1.) Women and men both had different experiences. “Women decided to leave their homelands and come to the United States for many reasons, some of which they shared with men” (354). People thought that there was a lot of opportunities for jobs in the U.S. and they needed help. People were faced with many issues such as poverty, no opportunities, and poor lives. People that that if they went to America they would become rich and have a better life. Women had their own reasons why they wanted to move and they all did it in different ways. Women wanted to be independent and make their own money. “Southern Italian girls whose families could not provide them with cash dowries immigrated so that they could wed without dowries” (354). This was the case for many women because they wanted to find a man who was financially stable and could take care of them. The Japanese men went back to Japan to find women to marry and they knew each other through photographs and letters. This was called “Shaskin kekkon”. Also women led to prostitution. It was a difficult time for women, and during this time men worked and try to fit in with the Americans to make some money. American men looked at the immigrants as a threat because there were so many of them. The men were just trying to make money for their families to survive.
2.) Everyone basically tried to fight for their own rights in different ways. The industrial protest was for people who were trying to get normal working conditions and fair pay. The populist movement was for women to get equality in their jobs. Since men were being paid more for doing the same job. And also it was about the people who were considered to be poor and need help. Women were very active in the populist movement, they all stuck together. Women who had money and were more a part of the upper class helped with out others during this time and with this they finally got their political power. Houses were also being built to help immigrant women. This was to help the children understand how Americans are and understand more about their culture. These were two different battles, but both fighting for rights.
Textbook:
1.) Adam’s experience was basically about living in a poor area surrounded by people who were all in the same situation. She realized that everyone (neighbors) tried to help each other out because they were all going through the same thing. It was a hard time for people and they all reached out to each other. She says that “the fact that the economic conditions of all alike is on the most precarious level makes the ready outflow of sympathy and material assistance the most natural thing in the world” (382). This was a big help because everyone was trying to survive and making a little money for their families. The problem was that the poor people understood the way that the wealthy people live and sometimes people look their dignity and kindness because of that. People sometimes only care about money when they are in situations like this because they are desperate. People can turn their backs on those who need help to save themselves and their own families.
2.) When Adam’s became a member of the path breaking generation of women college graduatate, her outlook on things really changed. I think she understood more about the people around her. She actually became a stronger person and decided to take action, by being a part of the activists. She was concerned about education and she really wanted to make a difference for people who needed help. She became a powerful leader for women and fought for things she believes in to pass laws and make some changes that she didn’t agree with. She changed as a person for the better.
Sunday, October 28, 2007
Monday, October 22, 2007
blog # 8
1. “The growth of the female labor force was an important part of this development, and flew in the face of the still-strong presumption that women belonged exclusively in their homes” (Page 283). Things began to change once there was a growth in jobs and the introduction of better things for women. “Domestic service” was what really helped women out, because they worked in sweat shops and even office work (Page 283). In fact as years went by more women became more active in the labor force. This did however cause a conflict between the different groups or classes of people. For example, white women did different jobs from African Americans. Southern black women were more involved in the agricultural jobs, earning lower wages. Most of the women working were not married, but were to work enough to make their own money, and then get married. The middle and upper class women had enough money to have their own servants to do the domestic jobs. The working class was just women trying to make a little bit of extra money, and grow to be independent.
2. The two images are very interesting. The one on the left looks like two little Native American girls, not from a family who has too much money. The picture on the right looks like the native girls are from an upper class family because they are better dressed and groomed. However it looks like the little girls on the right side are more Americanized, they are not wearing their traditional clothing or anything. Therefore, one picture shows how natives were, and what they became after the “Americanization”.
Textbook:
1. Bessie Van Vorst experiences different thing sin the factory. She shows how it is a difficult and tiresome job “Bessie explored how different it felt to work for a present daily wage and to work for payment by the piece-an arrangement that led workers to drive them to work faster” (Page 311). She described the difficult things they had to go while working at these jobs, and how it changed her. She meets different girls while working at the factory, everyone with a different personality. “Bessie came to appreciate the generosity of her coworkers, the pleasures of collective work, and the “practical, progressive” democracy of working-class life” (Page 312).
2. Van Vorst definitely thinks that things are much easier on men than they are for women. Since men were actually paid more than women, I guess that made a big difference too. I think women overall were just very excited to finally be able to hold jobs and make any money at all. She talks about how men were treated better than the women. She talks about three separate women as the breadwinner, the semi-breadwinner and those who live a comfortable luxurious life. I just think that women were fairly grateful, despite the differences and were happy to have a job. The men had to work to put food on the table, and the women worked for other reasons. Whatever the reason was, I think that it is hard to say if women should or not stand up for themselves because just owning a job was such a advantage for them.
2. The two images are very interesting. The one on the left looks like two little Native American girls, not from a family who has too much money. The picture on the right looks like the native girls are from an upper class family because they are better dressed and groomed. However it looks like the little girls on the right side are more Americanized, they are not wearing their traditional clothing or anything. Therefore, one picture shows how natives were, and what they became after the “Americanization”.
Textbook:
1. Bessie Van Vorst experiences different thing sin the factory. She shows how it is a difficult and tiresome job “Bessie explored how different it felt to work for a present daily wage and to work for payment by the piece-an arrangement that led workers to drive them to work faster” (Page 311). She described the difficult things they had to go while working at these jobs, and how it changed her. She meets different girls while working at the factory, everyone with a different personality. “Bessie came to appreciate the generosity of her coworkers, the pleasures of collective work, and the “practical, progressive” democracy of working-class life” (Page 312).
2. Van Vorst definitely thinks that things are much easier on men than they are for women. Since men were actually paid more than women, I guess that made a big difference too. I think women overall were just very excited to finally be able to hold jobs and make any money at all. She talks about how men were treated better than the women. She talks about three separate women as the breadwinner, the semi-breadwinner and those who live a comfortable luxurious life. I just think that women were fairly grateful, despite the differences and were happy to have a job. The men had to work to put food on the table, and the women worked for other reasons. Whatever the reason was, I think that it is hard to say if women should or not stand up for themselves because just owning a job was such a advantage for them.
Sunday, October 14, 2007
blog #7
1. During this time women had no say in things, they could not participate in the war in any way. They were not allowed to vote and had no choices. Class Divisions were a problem and also “labor and capital overtook the inequalities of race as the most overt challenge to America’s national unity” (Page 271). Women in a way stood beside each other because they were all going through the same thing. In the North, some women decided to get political rights from the men, “and the woman suffrage movement came into its own” (Page 271). There was a division between the women in the North and South because slaves were trying to gain freedom and people were agreeing to this issue. When there was a separation of states due to the slaves, the women in the South and North did not agree.
2. The “New South” was a great time for black women because they were finally free to do as they please, and choose their own jobs. This had a big impact on their lives. “Black women fought for control over their labor” while “elite white women sought new capacities and strengths to accommodate” (Page 277). This was a good and a bad time, depending on whose point of view you are looking at. For the slaves, it was a huge change in their lives; they were no longer property and could live their lives. But for the whites, they had nobody to do the duties that the slaves did in their homes, which was a problem for them. In fact, if they wanted to have a slave in their home, they had to pay them for the work done. “The complex result of these post-Reconstruction social, political, and economic changes was known as “the New South” (page 277).
Textbook Document:
1. The large conflict that led to the lynching of Thomas Moss was basically that his grocery store was affecting the business of a white man’s store, which was a problem. “Moss’s crime had been the competition that his successful grocery business poses to whites” (Page 306). This is such a shame because he Moss was only doing his job, which seemed to be a threat to the white man. This showed a lot about how there were conflicts among the blacks and whites “after the end of slavery’ (page 307). When Moss opened his grocery store, it was considered to be a “crime” to the whites, and therefore the white mobs lynched him.
2. The opinion about Wells being lynched was that it was an act of rape. “Although lynching was irregular and contrary to law and order, unreasoning anger over the terrible crime of rape led to the lynching” (Page 308). This was a way for the whites to get back at the blacks and take out their anger on them. The white’s were fairly angry that they did not have any power over the blacks and this in a way was like revenge. This was to let everyone know that it was not allowed for a black to have sex with a white woman and that they would be accused of rape if they even tried to. The white men did not accept the blacks and tried to make it hard on them as much as possible.
3. Wells did not agree with this relationship and thought that it was wrong. This is discriminating against the blacks because if a black woman was raped, then it was not a big deal. On the other hand if a white woman was raped, then that was a crime that needed punishment. Wells saw this as a way for white men to take out their anger on the blacks, since they had their freedom now. White men thought that it was okay to rape a black woman, but it was not okay for a black man to rape a white woman. It is the same crime, but the whites denied it. This was a ridiculous concept that Wells definitely did not agree with.
2. The “New South” was a great time for black women because they were finally free to do as they please, and choose their own jobs. This had a big impact on their lives. “Black women fought for control over their labor” while “elite white women sought new capacities and strengths to accommodate” (Page 277). This was a good and a bad time, depending on whose point of view you are looking at. For the slaves, it was a huge change in their lives; they were no longer property and could live their lives. But for the whites, they had nobody to do the duties that the slaves did in their homes, which was a problem for them. In fact, if they wanted to have a slave in their home, they had to pay them for the work done. “The complex result of these post-Reconstruction social, political, and economic changes was known as “the New South” (page 277).
Textbook Document:
1. The large conflict that led to the lynching of Thomas Moss was basically that his grocery store was affecting the business of a white man’s store, which was a problem. “Moss’s crime had been the competition that his successful grocery business poses to whites” (Page 306). This is such a shame because he Moss was only doing his job, which seemed to be a threat to the white man. This showed a lot about how there were conflicts among the blacks and whites “after the end of slavery’ (page 307). When Moss opened his grocery store, it was considered to be a “crime” to the whites, and therefore the white mobs lynched him.
2. The opinion about Wells being lynched was that it was an act of rape. “Although lynching was irregular and contrary to law and order, unreasoning anger over the terrible crime of rape led to the lynching” (Page 308). This was a way for the whites to get back at the blacks and take out their anger on them. The white’s were fairly angry that they did not have any power over the blacks and this in a way was like revenge. This was to let everyone know that it was not allowed for a black to have sex with a white woman and that they would be accused of rape if they even tried to. The white men did not accept the blacks and tried to make it hard on them as much as possible.
3. Wells did not agree with this relationship and thought that it was wrong. This is discriminating against the blacks because if a black woman was raped, then it was not a big deal. On the other hand if a white woman was raped, then that was a crime that needed punishment. Wells saw this as a way for white men to take out their anger on the blacks, since they had their freedom now. White men thought that it was okay to rape a black woman, but it was not okay for a black man to rape a white woman. It is the same crime, but the whites denied it. This was a ridiculous concept that Wells definitely did not agree with.
Monday, October 8, 2007
blog # 6
1.First there was the Treaty of Guadalupe, which was the war between the United States against Mexico. The U.S. ended up taking California and New Mexico away from them, causing a lot of negative changes to occur. People had to adjust to being under new rule, and Indian women eventually had to become servants for the white’s. This is because they had pretty much lost everything they owned, such as property. There were less Indian women than before and this is because when their land was dominated, a lot of the Indian women were killed. This was a very difficult time for them because a lot of these poor people were being killed, to open up new space for the white people who were going to arrive.
“Tens of thousands of land hungry American women and men crossed the central plains to settle on the Pacific Coast” (page 203). The Indian women were not the only ones who struggled during this time. The discovery of gold was why this “migration” occurred. In 1842, the journey began, where thousands of Americans migrated. Women faced problems with their children’s responsibilities. Some problems began when diverse women had conflicts amongst each other. Throughout this long period of time, women still had to cook, do laundry, take care of their children and even give birth. Many women wanted to head back and couldn’t take it anymore, “a woman on the trail was so determined to turn back that she set the family’s wagon on fire” (age 205). Men made all of the decisions and the women didn’t have a say. Women sometimes did the mans job too, by helping them drive the wagons. This was significant because they tried to prove to men that they can do their job too. It was very difficult for a lot of women, who had small children with them, and pregnancy was very difficult during this time, and some even died before giving birth.
2. The Gold Rush, the discovery of gold really “accelerated the Americanization of California” (page 210). Most of the gold finders were men. During the antebellum years, women played an important role. They were very active in the “benevolent and reforming societies in these years” (page 213). Women were involved in religious activities; such as supporting “male missionaries in bringing Christianity to the unconverted at home” (page 213). They even made their own groups in which they were involved in the economy and helped out orphans. At this time men became destructive and started to cause an unhappy environment inside of the homes. Women found a way to make themselves happier through religion and forming organizations. Women also did a lot to help out prostitutes. They raised money to stop these women from performing these acts. There were different groups of people such as “Shakers” who told people not to have sex at all, because it would cause more wrong things in their life. Women really proved themselves during this time and showed men that they were capable of doing a lot. They actually made a difference and helped a lot of people. Women even took a stand against slavery, by having people sign petitions against slavery to end it once and for all. In the end, they got a wonderful reward; they helped with the 13th amendment to end slavery in the United States. Clearly these women took a stand and made a great change in society.
Textbook:
1. Maria was very brave when the Lieutenant and his people barged into her room with a gun. She was very brave because she told them straight out that she was not scared of anything and told them to go back because they weren’t welcome to rest in her home. Maria did not know if they had found Chaves or not so she was trying to play it cool. This really says a lot about her character because most people that see a weapon usually are too scared to even talk. Her main fear was that she didn’t want to be a part of something destructive because they think he is hiding in her house. Also she did everything to help out her husband no matter what. There was nobody by her side, but she stayed strong and did what she thought was right. She was obviously a person who loved people and would do anything to help a person out.
Maria’s main source of strength is her personality and independence. She basically lives by herself most of the time and she is on her own. She takes care of everything herself. Since her husband is not by her side, she needs to be even stronger and make hard decisions in her life. The fact that she’s in danger because of Chaves, it seems like she doesn’t let her guard down so that nobody can hurt her. I think that Maria is actually afraid of a lot of things but doesn’t ever show that to people.
“Tens of thousands of land hungry American women and men crossed the central plains to settle on the Pacific Coast” (page 203). The Indian women were not the only ones who struggled during this time. The discovery of gold was why this “migration” occurred. In 1842, the journey began, where thousands of Americans migrated. Women faced problems with their children’s responsibilities. Some problems began when diverse women had conflicts amongst each other. Throughout this long period of time, women still had to cook, do laundry, take care of their children and even give birth. Many women wanted to head back and couldn’t take it anymore, “a woman on the trail was so determined to turn back that she set the family’s wagon on fire” (age 205). Men made all of the decisions and the women didn’t have a say. Women sometimes did the mans job too, by helping them drive the wagons. This was significant because they tried to prove to men that they can do their job too. It was very difficult for a lot of women, who had small children with them, and pregnancy was very difficult during this time, and some even died before giving birth.
2. The Gold Rush, the discovery of gold really “accelerated the Americanization of California” (page 210). Most of the gold finders were men. During the antebellum years, women played an important role. They were very active in the “benevolent and reforming societies in these years” (page 213). Women were involved in religious activities; such as supporting “male missionaries in bringing Christianity to the unconverted at home” (page 213). They even made their own groups in which they were involved in the economy and helped out orphans. At this time men became destructive and started to cause an unhappy environment inside of the homes. Women found a way to make themselves happier through religion and forming organizations. Women also did a lot to help out prostitutes. They raised money to stop these women from performing these acts. There were different groups of people such as “Shakers” who told people not to have sex at all, because it would cause more wrong things in their life. Women really proved themselves during this time and showed men that they were capable of doing a lot. They actually made a difference and helped a lot of people. Women even took a stand against slavery, by having people sign petitions against slavery to end it once and for all. In the end, they got a wonderful reward; they helped with the 13th amendment to end slavery in the United States. Clearly these women took a stand and made a great change in society.
Textbook:
1. Maria was very brave when the Lieutenant and his people barged into her room with a gun. She was very brave because she told them straight out that she was not scared of anything and told them to go back because they weren’t welcome to rest in her home. Maria did not know if they had found Chaves or not so she was trying to play it cool. This really says a lot about her character because most people that see a weapon usually are too scared to even talk. Her main fear was that she didn’t want to be a part of something destructive because they think he is hiding in her house. Also she did everything to help out her husband no matter what. There was nobody by her side, but she stayed strong and did what she thought was right. She was obviously a person who loved people and would do anything to help a person out.
Maria’s main source of strength is her personality and independence. She basically lives by herself most of the time and she is on her own. She takes care of everything herself. Since her husband is not by her side, she needs to be even stronger and make hard decisions in her life. The fact that she’s in danger because of Chaves, it seems like she doesn’t let her guard down so that nobody can hurt her. I think that Maria is actually afraid of a lot of things but doesn’t ever show that to people.
Monday, October 1, 2007
Blog # 5
Q 1. What were the implications of the system of slavery for southern white and black
women?
There was always a separation in people’s minds about black women and white women. White women were always thought of as a higher class, and of better wealth. And black women were thought of as all being slaves or more poor. Unmarried white women actually had more freedom and were treated different from the rest. In fact “Elite white women in plantation society were elevated to a lofty pedestal that was the ideological inverse of the auction block on which slave women’s fate was sealed” (page 157). I think that white women have always been more privileged because of the color of their skin, but that is only generalizing. White married women lived a little bit more different, they had more power and they were a very important figure in the household. Despite all of this, the South didn’t allow white women to have any jobson. On the other hand, slaves were treated very differently from the white’s. Slaves were beaten and sexually abused by their own masters. They didn’t have a say in anything and had bad lives. I think the message behind all of the implications is that white women were more pure “of elite white womanhood, rather than the enslavement of black people, was the core value of southern society” (page 158). The south was much more different from the North, because in the people could actually have jobs. This means that in the South black women and white women were treated basically on opposite ends.
Q 2: What is the significance of the story of Harriet Jacobs for our understanding of slave
women’s experiences? (pp. 166-167 “Trials of Girlhood”)
This story actually has a lot of significance to it. Harriet Jacobs was basically a slave since twelve years old, treated horrible by a much older white man. Her story is very sad and shows us how horrible the life of a slave can truly be. She was corrupted by this man as a child and has seen and heard things that she will never forget in her life. She basically had no choice and had to live this life because she was his “property.” The author clearly shows how difficult the life of a slave can be and by reading this story you can understand the experience she had. I think that it really portrays the life of a girl, along with many other people who had the same problems that she did. Even though she escaped, her life was still ruined. Even though all these things happened to her, she still kept in touch with her kids and fought for her life.
Textbook
Q 1. How did characters characters in these two accounts reject and resist the assumptions about black people fundamental to the slave system? On what personal resources did they draw to make their challenges?
These two authors basically show the lives of black and white people. They both lead very difficult lifes, which was for sure. But it was obvious that white women definitely had more privileges. They were able to have certain rights, such as education. I think that the author wants the reader to know that black people were just as good as whites, but didn’t get the same opportunities and chances in life. The slaves were not educated and couldn’t really tell anyone how they felt, and the author tries to show that they are people too and they have thoughts and feelings like the rest of us. It is very sad how the color of a person’s skin can completely change their life (in those days). The personal resources were the interviews, and they referred to the blacks as “negros” and I think that is self explanatory as to how these slaves were treated. The whites basically treated them horribly and these resources show that the slaves were normal people who had feelings too.
Q 2. Both of these stories were written after the fact: the Crafts’ ten years following the
emancipation and Polly Shine’s after about seven decades. Evaluate the role memory
plays in these accounts, and consider the ways in which it distorts or possibly
authenticates the narrator’s experiences.
I think that the stories that were told were very sad. Anyone who goes through a horrible experience like that will remember for the rest of their lives. I don’t think that horrible visions can ever leave a person’s mind and the narrator clearly portrays the hardships that they went through. I’m sure that if something had happened seventy years ago, like Polly Shine’s experience it wouldn’t be possible to remember everything in detail, but more vague. This kind of “authenticates” the experience, but I don’t think that makes a difference because the reader sees that no matter how much time passed the story is still real.
women?
There was always a separation in people’s minds about black women and white women. White women were always thought of as a higher class, and of better wealth. And black women were thought of as all being slaves or more poor. Unmarried white women actually had more freedom and were treated different from the rest. In fact “Elite white women in plantation society were elevated to a lofty pedestal that was the ideological inverse of the auction block on which slave women’s fate was sealed” (page 157). I think that white women have always been more privileged because of the color of their skin, but that is only generalizing. White married women lived a little bit more different, they had more power and they were a very important figure in the household. Despite all of this, the South didn’t allow white women to have any jobson. On the other hand, slaves were treated very differently from the white’s. Slaves were beaten and sexually abused by their own masters. They didn’t have a say in anything and had bad lives. I think the message behind all of the implications is that white women were more pure “of elite white womanhood, rather than the enslavement of black people, was the core value of southern society” (page 158). The south was much more different from the North, because in the people could actually have jobs. This means that in the South black women and white women were treated basically on opposite ends.
Q 2: What is the significance of the story of Harriet Jacobs for our understanding of slave
women’s experiences? (pp. 166-167 “Trials of Girlhood”)
This story actually has a lot of significance to it. Harriet Jacobs was basically a slave since twelve years old, treated horrible by a much older white man. Her story is very sad and shows us how horrible the life of a slave can truly be. She was corrupted by this man as a child and has seen and heard things that she will never forget in her life. She basically had no choice and had to live this life because she was his “property.” The author clearly shows how difficult the life of a slave can be and by reading this story you can understand the experience she had. I think that it really portrays the life of a girl, along with many other people who had the same problems that she did. Even though she escaped, her life was still ruined. Even though all these things happened to her, she still kept in touch with her kids and fought for her life.
Textbook
Q 1. How did characters characters in these two accounts reject and resist the assumptions about black people fundamental to the slave system? On what personal resources did they draw to make their challenges?
These two authors basically show the lives of black and white people. They both lead very difficult lifes, which was for sure. But it was obvious that white women definitely had more privileges. They were able to have certain rights, such as education. I think that the author wants the reader to know that black people were just as good as whites, but didn’t get the same opportunities and chances in life. The slaves were not educated and couldn’t really tell anyone how they felt, and the author tries to show that they are people too and they have thoughts and feelings like the rest of us. It is very sad how the color of a person’s skin can completely change their life (in those days). The personal resources were the interviews, and they referred to the blacks as “negros” and I think that is self explanatory as to how these slaves were treated. The whites basically treated them horribly and these resources show that the slaves were normal people who had feelings too.
Q 2. Both of these stories were written after the fact: the Crafts’ ten years following the
emancipation and Polly Shine’s after about seven decades. Evaluate the role memory
plays in these accounts, and consider the ways in which it distorts or possibly
authenticates the narrator’s experiences.
I think that the stories that were told were very sad. Anyone who goes through a horrible experience like that will remember for the rest of their lives. I don’t think that horrible visions can ever leave a person’s mind and the narrator clearly portrays the hardships that they went through. I’m sure that if something had happened seventy years ago, like Polly Shine’s experience it wouldn’t be possible to remember everything in detail, but more vague. This kind of “authenticates” the experience, but I don’t think that makes a difference because the reader sees that no matter how much time passed the story is still real.
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