Women During The Colonial Era

Final Paper
2. Discuss the evolution of women’s place in society from colonial times to 1877.
From Colonial period to Reconstruction, women were not equal to men in many aspects, which included family roles and suffrage. Nevertheless, white women faced violence and inequality from men; they realized that the only people who could change this circumstance were themselves. As time went on, white women did not give up and struggled for their rights by forming political parties. With their efforts, they were successful in gradually changing their places in society. Therefore, the inequality of gender contributed to women’s movement toward equal rights to men by the establishment of political parties.
During the colonial period, white women were
Were the Civil War and Reconstruction revolutionary? (Consider the history of disenfranchisement and enfranchisement in the US.)
During the Civil War and Reconstruction, the federal government passed several laws and Amendments to free African Americans from slavery and gave them civil rights. Some significant laws included the Thirteenth Amendment, Fourteenth Amendment, and Fifteenth Amendment. Although African Americans were gradually given freedom and citizenship by the government, they were not truly free and nor were they able to practice their rights due to discrimination in Southern America. Southerners wanted to remain antebellum order, so they suppressed African Americans’ rights. Therefore, the Civil War and Reconstruction were not totally revolutionary for African Americans’ status in society because they were still oppressed by society and the
In the Fifteenth Amendment, the government guaranteed African Americans the right to vote. Consequently, many African Americans held positions in politics, which included senators and legislators. According to The American Yawp, “By the end of Reconstruction in 1877, more than 2,000 African American men had served in offices ranging from mundane positions such as local Levee Commissioner to United States Senator” (“Reconstruction”). The data demonstrated that African Americans were gradually becoming equal as whites in politics. Yet, this circumstance did not last too long. After Reconstruction had ended, white discrimination forced most African Americans out of the political occupations. Hence, Reconstruction was not revolutionary in African Americans’ political positions.
In general, before the Civil War and Reconstruction, African Americans faced discrimination from whites. Nevertheless, during the Civil War and Reconstruction, African Americans obtained freedom, citizenship, and political position. However, they still faced racial violence and inequality in the South. Thereupon, the Civil War and Reconstruction were not entirely revolutionary because it did not prevent the suffering and discrimination that African Americans still