Woman's Life in Colonial Days Format: Paperback

Holliday, Carl

ISBN 10: 0486408973 / ISBN 13: 9780486408972

Editore: Dover Publishers, 1999

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• Titolo: Woman's Life in Colonial Days Format: Paperback
• Editore: Dover Publishers
• Data di pubblicazione: 1999
• Lingua: Inglese
• ISBN 10: 0486408973
• ISBN 13: 9780486408972
• Rilegatura: Brossura
• Condizione: New

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Riassunto

What was life like for women in the American colonies? Did colonial women lead the sober, cheerless lives of hardship often portrayed by later generations? Professor Holliday's classic study, drawn from a wide range of sources, suggests otherwise. Dispelling images of the lives of colonial woman as endless gloom and suffering, accompanied by fear of pleasure, and repression of normal emotions, Holliday shows that colonial women knew love and passion, felt longing and aspiration, used the heart and the brain, and often led rich, fulfilling lives.
Studying letters, diaries, and contemporary accounts, Holliday finds that the women of the New England and Southern colonies often were well educated, politically astute, charming hostesses under the most adverse circumstances, and capable of managing their husbands' business when necessary. Life as a colonial woman was difficult, however, in the best of circumstances, and this fascinating glimpse of the day-to-day lives and activities of colonial women reveals the hardships they endured, regardless of social station. The rigors of childbirth, the death of children, the ravages of war, accidents, and disease, and the sheer physical strain of colonial life weighed upon all women.
Although their lives often were harsh, and always were filled with hard work, colonial women sustained a variety of interests common to many modern women: domestic skills, religion, education, marriage, children, personal adornment, and social life. These topics and many more are thoroughly examined in this charmingly, thoughtfully written and well-documented account that pays tribute to the courage, faith, and endurance of American women in colonial days.

Contenuti

CHAPTER I COLONIAL WOMAN AND RELIGION I. The Spirit of Woman The Suffering of Women The Era of Adventure Privation and Death in the First Colonial Days "Descriptions by Prince, Bradford, Johnson, etc." Early Concord II. Woman and Her Religion Its Unyielding Quality Its Repressive Effect on Woman Wigglesworth's Day of Doom What It Taught Woman Necessity of Early Baptism Edwards' Eternity of Hell Torment Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God Effect on Womanhood Personal Devils Dangers of Earthly Love God's Sudden Punishments III. Inherited Nervousness Fears in Childhood Theological Precocity IV. Woman's Day of Rest Sabbath Rules and Customs A Typical Sabbath V. Religion and Women's Foibles Religious Regulations Effect on Dress Women's Singing in Church Southern Opinion of Northern Severity Effect of Feminine Repression VI. Women's Comfort in Religion An Intolerant Era Religious Gatherings for Women Formal Meetings with Mrs. Hutchinson Causes of Complaint Meetings of Quaker Women VII. Female Rebellion The Antiomians Activities of Anne Hutchinson Her Doctrines Her Banishment Emotional Starvation Dread of Heresy Anne Hutchinson's Death VIII. Woman and Witchcraft Universal Belief in Witchcraft Signs of Witchcraft Causes of the Belief Lack of Recreation Origin of Witchcraft Mania Echoes from the Trials Waning of the Mania IX. Religion Outside of New England First Church in Virginia Southern Strictness Woman's Religious Testimony Religious Sanity The Dutch Church General Conclusions CHAPTER II COLONIAL WOMAN AND EDUCATION I. Feminine Ignorance Reasons The Evidence in Court Records Dame's Schools School Curriculum Training in Home Duties II. Woman's Education in the South Jefferson's Advice Private Tutors General Interest in Education Provision in Wills III. Brilliant Exceptions to Female Ignorance Southern and Northern Women Contrasted Unusual Studies for Women Eliza Pinckney Jane Turrell Abigail Adams IV. Practical Education Abigail Adams' Opinion Importance of Bookkeeping Franklin's Advice V. Educational Frills Female Seminaries Moravian schools Dancing Etiquette Rules for Eating Mechanical Aids Toward Uprightness Complaints of Educational Poverty Fancy Sewing General Conclusions CHAPTER III. COLONIAL WOMAN AND THE HOME I. Charm of the Colonial Home Lack of Counter Attractions Neither Saints nor Sinners in the Home II. Domestic Love and Confidence The Winthrop Love Letters Edwards' Rhapsody Further Examples Descriptions of Home Life Mrs. Washington and Mrs. Hamilton at Home III. Domestic Toil and Strain South vs. North Lack of Conveniences Silver and Linen Colonial Cooking Cooking Utensils Specimen Meals Home Manufactures IV. Domestic Pride Effect of Anti-British Sentiment Spinning Circles Dress-Making V. Special Domestic Tasks Supplying Necessities Candles Soap Herbs Neighborly Co-operation "Social " Bees" VI. The Size of the Family Large Families an Asset Astonishing Examples Infant Death-Rate Children as Workers VII. Indian Attacks Suffering of Captive Women Mary Rowlandson's Account Returning the Kidnapped VIII. Parental Training Co-operation Between Parents Cotton Mather as Disciplinarian Sewall's Methods Eliza Pickney's Motherliness New York Mothers Abigail Adams to Her Son IX. Tributes to Colonial Mothers Judge Sewall's Noble Words Other Specimens of Praise John Lawson's Views Woman's Strengthening Influence X. Interest in the Home Franklin's Interest Evidence from Jefferson Sewall's Affection Washington's Relaxation John Adams with the Children Examples of Considerateness Mention of Gifts XI. Woman's Sphere Opposition to Broader Activities A Sad Example Opinions of Colonial Leaders Woman's Contentment with Her Sphere Woman's Helpfulness Distress of Mrs. Benedict Arnold XII. Women in Business Husbands' Confidence in Wives' Shrewdness Evidence from Franklin Abigail Adams as Manager General Conclusions CHAPTER IV COLONIAL WOMAN AND DRESS I. Dress Regulation by Law Magistrates vs. Women Fines II. Contemporary Descriptions of dress Effect of Wealth and Travel Madame Knight's Descriptions "Testimony by Sewall, Franklin, Abigail Adams" III. Raillery and Scolding Nathaniel Ward on Woman's Costume Newspaper Comments Advertisement of Hoop Petticoats Evidence on the Size of Hoops Hair-Dressing Feminine Replies to Raillery IV. Extravagance in Dress Chastellux's Opinion Evidence from Account Books Children's Dress Fashions in Philadelphia and New York A Gentleman's Dress Dolly Madison's Costume The Meschiansza A Ball Dress Dolls as Models Men's Jokes on Dress Increase in Cost of Raiment CHAPTER V COLONIAL WOMAN AND SOCIAL LIFE I. Southern Isolation and Hospitality Progress through Wealth Ca Fast Days Scant Attention to Thanksgiving and Christmas How Bradford Stopped Christmas Observation Sweall's Records of Christmas A Century Later VIII. Social Restrictions Josselyn's Account of New England Restraints Growing Laxity Sara Knight's Description Severity in 1780 Laws Against Lodging Relatives of the Opposite Sex What Could not be Done in 1650 Husking Parties and Other Community Efforts IX. Dutch Social Life Its Pleasant Familiarity Mrs. Grant's Descriptions of Early New York Normal Pleasures Love of Flowers and Children Love of Eating Mrs. Grant's Record Disregard for Religion Mating the Children Picnicking Peculiar Customs at Dutch Funerals X. British Social Influences Increase of Wealth The Schuyler Home Mingling of Gaiety and Economy A Description in 1757 Foreign Astonishment at New York Display Richness of Woman's Adornment Card-Playing and Dancing Gambling in Society XI. Causes of Display and Frivolity Washington's Punctiliousness Mrs. Washington's Dislike of Stateliness Disgust of the Democratic Senator Maclay's Description of a Dinner by Washington Permanent Benefit of Washington's Formality Elizabeth Southgate's Record of New York Pastimes XII. Society in Philadelphia Social Welcome for the British Early Instruction in Dancing Formal Dancing Assemblies XIII. The Beauty of Philadelphia Women Abigail Adams' Description The Accomplished Mrs. Bingham Introduction of Social Fads Contrasts with New York Belles XIV. Social Functions Lavish Use of Wealth at Philadelphia Washington's Birthday Martha Washington in Philadelphia Domestic Ability of the Belles Franklin and his Daughter General Wayne's Statement about Philadelphia Gaiety XV. Theatrical Performances Their Growth in Popularity Washington's Liking for Them Mrs. Adams' Description "First Performance in New York, Charleston, Williamsburg, Baltimore" Invading the Stage Throwing Missiles XVI. Strange Customs in Louisiana Passion for Pleasure Influence of Creoles and Negroes Habitat for Sailors and West Indian Ruffians Reasons for Vice Accounts by Berquin-Duvallon Commonness of Concubinage Alliott's Description Reasons for Aversion to Marriage Corruptness of Fathers and Sons Drawing the Color Line Race Prejudice at Balls Fine Qualities of Louisiana White Women Excess in Dress Lack of Education Berquin-Duvallon's Disgust The Murder of Babes General Conclusions CHAPTER VI COLONIAL WOMAN AND MARRIAGE I. New England Weddings Lack of Ceremony and merrymaking Freedom of Choice for Women The Parents' Permission Evidences from Sewall Penalty for the Toying with the Heart The Dowry II. Judge Sewall's Courtships Independence of Colonial Women Sewall and Madam Winthrop His Friends' Urgings His Marriage to Mrs. Tilley Madam Winthrop's Hard-Hearted Manner Sewall Looks Elsewhere for a Wife Success Again III. Liberty to Choose Eliza Pinckney's Letter on the Matter Betty Sewall's Rejection of Lovers IV. The Banns and the Ceremony Banns Required in Nearly all Colonies Prejudice against the Service of Preachers Sewall's Descriptions of Weddings Sewall's Efforts to Prevent Preachers from Officiating Refreshments at Weddings Increase in Hilarity V. Matrimonial Restrictions Reasons for Them Frequency of Bigamy Monthly Fines Marriage with Relatives VI. Spinsters Youthful Marriages Bachelors and Spinsters Viewed with Suspicion Fate of Old Maids Description of a Boston Spinster. VII. Separation and Divorce Rarity of Them Separation in Sewall's Family Its Tragedy and Comedy VIII. Marriage in Pennsylvania Approach Toward Laxness Ben Franklin's Marriage Quaker Marriages Strange Mating among Moravians Dutch Marriages IX. Marriage in the South Church Services Required by Public Sentiment Merrymaking Buying Wives Indented Servants John Hammond's Account of Them X. Romance in Marriage Benedict Arnold's Proposal "Hamilton's Opinion of His " Betty" The Charming Romance of Agnes Surrage XI. Feminine Independence Treason at the Tongue's End Independence of the Schuyler Girls. XII. Matrimonial Advice Jane Turell's Advice to Herself XIII. Matrimonial Irregularities Frequency of Them Cause of Such Troubles Winthrop's Record of Cases Death as a Penalty Law against Marriage of Relatives No Discrimination in Punishment because of Sex Sewall's Accounts of Executions Use of the Scarlet Letter Records by Howard Custom of Bundling Its Origin Adultery between Indented White Women and Negroes Punishment in Virginia Instances of the Social Evil in New England Less Shame among Colonial Men XIV. Violent Speech and Action Rebellious Speech against the Church Amazonian Wives Citations from Court Records Punishments for Slander CHAPTER VII COLONIAL WOMAN AND THE INITIATIVE I. Religious Initiative Anne Hutchinson's Use of Brains Bravery of Quaker Women Perseverance of Mary Dyer Martyrdom of Quakers II. Commercial Initiative Dabbling in State Affairs Women as Merchants Mrs. Franklin in Business Pay for Women Teachers Wome