Blog #5: Republican Motherhood

Blog #5: Republican Motherhood

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

The Revolutionary War helped in the transformation of housewifery to Republican Motherhood by bringing to light the opportunity that women had to raise children “correctly”. They could teach their children to be honest, just, and respectful, and ones who yearned to serve their country. Especially after the Revolutionary War, it was thought to be dependent on women to “make this retreat (from the corruptions of Europe) doubly peaceful… While you thus keep our country virtuous, you maintain its independence,” as said by Mary Morris in The Sentiments of an American Woman. During (and then after) the war, it became crucial for children to grow up with strong morals and to support their country. Women could provide that ethical guidance for their kids- which caused the evolution of Republican Motherhood.

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

There were many consequences of Republican Motherhood on women. It made women supervise their household more, and gave them more power to do as they wished around the home. It truly made the home the woman’s domain, and helped elevate their status a little more in everyday life. Another influential part of Republican Motherhood was that more importance was placed on education for women. According to Benjamin Rush, in Thoughts Upon Female Education, women “must be the stewards and guardians of their husband’s property. That education, therefore, will be most proper for our women which teaches them to discharge the duties of those offices with the most success and reputation.” This demonstrates how women’s education became more significant after the development of Republican Motherhood.

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

Republican Motherhood was very important as a stage in the process of women’s socialization. It encouraged women to go out, as well as addressing morals in her own home. As said by Jonathan F. Stearns, in Discourse on Female Influence, “Society is her empire, which she governs at will… It is her province to adorn social life, to throw a charm over the intercourse of the world…” This demonstrates how women went out more because of Republican Motherhood. This change occurred because women were gaining more rights, and therefore went out more, as they weren’t as confined to the home as before.

 

 Mary Gibson Tilghman and her sons, by Charles Peale (a representation of Republican Motherhood)

1) Describe the setting.

The setting of the portrait takes place on a couch in a home (most likely in the late 1700s/early 1800s based on the style of dress), with a mother holding her her two sons.

2) Who serves at the center of the portrait and why? How does the woman look? How is she "republican" rather than aristocratic?

The mother, Mary Gibson Tilghman, serves as the center of the portrait, as she seems to be the piece holding the children together. She sits up straight, and seems to be calm and reserved. She is more “republican” than aristocratic because of the way that she (and her sons) dress. They all are dressed in relatively simple clothes (rather than the eccentric clothes of aristocrats), and the woman’s hair is done simply.

3) What values do her sons exhibit?

Her sons exhibit good manners, as they don’t seem to be fighting too much. This demonstrates how the mother has taught her sons well, to have good morals and to be polite, very important points of Republican Motherhood. She is raising them with the “proper” values of good American children.

4) Is there a significance to the position of Mrs. Tilgham's arm?

Mrs. Tilgham’s arm seems to be restraining one of her sons from reaching to the other one. This represents her seemingly gentle correction, as she is teaching her sons good manners without being too harsh. This is a crucial piece of Republican Motherhood- teaching children to be disciplined and to have good ethics.  

Susan B. Anthony (synthesis)

-A women's rights activist and suffragist who demanded for more women's rights. The theory of Republican Motherhood gave women more rights (such as regarding education), a century before Susan B. Anthony, and she continued to push for more steps forward.