Blog #5 - Republican Motherhood

       1.     What role did the Revolutionary War play in the transformation of housewifery to Republican Motherhood?

           The role for women in this time period drastically changed. While during this time women did not      have rights, they were able to do things they couldn't do before. The men in the household counted      on the women to raise the son, and to make sure they would be functioning well-put members in          society. (Document A,C)

2.     What were the consequences of Republican Motherhood on women? 

    

      The downside to the changes that happened during this period was a lot. Now women were expected to just stay home to take care of the children, and not have many other purposes but that and common house chores.Even though that seems negative, they could still teach their son's their ideologies and ideas, and pass it on if they get parts in society. This could also be considered a step forward in rights for women. (Document B, A)

3.     What is the significance of the ideology of Republican Motherhood as a stage in the process of women’s socialization? 

     This was a big deal in a way that women will now get more rights than what they had before. They obviously did not have the same amount of rights as men, but this was a step forward with at least their ideas being spread through other family members.

Mary Gibson Tilghman and her sons by Charles Willson Peale (1789)    

Setting: The setting in this picture is dark, and it portrays a woman holding her two infant sons in her lap.

Who serves as the center of the portrait, how is she a republican rather than aristocratic : The mother serves the center of the portrait because it emphasizes the importance of the Republican motherhood. She is not a aristocratic because she is wearing no jewelry, neither are her sons.

What values to her sons show: I could tell the eldest one was the one that was not on the mother's lap. He is also dressed differently, as in this time period the elder brothers were supposed to be the stronger ones, so that can also be why he is holding a dead bird.

Is there a significance to her arm's placement: The mother's hands are both behind and on the younger brothers. They will be there because the younger sibling will always need more attention and care from the mother.