rights+and+freedoms+group+1

RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS (or the lack of it)

WOMEN IN COLONIAL AMERICA

The rights that a person had between 1625 and 1756 were based on many things. They were decided by skin color, gender, and religion. Early life in the American colonies was hard. Back then, there were many more men than women so life and especially family life was unstable. But the idea that every colonist had to work to survive meant that every man, women, and child had to do their part to keep the colony running properly.

The women had to sew, cook, take care of domestic animals, and make things that the house needs such as soap, candles, clothing and any other necessities. Women were considered to be the weaker vessels of the colony. They were not legally allowed to vote, hold public office, or participate in any legal matters on their own behalf. Opportunities for them outside their home were very limited. Women were of higher value in the colony than in Europe because the work and labor was very intense and there were not as many women so the demand was higher. There were many different classes of colonial women. a woman who owned 30 slaves would have a very different life than a woman who didn't own any slaves. someone in the north would not have as many slaves as a middle class women in the south. wealthier women had many more slaves than peopl with less money. Women in colonial America were very loyal and obedient to their husbands without question. If a woman would become a widow, suitors would appear very fast to try to gain their labor intensive services through marriage. If a man showed up at another man’s funeral, he was more likely trying to get the widow’s attention than give his condolences.

African Americans in Colonial America The African Americans in colonial America did not have very many rights. The majorities of them were slaves and worked on tobacco plantations. Since the cultivation of tobacco was very hard and very labor intensive, African slaves were used despite the question of whether slavery was morally right or wrong. Slavery was the foundation of Virginia’s agricultural system. Household slaves mainly did not live in family units. field slaves had much more privacy than household or urban slaves. the majority of male urban slaves were coachmen, waiting men, or gardners. Others were trades men who worked in shops or were hired out. Domestic slaves normally had better clothes and ate better than field slaves. they also had a better chance of becoming free. there was constant fear embedded into the slaves with the threats of violence and abuse by there owners. Slave owners whiped and abused their slaves. blacks in colonial america had it the worst. in 1640 six white slaves and one black slaves escaped from their owner. they were eventually caught and punished. the white slaves did not get near the punishment that the black one did. the black slave, when caught, got 30 whippings and a R branded on his cheek. it was possible for someone to be born a slave. a law was passed saying that if a slave women had a baby it was automatically a slave. the black codes was a law that was passed that said that slaves were "movable personal property". They were not even considered to be human beings. slaved were not aloud to own certain things if they were considered to be too valuable for a slave to have.