Wednesday, September 22, 2010
What did you think about as you read the womens stories?
When I was reading this, I felt confused at first, but I understood it better when Mr. Venable expained it in class. It's hard to imagine what those women were going through. They had to work hard just to live, and they only got enough food to survive. I can see why they did it though. They had to live and practice their religion freely. The wars that were going on at home were preventing them from freedom, and they needed an escape. Affra and Judith were really brave for leaving everything for their families. They sacrificed a lot, but I think in the end they were happy with their decision to leave.
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I agree that both Judith and Affra sacrificed a great deal once they moved to the New World. I also agree that they were very brave to make such a journey. Do you think that both of these women came to the New World for religious freedom? What reasons other than religious freedom and wars in their home countries would have encouraged them to move to the New World? Do you think that Judith and Affra's achievements made their sacrifices worth it?
ReplyDeleteThese stories portrayed Judith and Affra as heroines in the New World. When you were reading did you think that they were heroines? Do you think that their husbands would have thought that they were heroines? Would the Native Americans have thought this?
Judith and Affra's stories are not written as they would be in a textbook. Do you think that this made it easier to read? Do you think that it is possible that the author could have exaggerated about Judith or Affra's experiences in the New World? Why would they do that? Why do you think that they chose to write about these instances and not others? What other kinds of experiences do you think they might have left out?
Hope to hear from you soon!
Oh my Gosh okay. Wow those are a lot of questions,but that's okay. Okay first paragraph:
ReplyDeleteYEs, I do think they came for religious freedom, and it must have been hard for them to leave their homes. We're doing a project in class where we had to make a movie poster about the Lord's Proprietors, and one of the groups' statement was "Would you walk through a door if you didn't know what was on the other side?" It was a metaphoric door of course, but I think that's exactly what Judith and Affra did. Why did they do it though? I think they did it, other than religious fredom, because they came to help themselves and their families back home. I don't know if any of the money was actually sent back to the homelands, but it's interesting to think about. Would they really go all that way and send money back? Or would they keep it for themselves? I definitely think their sacrifices were worth it. Judith had to work for 7 years I think, so after those 7 years she had a pretty good life with the husband she met while traveling.
I didn't think about it while I was reading, and I don't necesarily think that their husbands or the Native Americans thought this conciously, but subliminaly (that's one of my vocab words:)) I, the Natives and their husbands thought so. When you go back and think about it, they were, but reading it or if it was happening presently, I might not recognize it as clearly. There was something more to them, though.
I think the author could have exaggerated. but why would she when these women already had such amazing stories? I hate our textbook and so does my teacher, so I definitely think these short but to the point "biographies" ,so to speak, are more effective. No one wants to read a textbook with a lot of lengthy biographies in it (not that our textbook would have information on those women in it). Like I said before, they're short but to the point. The information in there probably is't everything, but I think the author just wanted to get her point across. They suffered, but they had some good times after the suffering. There could be many instances she left out, but there were probably a ton of women who were just never recognized highly enough (history...never appreciates the woman) These instances were probably some of the ones that really stuck out to the author.
That was a lot to think about, but thanks! :) can't wait to see what you have to say!
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ReplyDeleteHey I hope I hear from you again soon!
ReplyDeleteThe women's stories helped me better understand SC history by showing the struggle most people endured in traveling over to the New World. Everyone, not just women, struggled when they came over whether it was taxes or crop failure or Native American trouble, and I think that women especially struggled just because they were women. Women weren't valued as they are today, and I think it shows in these stories. Women worked just as hard as men, but didn't get any credit. That made their new endeavor even harder as they travled over here.
Hi Morgan!
ReplyDeleteI loved to read your comments on the questions that I asked you. Your answers were very insightful. I especially liked how you understood that women were unappreciated at this time even though they made many sacrifices in order to make a home for themselves in the New World. It is important to keep this in mind when you are reading things written by men who lived during this time period. I would love to read what you think about the next stories!
I agree that most women who journeyed to the New World were not recognized for their hard work. It must have been difficult to work so hard and never receive the credit for your work. However both Henrietta Deering Johnson and Elizabeth Ann Timothy were recognized in their respective fields and given credit for their work. Do you think that it was common for women to run their husband's business if there husband died? How might this help them to be recognized?
ReplyDeleteHenrietta Deering Johnson seems like an amazing artist. Her art is now in museums in American and England and in the South Carolina Governor's mansion. Why do you think her husband did not realize that her artwork was valuable when he was alive?
Elizabeth Ann Timothy was an incredible woman who made her printing business thrive after her husband's death. She was even complimented by Benjamin Franklin! Do you think that it was unusual during this time for a woman to run a business? Was it unusual for a woman to know how to keep accounts (the money part of the business)?
These women struggled after their husbands' deaths, but were able to be successful. Do you think other women did the same thing? Do you think people that lived during this time saw these women as an example that women could do the same things that men could do?
I hope to hear from you soon! :)
Sorry it's been so long since I commented! I dont know id it was common, but if women did take over their husbands business when he died then it might help them to be recognized. People might have wondered how or why she took over or why she just didnt remarry. People probably would've aid more attention to a woman run business than a man run business.
ReplyDeleteHenrietta's husband probably thought of her like any other man would and didn't think she was worthy enough to be recognized in society even if her work was that good.
I think it was unusual for a woman to run a business, but I think women did do it. I think it would have been even more rare to see a woman handling the money, but a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do!
I definitely think other women did the same thing, but maybe they werent as successful as those who were recognized. I think the women saw them as great examles, but I think the men would've looked down on them because they would've been scared that women wouldbe better or more successful than men at something.
Sorry about the grammar mistakes and such! I hope I answered your questions well! :) And again, sorry it took so long!
Great ideas, Morgan! I love to read your comments.
ReplyDelete