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“FIRST GENERATIONS WOMEN IN COLONIAL AMERICA” BOOK REVIEW
We are in March, Woman’s History Month. I decided to write a review of the book, “First Generations Women in Colonial America,” by CUNY professor Carol Berkin.
Berkin attempts to present to readers the lives of women in colonial times from a feminist perspective. She uses archives, historical documents, diaries, court records, letters, wills, property titles and the like as sources for her work. With these, she puts together a perspective about particular women in their distinct region and time periods and uses the sources to paint a picture of their lives.
The book in a sense serves as a supplement to history topics discussed in history classes. History courses often offers general details on events while this book gives a more personal look at the history by detailing the lives of several women and how they lived in their respective time and place. The book’s chapters primarily begin by giving a look at the life of a particular woman.
Mary Cole of Maryland is mentioned first. She is a woman living in Maryland in a time where woman had little rights. Women at the time had to basically marry in order to be considered for any social position or wealth. At the death of a husband, women were often left abandoned without anything. They could not inherit their husband’s wealth or property unless a will or instruction was made indicating this transfer. Many times wealth and property were left to widows with some conditions. Some of the conditions called for the possession of lands and other businesses to remain within the family and not passed along to other men a widow might marry. Many times land and wealth were left solely so the widow can care for any children the couple may have had.
The next chapter starts with Hannah Duston of New England. She lives in the time of the “Puritan experiment.” This is when members of the Puritan sect settled in New England and started colonies that were based on fundamentalist interpretations of the Bible. Just like with women in Maryland, women in New England had similar limitations in regards to social status, rights and possession.
Women were not allowed to have much of a say in Puritan religious gatherings, but in a sense did control the leaders. Berkins suggests that gossip and reputation were often used to control the leaders of the town. Being that Puritans were expected to be “pure,” they were very meticulous of their reputation. Some used this to their advantage. The Witch Trials of Salem are an example.
Women of a particular social class and wealth accused others of a different social and wealth class of witchcraft. Duston was seen as a hero after with the help of others, killed her Indian captives and brought back their scalps as a sign of victory.
Wetamo of New England is the next woman mentioned. She is of the Wampanoag people and has a prominent leadership role among them. She struggles for her people in a time where suspicion and friction exist among settlers and Natives. Berkin gives a little background on Wetamo and then on the comparisons and contrasts between how the Natives saw love, marriage, family, sex and other facets of society. The settlers valued marriage, while the Natives had premarital relationships. Marriage was a concept they really did not expound upon in their culture. This is where settlers attempted to convert the Natives in order to assimilate them into their understanding of marriage, sex and so on.
I enjoyed the book. As I wrote in the first paragraph, it gives a personal detailed account of the lives of important women in American history. More personal details are given about the lives of women which is hard to do in a history course. Events and dates are fine to learn, but this book actually gives accounts of real people and how they lived, thought and functioned in Colonial times. It puts a “face” on history. The book puts into perspective the reality of the time and how women in particular were treated and how they were seen compared to men.
If you are a history enthusiast or feminist looking to learn more about woman’s history in early America, then this book is for you. It is well researched and a good read.
RENEWAL NOT REFORM
During the period of Sede Vecante/interregnum and conclave, the media was constantly bringing up the “r” word – reform. CNN in particular would invite the hypocritical ex-priest Alberto Cutie to comment where he would voice his diatribe against the Church and call for “reform.” The once orthodox Catholic priest who appeared on EWTN and other Catholic media is now this “change the Church” charlatan projecting his failures as a priest. I don’t understand why CNN would invite this guy to comment on Catholic things. I applaud Fr. Edward Beck for calling Albert out on his stupidity and blanket statements.
Women priests are as possible in the Church as men giving birth is possible. This is not because women are inferior, they are not; rather, because Christ wanted it that way just like the things of nature are ordered in a particular manner. Abortion cannot be defined as moral anymore than slapping your mother in the face is moral. Approving contraception would be like approving the use of a mattress outside on a sidewalk for suicidal people to use whenever they get the urge to kill themselves. As for the role of women, well it has been my experience that a parish cannot fully function without women. Women help priests in so many ways. I have seen women prepare the altar, make altar cloths, clean vestments, decorate, work in parish councils, lead retreats, serve as extraordinary ministers of the Eucharist and lectors, even altar girls. Moreover, about 70% of chancery positions in dioceses are staffed by women. Women are even teaching our seminarians! What more can feminists ask for? Women are extremely important in the Church. I cannot see the Catholic Church function normally without women.
The correct “R” word is renew, not reform. It is no surprise that the new Pope chose Francis as his name. He wishes to bring about a renewal like that which St. Francis of Assisibrought. Many people do not know this, but at the time of St. Francis, there were many sects within Catholicism attempting to live the Gospel. This was why the Church at first did not approve St. Francis’ rule. There were already small groups of mendicants who were doing their own thing similar to Francis. St. Francis’ group was different because his group was obedient to the Church. St. Francis called for renewal, not reform. He was not a Martin Luther.
The Catholic Church is the bride of Christ. After so many centuries, her wedding dress got dirty from the dirt and garbage the world around her has. St. Francis took that dress and bleached it in the Holy Spirit. He did not alter the dress, or had it redesigned. St. Francis with his spirituality renewed or cleaned the dress.
Once again, our Church due to its human factor has gotten dirty again. Perhaps God was giving us a hint that the new Pope would be “Francis.” During the conclave, a seagull landed on the chimney that would release the white smoke indicating, “Habemus Papam.” This is significant because the Holy Spirit is depicted as a bird/dove, and St. Francis of Assisi preached to the birds.
It seems that Pope Francis is already showing this renewal by opting to take the bus with the Cardinals instead of his security detailed Papal car. This is truly a humble gesture. I wonder how long Vatican security will allow him to do this. He also wanted the Cardinal to enter the elevator with him. The staff had stopped the Cardinals to allow only the Pope. Pope Francis, said “no no no, we can all get in.”
He is already demonstrating a renewal with his humility. This is important because people leave the Church or stop believing in God, not because of dogmas, but because of the lack of behavior among Christians. Who wants to belong to a group of misfits? People want to be in a religion that lives what it preaches.
Moreover, if this was not enough; Pope Francis even went to the hotel he was staying in to pick up his things and pay his bill! This is just unheard of. He is obviously sending the message that he does not want to be treated like a special human being who is untouchable.
March For Life
The 40th March For Life just took place. It was freezing and even snowing in Washington D.C. Nevertheless, this did not stop the nearly 1 million participants who braved it all to defend and speak out for life. As usual, the media were no where to be found.
Only local newspapers and media outlets were scattered about. I did not see Anderson Cooper, nor Rachel Maddow; two anchors who seem to be everywhere and every time “news” breaks out. This was not expected knowing where the media stands on abortion.
Who cares!
With or without the media the Pro-Life movement will still be relevant. It was awesome seeing the many young people of all ages present. Their youthful faces red from the cold holding signs, praying, signing, handing out materials was encouraging. They were chanting, “hey hey, ho ho Roe v Wade has got to go.”
It was also amazing to see the diversity. The Pro-Life movement is not a “white gun loving” collective of Republicans, we come from all walks of life. There were Pro-Life people from all political parties, of all faiths and no faith; even feminists for life were present. Pro-Life marchers of every race and ethnicity were present. Had Dr. King been alive today he would have joined in the march. In it “white and black men, “Catholic and Protestant” walked to demand respect for life and rights for those who are unborn.
Since Roe vs. Wade we have lost over 55 million people to abortion. This has got to stop. Cardinal O’Malley is right in saying that abortion is not a necessary evil, but just plain evil. It is mind boggling how this atrocity exists in the modern era. The extent to which it is defended, even with distorted science adds to the absurdity.
We will be victorious Abortion will end in American and throughout the world.
More blog posts to read:
http://www.sacerdotus.com/2012/01/devils-law.html
http://www.sacerdotus.com/2013/01/roe-vs-wade-40-years-of-evil.html
Sacerdotus 