Section A: Textbook Chapter 2
1. The expectations about women’s roles were able to be challenged because men had noticed that the economy and the goods that had been created in order to help the economy was do to the help from women. Their expectations were also challenged because they were large contributors during the boycotts and had influenced many others to help with the colonial fight against the British. They had been there to aid the soldiers in time of war. Some worked as nurses while a few even fought the British themselves. As most Americans know, helping the nation in a time of war is respected by many. Many of these women put their lives on the line in order to protect the nation which is why it was easier for their role expectations to be challenged. One women had even helped her son-in-law fight off 150 British soldiers(80). Although their expectations were challenged, they were also limits to the challenges because some thought that the women were there to aid the soldiers because they were not able to live without their husbands due to financial problems they would encounter at home. Therefore, women were seen as not having the ability to be independent because their following of the soldiers showed the dependence that they still had.
2. Women had a very large role during the revolutionary era because they played a big part in helping the colonies boycott items that were taxed towards them by the English. This activity during the revolutionary era was a minor catalyst to the women’s political involvement. As women gradually received the opportunity of education, their political involvement was gradually rising as well. Activity that might be considered as political was the fact that the women took the position of “deputy husbands.” This eventually lead to the women’s speaking out against politics. An example was of Eliza Wilkinson who argued her “liberty of thought”(93). Many of the women who had the opportunity to make a choice of what stance they would take was acting politically.
3. The revolution had made legacies to women that changed the way that American society views women today. The revolution allowed women to show their importance to the nation and also gave women the opportunity to express their opinions. Even though some may think that women were not able to show their independence throughout the revolutionary era, they had done a lot to prove to themselves that people depend on them as well. The fact that they were able to compete against men in the educational field showed women of the future that anyone, regardless of gender, is capable of learning anything they put their minds to.
Section B: Source Interpretation Chapter 2
4. Rush an Murray say that it is important for women to complete their educational goals in order to teach their children how to become better citizens of the nation. Even though they do agree with educating women, their intent is to educate women on what they will teach their family as mothers. They do not agree that women should be educated in order to receive careers, but rather to stay in the home as housewives and assist their husbands and children using the educational credentials they received. In his article Thoughts upon Female Education, Rush states that the women “should be qualified to a certain degree,”(125) which proves that he agreed women should only receive a certain amount of education.
5. Rush’s and Murray’s ideas accord to Republican Motherhood because in Republican Motherhood, it states that women should be educated in order to teach their children the roles of being citizens. Rush and Murray both use Republican Motherhood in their articles to show how the women is needed in the home to better the lives of the family and that through education for women, the lives of the family will reach its complete potential. The articles use education as a tool to teach future mothers how to raise a family. It is the “pursuit of happiness” that every American chases and women should have the equal liberty as men to pursue their own happiness through education.
4. Rush an Murray say that it is important for women to complete their educational goals in order to teach their children how to become better citizens of the nation. Even though they do agree with educating women, their intent is to educate women on what they will teach their family as mothers. They do not agree that women should be educated in order to receive careers, but rather to stay in the home as housewives and assist their husbands and children using the educational credentials they received. In his article Thoughts upon Female Education, Rush states that the women “should be qualified to a certain degree,”(125) which proves that he agreed women should only receive a certain amount of education.
5. Rush’s and Murray’s ideas accord to Republican Motherhood because in Republican Motherhood, it states that women should be educated in order to teach their children the roles of being citizens. Rush and Murray both use Republican Motherhood in their articles to show how the women is needed in the home to better the lives of the family and that through education for women, the lives of the family will reach its complete potential. The articles use education as a tool to teach future mothers how to raise a family. It is the “pursuit of happiness” that every American chases and women should have the equal liberty as men to pursue their own happiness through education.
4 comments:
R #2
Hello Elias,
I agree with you in that both Rush and Murray thought education would help women to better raise their children. However, I disagree in that they both believed women should only get education to be better wives and mothers. Rush did think that educated women would better assist their husbands. He also thought that an educated mother would raise her children with higher values. Murray, however, believed that women had equal intellectual capabilities as men. Additionally, she thought that proper education would help women in becoming economically independent. Most importantly, by giving the example of a single and independent woman, I think, her intention was to show that, if educated, women could achieve much more than just a good marriage.
Marianna
Tyler R #2
Hey Marianna. I agree with what you said. I think Elias may have left out a little bit of Murray's perspective on educating women. But I also think that since Murray was a woman, her points were overlooked a lot. In society when these authors were around, the main point of educating women was for their families, not for themselves and I think that is the point Elias was trying to make. Murray had wonderful ideas about why women should be educated, but at the time it was unreasonable for women to be educated solely for her own good. Don’t get me wrong, I support Murray’s ideas of education completely.
Xochitl R # 2
Hi Tyler and Marianna,
I strongly disagree with yours opinions regarding question number three, section “B”. In fact, the question was how Rush’s and Murray’s ideas agreed and how they were connected to the Republican Motherhood instead of how their ideas differ one from each other. I think Elias has a valid point and he answered the question correctly. However, I understand that you want to point out Rush’s and Murray’s different point of view. Rush wanted to get women more educated for family’s and husband’s benefit but at the same time keep them under men’s control and authority. In contrast, Murray was demanding education for women’s self economic independence and equality to men because women’s domestic work was not appreciated or recognized, yet.
GERALYNN - R2
[in response to Xochitl’s R#2]
Hello Tyler, Marianna and Xochitl. I do want commend you all for your specific point of view as well as evidence to support. I do have to agree with Xochitl on her argument of the basis of Rush’s and Murray’s ideas. I do not agree with you, Tyler/Marianna. I think Xochitl was right on point in explaining Rush/Murray’s reasoning. Rush’s view of education is geared more toward the patriarchal system, in which women were educated for the benefit of their family (more specifically their sons). Also, this viewpoint did keep the women suppressed under male control. Murray, on the other hand, was more for the liberation of women. Murray viewed education for women as a door opener for equality and independence.
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