Hello peoples! If you wish to get the most out of this blog post, you may want to skim my sources a bit. Most of them say things you already know, because it was the usual as far as women go: be modest, take care of the home, be a good wife (or a Goodwife). Republican motherhood is new, and might throw you for a loop, but don't worry! It's a simple concept which I will explain.
Women were often burdened down with clothing, as we shall soon see. I would ask for no comments about the first picture, but seeing as we are all hooligans, I’m not going to demand it.
This is a pretty awesome website indeed. Look through the pictures in this link, they're great. Roll over the articles of clothing to hear about them.
http://www.americancenturies.mass.edu/activities/dressup/1770_woman.html
My oh my! People didn’t make those clothes did they? What about WalMart?
Everybody helped make clothing, even boys and men.
What a sweet little colonial couple we have here! Look at that beautiful young lady! I bet she'll make a good wife. Hmm? a Goodwife, you say? Why, of course! In fact, that’s what we’ll call her, because that is the most important thing about her.
http://www.helium.com/items/361484-Colonial-Early-American
http://www.shireattire.com/Wedding.html
As usual, women had a great deal of “homework” to do.
A “republican mother”? Why, I have never heard of such! Educating women to educate their children as little models of virtue, eh? Sounds like a good way to increase women’s rights without anybody really realizing it.
Alright, here we go. Republican motherhood arose as an ideal after the new nation was formed. Women were given education, at least to some degree, because they were the ones who would be educating the next generation of "virtuous citizens" in the new American Republic. Women had to be educated so that they could educate their sons to be good voters.
A quilting bee! What a blast! We’ll all have lots of fun at this incredibly important colonial social gathering.
People really came together for this, men and women alike. They were often followed by square dances and other activities of general merriment, so people had fun while they got things done. And yes, that is a fantastic rhyme.
Hominy yummm…
This is what was for dinner for most of the people in the colonies. Richer folk in the more English areas had English food to eat, and they had either cooks or slaves to make it for them. The majority of people lived day to day and ate things like this, cooked together with salted pork and such by the lady of the home.
