Religion and Political Importance in Women's Lives

Religion and Political Importance in Women's Lives

During the 1600's and 1700's, there has been a drastic change in the Colonial America. There was increase in resistance due to continual increase in tax without providing them representation in England. The colonies were starting to revolt. There was major event of Boston Tea Party which represented a revolutionary period that the English colonies will not support taxation with representation. The occurring incident led to an eventual war which was won by the American Colonial then became independent from England.

In the colonial times, women were not just in charge of the household tasks like cleaning and cooking. The most important task of a woman was to perform spinning; the machine they use to work on would rock the woman backward and forward in a full day a spinning woman would walk approximately twenty miles. Women also commonly supervised the dairy and poultry; they would milk the cows and administer the geese and chickens, collection of eggs etc. There were seasonal task for women such as in autumn they would create cider and apple butter and sausages from butchered pigs. During winter, they would make brewed beer and candles. In spring they would grow herbs and vegetables for cooking and medical services.

Massachusetts Bay Colonial women had achieved a great authority in the middle age, they were not anymore overburdened by the tasks such as pregnancy and they had enough daughters to assist them with their domestic tasks. The prospering matron had no say in the public affairs; she had a vital role among women, older women acted as judge, counselor and adviser for younger ones. The most prominent role of religious and political awareness among women was created by Anne Hutchinson. She was a wife of a well known merchant, a mother of 7 children and a known midwife in England. Anne Hutchinson used to arrange the prayer meetings for almost sixty women at her home in accordance with the church services. She would initiate discussion about sermons of minister and emphasized on the good behavior. Anne had a strong believe that faith came from god and the refined result was achieved by direct revelation from God. The faith and believe of Anne Hutchinson which she was passing on to more females was a threat to the authority of the colony ministers. Furthermore, being a woman, she was challenging the traditional concept that religious preaching was to be performed by man only Gail C. (2007).

There were many things evolving around women in the 1600's and 1700's, most of the women continued with their domestic tasks hiding away from the world. Most white females were educated at that time with basic writing and reading skills. A few of the women, who have achieved the basic learning, were not allowed to pursue further education. The only training that was approved for females was to become good mothers and housewives. Females had no involvement legal, political, governmental and any other issue ...