Image Source - ​Who was Matthew Hale, the 17th-century jurist Alito invokes in his draft overturning Roe?

Standard

Learning Target

​Instructions
Step 1 - Read the Reading below on women's societal roles in Colonial America
Step 2 - Watch the video for more information on this time period and women's roles.

​Guided Notes

• How was the eighteenth century a period of growth and change for the American colonies?
• How did the experiences of women in the American colonies vary based on race, class, age, and geographic region?
• How did women play an active and integrated role in colonial societies across the Americas?

Reading

​In spite of, and sometimes because of, these crises and cruelties, European settlement flourished in the eighteenth century, and a new culture and identity began to emerge. Trade prospered. Women participated in both international and local trade networks. Biracial women played a critical role as trade facilitators between different communities. The wealth accumulated from trade facilitated the establishment of a genteel class of women, raised from childhood to be ornaments in the homes of their husbands, but not every colonial woman followed this path. Some found creative ways to challenge oppressive colonial regimes. Some moved to the frontier where they helped establish new settlements. Women artists made valuable contributions to the culture of the colonies, producing stunning works of art that recorded the history of their communities and introducing new materials and techniques. Networks of women authors and innovators introduced improvements to colonial life and education. And some completely bucked the intense pressure to conform, challenging gender norms and religious dogma throughout their lives.

For more information about women’s societal roles in the 17th and 18th centuries, watch the video below.

Source - Women and the American Story