Republican Motherhood Blog

1: What role did the Revolutionary War play in the transformation of housewifery to Republican Motherhood?
In a Republican Motherhood, the mother is charged witht he duty of cultivating and raising sons for the next generation of men. During the Revolutionary War, American soldiers fought to defend the lives, possessions and liberty of the Americn people; but these heroics can often be forgotten over the course of years, as children are born who did not witness it. The new role of a Republican mother was to teach her sons about these values that the patriots defended and showed during their fight int he Revolution (Doc C).

2: What were the consequences of Republican Motherhood on women?
In some ways it further confined women to the household, by saying that it was her duty by God and nature, and now also her duty to her country, that her place was the home (Doc A).

3: What is the significance of the ideology of Republican Motherhood as a stage in the process of women's socialization?
Through Republican motherhood women were given much more respect; for they were the ones who could cultivate the minds which could become "enlightened legislatures". The home, which was considered to be their place of duty, was considered the "cradle of the human race" or in other words the place where the nature of the population is nurtured and grows (Doc A). It also encouraged women to be educated, since they were the "stewarsd and guardians of their husband's property" and needed the right tools and intelligence to do so. Furthermore, they needed to be educated in the ways of liberty and republicanism in order to teach their sons these values (Doc B).