The document provides an overview of the roles of women in the three colonial regions of British North America: 1) In the Southern colonies, women faced tough conditions including disease, short lifespans, and high rates of remarriage. Married women were legally subordinated to their husbands. Indentured servitude was common, especially for transporting tobacco. African American women faced slavery and separation from their families. 2) In the New England colonies, Puritan women married early and had large families. They were expected to bear children, keep house, and produce goods. Women could be punished for behaviors outside of social norms like preaching or having children out of wedlock. 3) The Middle

1. The Colonies

2. I. Southern ColoniesII. New England ColoniesIII. Middle Colonies

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5. I. Southern Colonies

6. A. White Women Newcomers150 Tobacco brides were sent between 1620-1621Passages paid for with 120 pounds of tobaccoGave males a sexual partner as well as help on the farm14% womenAfter 1700’s becomes male to female ratio becomes more balanced

7. B. Tough ConditionsDisease wiped out many of themLife span men 48 and women 3933% of couples expect their marriage to last 10 years or moreRemarrying was common

8. C. PatriarchalLoose compared to EuropeDaughters were sometimes left inheritance because the lifespan was so short

9. D. Married WomenSubordinated their legal identity to her husbandChildren and property all belonged to the husbandMen responsible for all legal actionsWith the adoption of slavery in the 1700’s, wealthier women sometimes would read and write, play music, and do needlework

10. Dower Right1/3 of the estate went to the wife if her husband diedSometimes they would receive more

11. E. Indentured ServantsProperty of masters for a fixed period of timeUsually 4-7 years¾ migrated to the Chesapeake were indentured servantsSent to the tobacco fieldsSome sexually exploited but couldn’t marry20% became pregnant which hurt their ability to work

12. F. African-American WomenTremendously changed the life of white womenAt first came over as indentured servants1643, law placed a tax on the labor of African women1662, established a law that said if your mom was free, you were free, but if your mom was a slave, you were a slave

13. AA FamiliesNo marriage and unions hard to obtainSeparated through sale, which left the mother in charge of the children3 kids was the averagePlanted rice by digging a hole with their heal and dropping seed, then covered it up with their footBy 1720’s 9 kids was the average

14. II. New England Colonies

15. A. PuritansPersecuted in England4 to 1 male to female ratioWomen married early7.8 children per familyHierarchy in place with established rolesImpotence and desertion were two things that could led to divorce

16. Sex out of wedlock accepted as long as they marriedWomen that had children without a father present were ridiculed publicly and could face punishmentSchooling not as important for girls as they were for boys

17. B. Disorderly WomenAnne HutchinsonInterpreted women’s roles and the Bible differentlyHeld informal religious meetings in her homeTrial in 1637 said that “she was a husband rather than a wife, a preacher rather than a listener, and a magistrate rather than a subject”Banished from Massachusetts and moved to Rhode Island

18. C. WitchcraftMost dramatic crime associated with womenSalem Witchcraft trials in 1692 had 200 accused and 19 hungSatan’s servantsUnique power?Women that were speaking out had to be possessed because they knew better than to defy gender roles

19. D. Women’s WorkChildbearing, Childrearing, and food makingProduced candles, soap, made clothesMany women worked togetherSpoke on behalf of husbands estate when he was awayAfrican-American women taught skill in “housewifery”

20. III. Middle Colonies

21. A. Women in NY and New NetherlandsDutch ruleThey could chose a marriage like what was prevalent in other ColoniesThey could chose to be equal, have the same rights, maintain legal identity, and maiden nameChildren did not receive inheritance until both parents died

22. This changed when the English started to have a greater influence in these colonies

23. B. PennsylvaniaEstablished by William Penn and the QuakersEgalitarian societyBelieved that women should not be subordinate to menWomen could teach and preachRural areas were different as servitude was needed among womenFemale slaves were also maids