History of Women in the United States Essay

Purpose: To inform the audience about History of women in the United States.

Thesis Statement: The changing gender roles in American society are best depicted through a tour of the history of the United States.

Introduction

Interesting opening statement: “Like their personal lives, women’s history is fragmented, interrupted; a shadow history of human beings whose existence has been shaped by the efforts and the demands of others.” – Elizabeth Janeway (Janeway)

Relevance: History of women in North America has been marred by masculine bias and dominance. Jane Austen believes that history talks of all that is done by men and is irrelevant, but never of women: “But history, real solemn history, I cannot be interested in…I read it a little as a duty, but it tells me nothing that does not either vex or weary me. The quarrels of popes and kings, with wars or pestilences, in every page; the men are all so good for nothing, and hardly any women at all — it is very tiresome.” (Austen) It has been a long journey for women – from being second-class citizens confined to the interior life of home and childcare. A documentary made by the History Channel on Women’s History pointed out that it was not until the mid-nineteenth century was the women’s right movement started in the US. The history of US talks of women only after the mid-19^th century and so our time starts then.

Credibility: I am a student of gender studies and am well acquainted with women who have made their mark in the history of the US. I have come across women who were the unsung heroes and supporters of the most admired men in the US as well as women who were famous for their own deed.

Thesis: The changing gender roles in American society are best depicted through a tour of the history of the United States. US history is smeared with women who have shared their lives with many famous women and so to better understand them it is necessary to understand the changing position and work of women chronologically.

Preview: So let us begin our historic journey through the lives of women who have left a permanent imprint on American history.

Transition: What does the early women’s history have to tell us?

Early Women’s History

Women losing the right to vote in many American states in the late 18^th century or those where she is considered to be a sub-set to their male counterparts? Women in early America did not have the right to their own property, sign a contract or maintain their own wages (Women’s History Resources ). The conventional idea during the time was the intensity of physical or intellectual activity would be too much for the fragile biology of a woman. Therefore, women were restrained from pursuing serious education and were idolized as objects of beauty. This idea was predominant in the early American history.

Daniel Defoe in his article titled (On) The Education Of Women states, “I have often thought of it as one of the most barbarous customs in the world, considering us as a civilized and a Christian country, that we deny the advantages of learning to women. We reproach the sex every day with folly and impertinence; while I am confident, had they the advantages of education equal to us, they would be guilty of less than ourselves.” (Defoe)

However the only occupation that women were granted to do were as servants and midwifes, and that too due to dire financial needs. The roles of women were confined to their house and no more.

Transition: Though women were no better off in active participation in social life, they were more silent partners with their husbands or families in shaping the nation.

Women in 19^th Century US

First, we will talk about women who featured silently along with famous men as mother, or wife, or daughters and made a definite impact on history. In this respect, one must mention Abigail Adams (1744-1818). She was the wife of the second President of the United States, President John Adams, and mother of President John Quincy Adams. She was known to have an active interest in politics and bore Federalist ideals. She was one of the forerunners of women’s rights. In addition, there were other first ladies who assumed the cause of betterment of the US social life and nation.

Did you know a woman first made the American Flag? Yes, the American flag was made by a woman named Betsy Ross. Some women fought wars like the daring Deborah Sampson, who truly depicted the women of power as she fought in the Revolutionary War disguised as a man, and Mary Ludwig Hays McCauley “Molly Pitcher”. Thus in the 19^th century there were numerous women who excelled as writers, social activists, medical practitioners, education, etc. Names like Florence Nightingale, Susan B. Anthony, Lucy Stone, Harriet Beecher Stowe, etc. will always remain fixed in the mind of American history. These women broke the bondage of being domesticated as procreators and homemakers, and came out as individuals in their own right. These women brought forward the true cause for women in the US.

Transition: Industrial revolution ushered in the changes in the lives of women in the US.

Changing Roles

From the advent of 20^th century, there arose women of means. Women, who earned degrees, fought wars, took up professional qualification and competed in the men’s world. In this respect, we come across famous women like Elizabeth Blackwell, the first woman physician and founder of New York Infirmary for Women and Children and Women’s Medical College. During this time, there came famous female authors like Emily Dickenson and Louisa May Alcott, painters and sculptors like Mary Cassatt and Edmonia Lewis, scientist Marie Curie, and many more. Evidently, during this period there was a transformation of domestic and social structure where women were gradually breaking the shackles of domestic life and becoming independent.

Transition: I have so far explored the upward movement of women up in social hierarchy in the speech.

Conclusion

Thesis/Summary: The changing roles of women in US history show the tale of changing gender roles in US social history.

Memorable Close: Women have been transgressed throughout history. However, it was they who slowly made their mark in a patriarchal world and etched their name in history. Today women in the US have attained a position wherein they are no longer subjugated by men; rather walk with them as true equals.

Reference

Austen, Jane. Wisdomequote. 2009. Web.

Defoe, Daniel. Brainly Quotes. 2009. Web.

Janeway, Elizabeth. iWise. 2009. Web.

Women’s History Resources. 2002. Web.