COMPARING THE ROLES OF WOMEN IN THE COLONIES

New England and the Chesapeake

Women in New England

Literate Household work

Kitchen gardens Livestock Gathering fuel and water

Conducted trade with other wives for vegetables, milk and eggs

Women in New England

Married women could NOT Make contracts Own property Vote Hold office

A subject of her husband High birth rate- expect to bear 8-10

children High life expectancy- up to 70 years (longer

than in England)

Women were midwives Relied upon for the delivery of town babies

Society Tightly knit villages Built around the meetinghouse Town meetings with direct democracy Congregational Church Central planning

Women in New England

Under suspicion Unable to bear children Widows Economically independent Assertive / Independent in nature Different religious views

Salem Witch Trials

Massachusetts (1692)

Women persecuted for being “different”

Accusations 20 people- tried,

condemned and executed

Feared differences

Women in the Chesapeake

Women in the Chesapeake

More men than women Early endeavors involved men only

Female indentured servants were subject to sexual abuse Limited number of single females made the

trip Women outlived men

Remarried quickly with choices Bargained for $$ and land

Women in the Chesapeake

A matriarchy Much wealth and power held by widows

Community- weaker than New England High mortality rate

In some areas- 20 yrs. old Smaller families Weaker family bonds

Children seldom had both biological parents living

Lacked grandparents

Women in the Chesapeake

Women retained property rights while married This was because of the likelihood of

spousal loss