The title of this chapter is rather self explanatory, but chapter three talks most specifically about the different types of families seen throughout history. Whether these families are colonoists from England, American Indians, African Americans, or Mexican Americans, they all seemed to find their way in to the American melding-pot. If anything, history shows us that inequality between men and women is not new and was rather common in the 18 and 1900's. Women were expected to take care of the family and produce children while men were to 'bring home the bacon.' Children of this era were expected to be obedient and follow the rules. The home was considered to be a self-sufficient bussiness, a school for learning, a vocational institute including apprenticeships, a church, a correctional institution, and a welfare institution that provided the family with medical care. Men and women were to be married for support rather than love and soon double standards were formed as was a normal occurence. Women were pointed out, sometimes in news articles, for their adultory; while men were looked down upon for cheating, yet never punished. Men beating, cheating, or mistreating thier wives was normally seen as something ordinary; however was not practised. Family was a large part of these early times and many children were born; however, normally about one-third of all children did not make it past thier first birthday, and a large number died before reaching the age of 30. This type of devestation to the family made it difficult for many families to continue after migrating to America. During these times there were great inequalities between races and classes and for most, time was better spent trying to encourage and maintain this inequality. Men and women found themselves also fighting for power as the years wore on to the near present.
I found the double-standard between men and women at this time period to be extremely interesting. Knowing that many of the standards we are held to today, were common and just as frequent in the past gives me a connection that I had never really seen previously.
A question that comes to mind while reading this chapter is why did women not simply rise up and stand up for themselves sooner. The probability that there were some men who found such practises to be un-godly is seemeingly high and I believe the support may have been there had the women taken a risk.
Greg,
ReplyDeleteI think that women didn't stand up for themselves earlier because this
idea as women as second best in American society was a norm that was not questioned by most women until the beginning of the 20th century. Standing up against something that you never have thought about as abnormal or even bad is nearly impossible. I would like to think that some women did take the risk and stand up for themselves as you say but I think they were probably met with distrust and ignored by the more powerful American institutions even if their husbands supported them.
-Ali Mosser
I like what Ali said when she stated, "Standing up agasint something that you never have thought about as abnormal or even bad is nearly impossible." I don't think women knew any better. I think that they thought that what they had was the best that life could give them. They were never shown any different, so how would they know? I think another reason why women didn't stand up for themsevles may be because they knew what the "consequence" would have been. I think if they would have tried they would have either been punished, or mentally and physically hurt. Men completley ignored women, but women had no idea of anything different.
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