLean, 2013) during the American colonies period. However, despite that women were “excluded from political activities, but a few women, like Mercy Otis Warren and Abigail Adams” (MacLean, 2013), did. As John Adams was part of the team to produce the Declaration of Independence, his wife, Abigail Adams, on March 31, 1776, wrote a celebrated letter to him and shared that John should always keep in mind to help promoting the women’s rights as he participated in the process of the new government. John Adams seemed to be supportive.
Another lady who contributed to the women’s rights was Judith Sargent Murray. She was a “[playwright], essayist, and poet [who was] considered one of the first public champions of women’s rights in the U. S.” (U. S. History, 2014). One of her most popular essays was ‘On the Equality of the Sexes’, which brought the equality of men and women to attention. However, due to the dominant authority of men during the Revolutionary Era, the principle did not succeed. Moreover, the new roles for wives become ‘republican mothers’, who could teach their children, especially their sons, that they should be intelligent and reasonable. This made many traditional families unhappy “with it a new commitment to female education and helped make husbands and wives more equal within the family” (U. S. History, 2014). The idea of having ‘republican motherhood’ worked only for families who can afford to educate their daughters and not force their wives to work outside of the household. This did not work, however, for working white women and female slaves.
In addition, women who were married have very different rights when compare to those who were unmarried, including widows. Those women, who were in single status, including widows, had the legal rights to support themselves like men do. They “could enter into contracts, buy and sell real estate or accumulate personal property, [such as] cash, stocks and bonds, livestock and slaves” (MacLean, 2013). As long as their status as single women does not change, they can reserve those rights. However, those who were married lose all of their privileges they had when they were single.
“Staton and Susan B. Anthony formed the National Woman Suffrage Association in 1869” (MacLean, 2013), with the purpose of fighting for voting rights for women through an amendment to the U.S. Constitution. They have contributed tremendously in women’s right to vote. However, this right to vote for women did not happen until 1920.
- MacLean, M. (1 June 2013). Women’s Rights After the American Revolution. History of American Women. Retrieved from http://www.womenhistoryblog.com/2013/06/womens-rights-after-american-revolution.html.
- U.S. History. (2014). When Does the Revolution End? 13e. Revolutionary Changes and Limitations: Women. The Independence Hall Association in Philadelphia. Retrieved from http://www.ushistory.org/us/13.asp.
