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Major Issues, Events and Legislation in U.S. Women's History
This timeline attempts to illustrate the contributions of American women in all aspects of American culture including, business, politics, popular culture, and sports. Students should note how the roles of women have changed over time. -
Colonial
The experiences of women during the colonial era varied greatly. In New England, Puritan women tended to be subordinate to their husbands and dedicated to rearing God-fearing children. In the early Chesapeake colonies, very few women were present. Much of the population consisted of young, single, white indentured servants. Lacking male protectors, women, especially teenage girls, often were vulnerable to exploitation and abuse. On the other hand, young women had more freedom to choose spouses. -
Republican Motherhood Becomes the Standard
Despite critical contributions made during the American Revolution, women once again returned to their traditional roles as wives and mothers. The term "republican motherhood" did not explicitly appear in the eighteenth or nineteenth centuries. It was first used as a description in 1980 by historian Linda K. Kerber in her book Women of the Republic: Intellect and Ideology in Revolutionary America. -
Women in the American Revolution
Women in the era of the American Revolution were an important asset in the fight for independence. They supported the war effort in many ways including working in the Homespun Movement, initiating acts of nonconsumption including the tea boycott, managing family farms in their husband's absence, leading fundraising efforts, supporting troops as camp followers, and some such as Deborah Sampson even masqueraded as men in order to engage in battle.
