In colonial America, women were expected to marry and run a household. They were responsible for household duties such as sewing, cooking, and cleaning. Raising children was an important duty. Women also directed the family's religious activities. It was not common for colonial women to hold jobs outside of the home. They did serve as midwives who delivered babies and cared for pregnant women.
Colonial women were not able to exercise the same rights women do today. They could not vote and received little formal education. They were, however, sometimes relied on to step in for their husbands when they were away. Wives of business owners would oversee their husbands' business on top of their normal duties.
It is important to note that the experiences of women varied among ethnic and social groups. They also varied from colony to colony. What is one thing colonial women had in common? They held many important responsibilities that helped build their families and communities.
Author: Dr. I.A. Historian, Ph.D., professor of American History
Sources:
"American Colonial Women." American Women, https://memory.loc.gov/ammem/awhhtml/colonialwomen.
Berkin, Carol. First Generations: Women in Colonial America. New York: Hill and Wang, 1996.
Saari, Peggy. Colonial America: Primary Sources. Detroit: U·X·L, 1999.
Smith, C. Carter.

Source B: Women’s Roles Article

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