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Women in Colonial North America

The status of women in colonial North America has been well studied and described and can be briefly summarized. Throughout the colonial period there was a marked shortage of women, which varied with the regions and was always greatest in the frontier areas. This favorable ratio enhanced women's status and position and allowed them to pursue different careers.

The Puritans, the religious sect that dominated the early british colonies in North America, regarded idleness as a sin, and believed that life in an underdeveloped country made it absolutely necessary that each member of the community perform an economic function.

Thus work for women, married or single, was not only approved, it was regarded as a civic duty. Puritan town councils expected idows and unattached women to be self supporting and for a long time provided needy spinsters with parcels of land. There was no social sanction against married women working; on the contrary, wives were expected to help their husbands in their trade and won social approval for doing extra work in or out of the home. Needy children, girls as well as boys, were indentured or apprenticed and were expected to work for their keep.

The vast majority of women worked within their homes, where their labor produced most articles needed for the family. The entire colonial production of cloth and clothing and partially that of shoes was in the hands of women. In addition to these occupations, women were found in many different kinds of employment. They were butchers, silversmiths, gunsmiths and upholsterers. They ran mills, plantations, tanyards, shipyards, and every kind of shop, tavern, and boardinghouse. They were gatekeepers, jail keepers, sextons, journalists, printers, apothecaries, midwives, nurses, and teachers.

中文翻译

北美殖民时期的妇女

北美殖民时期女性的社会地位曾得到过深入研究和描述，并可简短概括。 整个殖民时期，女性人数明显不足，各地情况不尽相同，在边远地区尤其缺少。 这种对女性有利的比例提高了她们的社会地位和职位，使她们能追求不同的事业。 清教徒是早期英属殖民地的宗教主流。 它视懒惰为犯罪，认为在不发达农村社区的每一个成员都必须发挥经济作用。 所以已婚或单身女性工作不仅是许可的，而且被认为是公民的义务。 清教徒的镇议会认为寡妇和未婚女性也应该自食其力，而且在相当长一段时期里，向贫困的老而未婚的女子提供土地。 社会不反对已婚妇女工作；相反，要求她们帮助丈夫从事他们的行当。在家庭内外做额外劳动的妻子们会得到社会的赞同。贫困的儿童，女孩和男孩一样，也要签师徒契约做学徒，想保住这个生计就要工作。 绝大多数女性在家庭里劳动，生产大部分家用必需品。 殖民时期全部的布料和衣服以及一部分的鞋都出自女性的双手。 除了从事这些职业，妇女也从事许多不同类型的职业，如做屠夫、铁匠、军械工和家俱修理工。 她们经营手工作坊、种植园、制革场、造船厂和各类商店、小旅馆和供膳寄宿处。 她们当守门人或狱卒，教堂司事、记者、印刷工、药剂师、助产士、护士和教师。