Women’s Role in America since the Antebellum Era

Going back 200 years in history we find that American women during the Antebellum Era were limited to only certain career options. Only those to be considered genteel such as seamstresses, shop keepers, laundresses, maids and cooks are among the few accepted feminine occupations. Very few were even educated and those who were only knew the basic of reading and writing skills. However, it was in the 19^th century that the idea of change in women’s roles were coming to a pique; the radical feminist movement of the 19^th century would help pave the way for new ideas that would transform the new century. Although there have been great changes in the roles of American women since the antebellum era, the education and career opportunities now available to women are the greatest improvements.

In 19^th century America at the beginning of the Antebellum Era, women carried an important, yet invisible role in society. Women had duties very much as strenuous as men. According to Howard Zinn, author of A People’s History of the United States, a common housewife of these early years would have been expected to have “baked and brewed, pickled and preserved, spun and sewed, made soap and dipped candles”, as well as be able to treat family ailments, cook, raise children and most likely be responsible for their preliminary education (Zinn). Although there already did exist acceptable jobs outside the home for a woman, the ideal place for her was at home, according to Coventry Patmore’s popular narrative poem of  Angel in the House. This poem from a 19^th century man’s perspective, shows what men think an ideal woman should be. Angel in the House popularized and contextually influenced the development of the idea of the cult of true womanhood as well. This concept of the ideal woman opposed the thought that women had an equally capable mind as men. The cult also taught that too much study harmed the female mind. Therefore, women were deemed incapable of leading or participating in political, and financial matters as well as pursuing an education. Although a British production, Angel in the House greatly influenced the young and impressionable Americans as well. During the antebellum era in the 19^th century we still see women who although strong, are being politically, economically and socially oppressed.

According to Antebellum Women by Carol Lasser and Stacey Robertson, Education played a critical role (Lasser and Robertson 28). Young ladies were encouraged to attend dame schools, or finishing schools, known as refinement institutions where young girls were taught basic skills in reading, writing and sums (Lasser and Robertson 29). However, the majority of their education in these educative institutions was composed of female arts and other topics which flattered women such as the arts in music and dance (Lasser and Robertson 29). One example of a dame school is Sarah Pierce’s Litchfield Seminary mentioned in Antebellum Women (Lasser and Robertson 31). However, it was very difficult for women to pursue a more depth and professional education. In fact, prior to the civil war, only three colleges were open to women according to History of American Education by Harry G. Good (482). It is not even clear whether any of the educators were women.

College level education was hard to come by for Antebellum Era Women. Joel Perlmann and Robert A. Margo, authors of Women’s Work? mention that at the beginning, it wasn’t because communities denied girls higher education, it was rather because “they were not sent by their families.” (25). Of course, there were other ingrained factors as to which they were not sent. Such ideologies that a higher education was a waste because ladies were meant to marry, after which, they’d dedicate their lives to their households. There was also the great doubt that women were capable and equal as men in mental prowess. These stereotypes were influential factors that would affect the importance of women’s education. Even by 1850 and 1860 the higher number of student’s genders was always ranked higher by males than females whether in the North or the South according to a chart by Perlmann and Margo (62).

Elizabeth Blackwell is an example of a pioneer educator as she opened the first institution in the medical field for women in the antebellum era. Blackwell was also recognized as “America’s first woman physician” in her autobiography Pioneer Work Opening the Medical Profession to Women (Blackwell v).To achieve her own education was a struggle, and in the end she was accepted because of an accident (Blackwell viii). Emma Willard, another Antebellum woman, was a female activist and prized education and the capacity of the female mind. In her book, A Plan for Improving Female Education, her goal was to “convince the public, that a reform, with respect to female education, is necessary” (Willard 1). Emma Willard is also a pioneer in America’s women history because she created the first woman’s institution for higher education (Willard iii). In Lydia Maria Child Selected Letters, 1817-1880 by Milton Meltzer, Patricia G. Holland and Francine Krasno, Lydia Maria Child was a feminist writer born in 1802 and was also a school teacher when she was a teen (xi). At that current time, the number of female educators were not prominent until “later, especially between 1830s 1860” according to Perlmann and Margo’s Women’s Work? (22).

The challenges of domesticating the newly obtained American territories in the Antebellum Era, gave women the opportunity to fill the gap in which not enough men could fill. In other words the ideal woman would become a man’s greatest asset. One gap that women helped fill was by becoming schoolhouse teachers. Important American women figures who influenced change was First Lady Abigail Powers Fillmore. According to Kirsten Hoganson’s Abigail Powers Fillmore 1^st lady 1850-1853, Abigail was like many young women educated by her mother at home (Hoganson 99). Abigail constantly continued her studies through self-education and went onto become a teacher to help financially (Hoganson 99). Cormac O’Brien, author of Secret Lives of the First Ladies gave details that Abigail’s star pupil whom she encouraged and influenced to pursue his education was her future husband Millard Fillmore-future President (72-73). Abigail P. Fillmore continued her career as a teacher after marriage until the birth of her first child (Hoganson 100). First Lady Fillmore was one of the few exceptions to which education and a career was a priority.

There are several reasons for which women became more prominent as educators. Perlmann and Margo explain in Women’s Work? that by the 1840’s, the prominent idea of female educators was appreciated as they were being recognized for their nurture of children (Permann and Margo 7). There was also the unfortunate fact that women were at this current time being oppressed through their unfair wages. Women educators were cheaper to hire than Men educators (Perlmann and Margo 7). By the 1850s many women, especially young women were being hired to work as primary educators in the South while in New England, 84% of all rural teachers were women by 1860 (7). The need for educators was being filled by those who were willing, like the women. As the Civil War grew closer, more women were being educated and becoming educators as well, not only in primary education or dame schools but in college level education as well.

After the Civil War, one of America’s focus was in taming the Mid-West in America; therefore, opening more doors to women education and educators due to the great need (Good 481). Among these real women educators who braved this wild land were Hannah Breece and Miss Treva Adams Strait. Hannah Breece is described by her great niece Jane Jacobs as one of the “Americans on the frontier” in her biography A Schoolteacher in Old Alaska (Jacobs vii). In 1901, Alaska was still a very dangerous place, especially for women, considering the un-dominated rough terrain, all the obsessive gold miners, murderers, black-market traders and Natives there. Breece faced all these dangers at the age of forty-five and taught “Aleuts, Kenais, Athabaskans, Eskimos and people of mixed native and European blood in Alaska” for fourteen years and in skirts and petticoats as well! (Jacobs vii). Later on in 1928, many women opted for the more accessible option of teaching in the Mid-West country like Trevia Adams. According to Adam’s autobiography Miss Adams, Country Teacher, she was 18 when she began teaching, eager to become financially independent (Strait 3). This desire of becoming independent women would win over society, not only as educators, but other careers as well.

Moving forward from the Antebellum Era, we see a stark contrast with American women today. There is no longer that barrier where a women in America is deterred from pursuing a certain education or career because of her gender. Examples of intellectual and successful women in their respective careers today includes Hilary Clinton, who is involved in the nation’s politics and aspired to run for the presidential seat according to Biography.com (Hillary Clinton Biography). Clinton is a graduate of Yale Law School and was also First Lady of the United States (Hillary Clinton Biography). She now continues her occupation as a government official and a Women’s Rights Activist according to biography.com.  Condoleezza Rice, “is the first black woman to serve as the United States' national security adviser, as well as the first black woman to serve as U.S. Secretary of State”, she continues today as a government official (Condoleezza Rice Biography). I conclude with our current President of San Diego City College, Lynn Ceresino Neault. According to San Diego State University’s “Student Biographies” Lynn Neault studied with them and achieved her B.A. and M.A. in Public Administrations. She has since been working for the San Diego Community College District (“Student Biographies”). Women can now proceed to fulfill any ambitious dream today.

            Finally, considering all the changes these prominent women began in their day for a brighter future, educational and career opportunities for women are the greatest improvements. I am very thankful for the opportunity to have learned about these women. I can look back and see how far we have come. Because of them, I am now free to make the choices I desire for myself and my future career as a woman of the 21^st Century in America.

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