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I need this essay Chicago Formatted and edited. What did American Women experience on the frontier during the westward movement in the 19th century? What degree of agency did they have, if any? Please synthesize Glenda Riley’s Female Frontier with Linda Peavy and Ursual Smith. Pioneer Women. First, Define the term Frontier for each author.

According to Glenda Riley in the book The Female Frontier: A Comparative History of Women on the Prairie and the Plains, the frontier was a place for economic and political opportunity afforded to men if they chose to take part in it. In contrast in the book Pioneer Women: The Lives of Women in the American Frontier, “pioneers moved away from their relative safety of established communities- either in search of religious freedom or of greater and better land.” Pg 12 The level of agency they possessed in this frontier was directly correlated to their own background, expectations and ethnicities, they were obligated to follow their husbands in search for a better life. Because they became helpmates and not seen as equals, they became absent from the historical narrative due to political, social and economic restraints of the time. and even though they had more freedoms than women in the east they were still expected to focus on husband, home and family, I will explore their level of agency within these parameters as I show how the restraints of the 19^th century society were women in all facets of their lives.

Both books claim that the frontier experience for women was a harsh one but could either be a positive or negative one depending on circumstances. Both authors claim that women’s roles in this endeavor was to be a helpmate and support system to carry on the values, culture and religion of the much-civilized Anglo civilization. Socially they brought the stability to their husband, children and wilderness. In deciding on whether to make the move or not Linda Peavy writes” Torn between concern for the safety of their families and an awareness that their husbands were probably right to assume that there were better opportunities out west. At any rate, in most cases women knew the decision to go west had already been made.” Pg 15. They had no voice and no power in making a decision that would affect them and their entire family. This gender role of supportive wife and helpmate was already present in 19^th century society called The cult of domesticity, also known as the cult of true womanhood, an opinion about women in the 1800s. Believed that women should stay at home and should not do any work outside of the home. It permeated throughout the frontier dictating gender roles and responsibilities women had to undertake.Glenda Riley writes “Frontier’s women responsibilities, lifestyles and sensibilities were shaped more by gender considerations than by region. Pg 2 The primary focus of women’s lives in the frontier was as usual a domestic one. where both authors differ is their level of agency in fulfilling their roles,” Even such factors as social class, ethnicity, race, religion, education and marital status did not substantially alter the gender roles and expectations of women on the prairie and on the Plains”. The female Frontier p.3-4. In contrast in her book Linda Peavey focuses on diversity of the varied experiences shared by these women. “Some experiences were dark and somber and others bright with promise and hope, ether are stories of women who can barely make it and there are some other women who were clearly in control of their own lives and circumstance. “Pg 8 These women shaped their roles as the circumstances changed. They had a voice and choice to thrive or fail. They became partners to their spouses instead of submissive housewife, they say themselves and fulfilling roles that their husbands were not capable of undertaking. I propose that the societal roles that came to be accepted in the frontier were the effects of the work that needed to be done and the skills possessed by the individual. Due to the times women were educated in the running of the home and men were trained to be the breadwinners. If the husband could run a successful farm, then all in the family benefitted. There were more educational opportunities for women in the West, but these opportunities were not equitable ones.  Women could attend college but “These so-called women’s colleges seem to have been little more than finishing schools that offered some advanced course work.” Pg 155 The Female frontier. Once they received their degree the common perception was that these women would become mothers and wives. The view of the time was that education would create a mental improvement that would enhance the moral abilities of women, improving their effectiveness of caretakers both at home and in the community.” 151

Economically women in the frontier were at a disadvantage. They were not considered to be the bread winners, and if they were single, their value would change once they got married. There were more economic opportunities for women in the West, but these opportunities were not equitable ones. Because the focus of women was in the domestic realm as both books agree women’s money earning activities were domestic in nature and in several census taken these women were described as “Not Gainfully Employed”. Their jobs were limited to the domestic realm. It was not until the 1950’s that census takers began asking women of their occupation.  Teaching was an accepted way to gain income because women were thought to inherently possess material instincts and display moral fortitude. They drew low wages compared to men who were assumed to be the bread winners. “One 1836 account listed teacher’s wages as $1.50 per week for women, and $12.00 per month for men.” Frontier Female pg 105. Divorcing a husband could also be the economic ruin for a woman. A woman would lose control of all property including children and their own personal items, “Unfortunately since most western women lived in patriarchal systems in which husbands had control of all property, divorce left women in dire straits.” Pioneer Women pg 90. Economic ruin was so assured that many women stayed with their husbands for the sake of the children. There were certain occupations that if you had the fortitude to go outside the societal expectations, one could make a living. Many women became wealthy opening saloons or places of ill repute. Other women became laundresses and provided domestic duties in boom towns. There were other women who also became Homesteaders, they did all the farming chores, and anything else that would keep their claims in good standing. Many women found this experience empowering. Sometimes circumstances would make women assume work that they would not ever think they could accomplish. But overall both books agree that jobs for women in the frontier dealt with the domestic realm.

“In their Way, pioneer women were the molders and shapers of society. The West was more egalitarian than the East. “Once women realized they could drive a wagon or plow a field, they became more open they became more open to professional fields previously open to me. Within the societal norms, they became frontiers doctors and lawyers, photographers and journalists, army volunteers and nurses.  After the Civil War, women began to take part in the political realm. Fighting injustices from Granger farm laws, temperance, abolition and suffrage.  The National Women’s Temperance Union was a fierce force in the outlaw of liquor which later became the eighteenth Amendment in the Constitution.  The push for suffrage was a civilizing influence in the uncivilized political world. This was an extension of the domestic roles given to women by the 19^th century society. Women saw it as their religious responsibility to take care of the poor, uneducated, homeless. Currently, it was only four states in the West to accept women’s suffrage. It was in the West that women had proven themselves accomplishing more than wifely and motherly duties and could exist if needed in the male sphere. The reason for suffrage in the frontier wasn’t always that men saw women as equals but if women could receive the vote, they would have more representation in Congress thereby forging laws that would benefit them. They could also appeal to women the east by enfranchising them. These women would move to these transient towns and by adding to their population create larger populations that would lead to centers of commerce making their town a destination and not just a transient place to pass through. Religion also played a major role in the politics of the frontier. The Mormon church had two reasons for enfranchising women “neither of which had anything to do with whether they deserved the vote or not”. Pioneer Women pg 137.  There was Congressional action to stop polygamy in the Mormon church and the church thought that if women received the vote, they would prove that they were not slaves to the men. Second reason was increasing the power of Mormon voters.  IN 1896 Utah was admitted to the Union as a suffrage state.  Wyoming petitioned for statehood in 1890 “We may stay out of the Union for 100 years, but we will come in with our women.”  Pg 137Pioneer Women. Wyoming became the first women suffrage state.

Being removed from the narrative is a theme that follows all women as we weave through the periods of American History. I’m reminded of Abigail Adams suggesting her husband as this country is being formed “to remember the ladies”. Women did not receive a voice but “Republican Motherhood”, a concept derived from the notion that women should serve as educators of young men in order to teach them to become productive American citizens and embrace the Enlightenment ideas that fueled the concept of Republicanism following the end of the American Revolution. Women became muted trapped in the realm of the home, but they became entrusted with the education of the American ideals of freedom, entrepreneurship land ownership. Ideals that that pushed the American frontier westward.  As Republican Motherhood moved west through Manifest Destiny it created a tapestry of male experiences that became our history and in doing so removing the women narrative from our story. Because they became helpmates and not seen as equals, they became absent from the historical narrative due to political, social and economic restraints of the time. and even though they were afforded more freedoms than women in the east they were still expected to focus on husband, home and family.