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Conlonial Comparison Essay

Women played an irreplaceable role in the early colonial period, not only because they need to raise the children and take care of the house when the men are gone, but also give support for the plantation and raised vegetables for the family’s consumption. “Throughout history, women have played an invaluable role in the activities and successes of many social, cultural and political organizations.” There are more works for the women in the present, however, but also more freedoms for the women. How were the women treated differently in the colonies of Pennsylvania and Virginia? The women in Pennsylvania were considered to be spiritually equal. Women were considered to have equal access to their inner light as the men. The women in Virginia enjoyed a greater legal protection than in England. However, women lacked equal property rights to the men as well as suffrage in Virginia. While both Pennsylvania and Virginia treated the women differently, the women in Pennsylvania enjoyed a greater freedom while the women in Virginia were being more limited.
“In Virginia as in England, women had fewer rights than men.” Women could not have ownership to any properties except under special circumstances. Before they married, women’s economic affair were directly being controlled by their fathers, and after they married their husbands made all major business decisions. Eventually, when women get older, their son will take control of a household’s economic affair.”” Virginians lived on relatively isolated farms and plantations, and for the most part the people they saw on a daily basis were the members of their own households.”” Even though married women gave birth to children every two or three years, large families were rare.” Because of their relatively few numbers and isolated farm life, most women had few opportunities for interaction with other women.” Widows are the only people that could be free from the economic control of men. Chesapeake women who lost their husband...