Cott Points example essay topic

"The Bonds of Womanhood" The world of 1780 was much like today's world. It was fast moving and full of changes. From the almost brand new country of the United States, to the rise of a industrial revolution, the United States was growing and its society and culture were growing even more. The rise of industrial and nonagricultural jobs lead to a change in the household life of the men, women, and children. The resulting situations started the unity of women and their later fight for equality. The rise of the capitalistic and industrial way of life changed American families in the late 18th and early 19th centuries.

The past work of agriculture, which promoted mingling and task orientation, sharply differed from the capitalist system of time and discipline. The home life was no loner part of the work life, and became a refuge for the men of the family. It was seen as an escape from the business of the outside world. With men running the financial and political world, woman were left to care for the house and family. It was already accepted that woman were more caring then men and therefore received the task of being the moral ones of the house and viewed as unqualified for working in the public world. Cott points out that as woman became the moral leaders in the household, it became more and more their job to instill their morality into the children of the household.

After all if the children of the country were the future, then the woman of the country had the great job of raising the future of the country. Cott explores the ideas which the mothers encouraged their children take up, ideas of education and religion. Religion was a huge part of the liberation of woman and Cott points out how woman used religion to justify giving attention to ones own thoughts, actions, and prospects and not just the domestic vocation. Using journals and letters of many New England women of the time, Cott shows what the average New England woman thought, what they believed and whether or not they liked their home life. The knowledge gained from those letters showed many things. Some woman enjoyed the home life and raising children, while others enjoyed the satisfaction of working in factories with men.

One unifying thing that Cott found in these letters however, was the unified and strong bonds of the woman of society. The friendships seen in the letters showed that even though woman were mostly stuck at home raising the family and taking care of matters of the household, there was a growing network of women all linked together by their bondage. They expressed dissatisfaction with their mates and their households. This "cult of domesticity" helped forge some of the strong ideas and visions which would lead the American women into the future years.

The cult created, allowed woman to share ideas and thoughts which previously with agricultural society were never able to be exchanged. With woman staying at home and raising the children there was time for them to write letters and gather to exchange ideas. There was also time for them to attend church which lead to the meeting of many different women and start of feminist ideas. Being a Christian in the society meant becoming involved in the church and society. This meant actively being involved and participating in church activities. This lead to the meeting of different woman and the forging of bonds between these women.

Cott stresses the importance of being Christian in her book and the results. Cott does an excellent job her book of showing the New England societies intimate mechanics. She sheds light on the rise of woman as a unified sex and determined group. Her sources are excellent. Using the letters of actual women of the period gives a feel of what it was like and helps prove her point. Her book gives a clear and distinct path as too how the rise of the feminist movement started.