From: Matt Carminito
Date: 2/21/00
Time: 10:17:09 PM
Remote Name: 155.247.59.9
Matt Carminto History 67 2/21/00 Around the time of the American Revolution changes were beginning to occur in the new republican society. Women and Blacks were both being oppressed and America's idea that all men are created equal was being questioned. Blacks spoke up on the statement of equality and voiced that they deserved the same rights and liberties as the rest of the American people. In the North there was no real economic reason to have slaves and in 1777 Vermont drafted a constitution prohibiting slavery in their state. Pennsylvania followed suit in 1780 and passed a law for gradual emancipation of the slaves. By 1800 slavery was beginning to disappear in the north. The Blacks were still discriminated against in things such as voting, juries, militia, education and citizenship, but they were being freed of their forced duties as slaves. In the south slavery was not dying as quickly. About 18,000 slaves were freed between 1790 and 1800 but the south thrived economically on the free labor. The invention of the cotton gin in 1793 did not help on the road to emancipation either. In this same era being discussed, the family was set up to have the father as its ruler. However as the republican society began to take shape women wanted to share the rule of the house. During wartime the women set out to prove themselves. They ran farms and businesses while their husbands were off fighting, and led by Ester DeBardt Reed, women raised $300,000 for George Washington's army. In 1790, New Jersey allowed property-owning women to take place in election. However, angry lawmakers rescinded that decision in 1807 when women voters helped determine the outcome of an election. After all these occurrences women were still thought of as wives, mothers and homemakers. As seen in both these groups, small advances were made against oppression during or after the American Revolution. However, both advances were halted and further struggles would be required of both groups to succeed in the new republican society.