Question

Discuss the changing ideals of American womanhood between the American Revolution and the outbreak of the Civil War. What factors fostered the emergence of “republican motherhood” and the “cult of domesticity”? Assess the extent to which these ideals influenced the lives of women during this period. In your answer be sure to consider issues of race and class.

Answer 1

The main factor that changed the lives of women during this period in the US in terms of their roles in the family was Industrialization, which brought smaller working tasks such as sowing out of the house and into the factories--leaving the women more time to focus on domestic tasks and child-rearing.