Blog #4

Textbook



1. What were the major components of the ideology of "true womanhood?" How was this ideology linked to the class structure of early nineteenth-century America?


The major components of "true womanhood" are that men and women were considered to be totally different from one another. The women were not allowed to do the jobs that men generally did. They were only allowed to take care of the house, their kids and their husbands. All the taking care of the house, their kids and their husbands was not considered as job. But more of a thing that made them women. As in it was a given that they had to do all they did in order to be considered as a woman. The early nineteenth-century class structure in America is that high class women were supposed to look pretty, take care of their husbands, kids and home. The middle class and lower class women were supposed to work and take care of their husbands, kids and home.



2. What is the significance of the Lowell mill girls in the history of U.S. women and work? What were the implications of the decline of the Lowell system?


The significance of the Lowell mill girls is that they were giving an optimistic view of industrial life. As in it was good for everyone to work there. They basically did the same things they would do at home. Which was to sew. So now there were factories where they can go and do the same things only easier than by sewing with their hands. The women also were able to write and get their written materials published in their magazine. This helped most of these women to end up having a writing career.The implications of the decline was that the economic pressures were at
fault for the decline for the Lowell system. Because the owners of the factories thought that since the workers were women it would not matter if they started cutting their paychecks. But they underestimated the women. Instead these women started striking. This was unheard of during this time.



Textbook document



1. What is Sanger’s view of the moral nature of women?


Dr. Sanger believed that the prostitutes were victims themselves, because he could not believe that any woman would willingly have sex for money, also have sex out of marriage. He believes they were victims, because they were forced to become prostitutes by the circumstances of their lives. The circumstances were from starvation of themselves and their kids to being violated. He had a middle class view of prostitutes. Also his view of woman in general was of the middle class. Which was mainly that a woman would not willingly have sex outside of the marriage, and also get payed. And if a woman actually does have sex outside of the marriage and also has sex and gets payed willingly than they were not worth considering and mentioning.


2. What does Sanger think are the cause and consequences of prostitution for women?


Dr. Sanger thinks the causes and consequences of women becoming prostitutes is that their life circumstances cause them to become prostitutes. The list of the reasons he got from prostitutes when he did his research is that they were seduced and abandoned, they drink and want to drink, they were badly treated by their parents, husbands and relatives. They were surrounded by the wrong people. Other prostitutes convinced them to become prostitutes as well. They were violated. These were the causes of why women became prostitutes. The consequences were that these women would end up getting sexually transmitted diseases. If they wanted to get out of this occupation they could not, because no one would hire them or except them.



3. How do Sanger’s conclusions about prostitution reflect the values of his own day?


Dr. Sanger's conclusions about prostitution reflects the values of his own day by his view of prostitutes is the same sometimes with the views of prostitution by the society at that time. Meaning he had sympathy with those women who were forced to be prostitutes. But when the woman willingly chose to be a prostitute as in she had no reason too. She didn't need the money
for food or to take care of her family, she wasn't forced by people around her to be a prostitute. Dr. Sanger did not sympathise with these women. Because in his beliefs no woman would willingly become a prostitute, and also have sex outside of marriage. That is what the values of his time were.