Description: CHAPTER I COLONIAL WOMAN AND RELIGION I. The Spirit of Woman The Suffering of Women The Era of Adventure Privation and Death in the First Colonial Days "Descriptions by Prince, Bradford, Johnson, etc." Early Concord II. Woman and Her Religion Its Unyielding Quality Its Repressive Effect on Woman Wigglesworth''s Day of Doom What It Taught Woman Necessity of Early Baptism Edwards'' Eternity of Hell Torment Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God Effect on Womanhood Personal Devils Dangers of Earthly Love God''s Sudden Punishments III. Inherited Nervousness Fears in Childhood Theological Precocity IV. Woman''s Day of Rest Sabbath Rules and Customs A Typical Sabbath V. Religion and Women''s Foibles Religious Regulations Effect on Dress Women''s Singing in Church Southern Opinion of Northern Severity Effect of Feminine Repression VI. Women''s Comfort in Religion An Intolerant Era Religious Gatherings for Women Formal Meetings with Mrs. Hutchinson Causes of Complaint Meetings of Quaker Women VII. Female Rebellion The Antiomians Activities of Anne Hutchinson Her Doctrines Her Banishment Emotional Starvation Dread of Heresy Anne Hutchinson''s Death VIII. Woman and Witchcraft Universal Belief in Witchcraft Signs of Witchcraft Causes of the Belief Lack of Recreation Origin of Witchcraft Mania Echoes from the Trials Waning of the Mania IX. Religion Outside of New England First Church in Virginia Southern Strictness Woman''s Religious Testimony Religious Sanity The Dutch Church General Conclusions CHAPTER II COLONIAL WOMAN AND EDUCATION I. Feminine Ignorance Reasons The Evidence in Court Records Dame''s Schools School Curriculum Training in Home Duties II. Woman''s Education in the South Jefferson''s Advice Private Tutors General Interest in Education Provision in Wills III. Brilliant Exceptions to Female Ignorance Southern and Northern Women Contrasted Unusual Studies for Women Eliza Pinckney Jane Turrell Abigail Adams IV. Practical Education Abigail Adams'' Opinion Importance of Bookkeeping Franklin''s Advice V. Educational Frills Female Seminaries Moravian schools Dancing Etiquette Rules for Eating Mechanical Aids Toward Uprightness Complaints of Educational Poverty Fancy Sewing General Conclusions CHAPTER III. COLONIAL WOMAN AND THE HOME I. Charm of the Colonial Home Lack of Counter Attractions Neither Saints nor Sinners in the Home II. Domestic Love and Confidence The Winthrop Love Letters Edwards'' Rhapsody Further Examples Descriptions of Home Life Mrs. Washington and Mrs. Hamilton at Home III. Domestic Toil and Strain South vs. North Lack of Conveniences Silver and Linen Colonial Cooking Cooking Utensils Specimen Meals Home Manufactures IV. Domestic Pride Effect of Anti-British Sentiment Spinning Circles Dress-Making V. Special Domestic Tasks Supplying Necessities Candles Soap Herbs Neighborly Co-operation "Social " Bees" VI. The Size of the Family Large Families an Asset Astonishing Examples Infant Death-Rate Children as Workers VII. Indian Attacks Suffering of Captive Women Mary Rowlandson''s Account Returning the Kidnapped VIII. Parental Training Co-operation Between Parents Cotton Mather as Disciplinarian Sewall''s Methods Eliza Pickney''s Motherliness New York Mothers Abigail Adams to Her Son IX. Tributes to Colonial Mothers Judge Sewall''s Noble Words Other Specimens of Praise John Lawson''s Views Woman''s Strengthening Influence X. Interest in the Home Franklin''s Interest Evidence from Jefferson Sewall''s Affection Washington''s Relaxation John Adams with the Children Examples of Considerateness Mention of Gifts XI. Woman''s Sphere Opposition to Broader Activities A Sad Example Opinions of Colonial Leaders Woman''s Contentment with Her Sphere Woman''s Helpfulness Distress of Mrs. Benedict Arnold XII. Women in Business Husbands'' Confidence in Wives'' Shrewdness Evidence from Franklin Abigail Adams as Manager General Conclusions CHAPTER IV COLONIAL WOMAN AND DRESS I. Dress Regulation by Law Magistrates vs. Women Fines II. Contemporary Descriptions of dress Effect of Wealth and Travel Madame Knight''s Descriptions "Testimony by Sewall, Franklin, Abigail Adams" III. Raillery and Scolding Nathaniel Ward on Woman''s Costume Newspaper Comments Advertisement of Hoop Petticoats Evidence on the Size of Hoops Hair-Dressing Feminine Replies to Raillery IV. Extravagance in Dress Chastellux''s Opinion Evidence from Account Books Children''s Dress Fashions in Philadelphia and New York A Gentleman''s Dress Dolly Madison''s Costume The Meschiansza A Ball Dress Dolls as Models Men''s Jokes on Dress Increase in Cost of Raiment CHAPTER V COLONIAL WOMAN AND SOCIAL LIFE I. Southern Isolation and Hospitality Progress through Wealth Ca Fast Days Scant Attention to Thanksgiving and Christmas How Bradford Stopped Christmas Observation Sweall''s Records of Christmas A Century Later VIII. Social Restrictions Josselyn''s Account of New England Restraints Growing Laxity Sara Knight''s Description Severity in 1780 Laws Against Lodging Relatives of the Opposite Sex What Could not be Done in 1650 Husking Parties and Other Community Efforts IX. Dutch Social Life Its Pleasant Familiarity Mrs. Grant''s Descriptions of Early New York Normal Pleasures Love of Flowers and Children Love of Eating Mrs. Grant''s Record Disregard for Religion Mating the Children Picnicking Peculiar Customs at Dutch Funerals X. British Social Influences Increase of Wealth The Schuyler Home Mingling of Gaiety and Economy A Description in 1757 Foreign Astonishment at New York Display Richness of Woman''s Adornment Card-Playing and Dancing Gambling in Society XI. Causes of Display and Frivolity Washington''s Punctiliousness Mrs. Washington''s Dislike of Stateliness Disgust of the Democratic Senator Maclay''s Description of a Dinner by Washington Permanent Benefit of Washington''s Formality Elizabeth Southgate''s Record of New York Pastimes XII. Society in Philadelphia Social Welcome for the British Early Instruction in Dancing Formal Dancing Assemblies XIII. The Beauty of Philadelphia Women Abigail Adams'' Description The Accomplished Mrs. Bingham Introduction of Social Fads Contrasts with New York Belles XIV. Social Functions Lavish Use of Wealth at Philadelphia Washington''s Birthday Martha Washington in Philadelphia Domestic Ability of the Belles Franklin and his Daughter General Wayne''s Statement about Philadelphia Gaiety XV. Theatrical Performances Their Growth in Popularity Washington''s Liking for Them Mrs. Adams'' Description "First Performance in New York, Charleston, Williamsburg, Baltimore" Invading the Stage Throwing Missiles XVI. Strange Customs in Louisiana Passion for Pleasure Influence of Creoles and Negroes Habitat for Sailors and West Indian Ruffians Reasons for Vice Accounts by Berquin-Duvallon Commonness of Concubinage Alliott''s Description Reasons for Aversion to Marriage Corruptness of Fathers and Sons Drawing the Color Line Race Prejudice at Balls Fine Qualities of Louisiana White Women Excess in Dress Lack of Education Berquin-Duvallon''s Disgust The Murder of Babes General Conclusions CHAPTER VI COLONIAL WOMAN AND MARRIAGE I. New England Weddings Lack of Ceremony and merrymaking Freedom of Choice for Women The Parents'' Permission Evidences from Sewall Penalty for the Toying with the Heart The Dowry II. Judge Sewall''s Courtships Independence of Colonial Women Sewall and Madam Winthrop His Friends'' Urgings His Marriage to Mrs. Tilley Madam Winthrop''s Hard-Hearted Manner Sewall Looks Elsewhere for a Wife Success Again III. Liberty to Choose Eliza Pinckney''s Letter on the Matter Betty Sewall''s Rejection of Lovers IV. The Banns and the Ceremony Banns Required in Nearly all Colonies Prejudice against the Service of Preachers Sewall''s Descriptions of Weddings Sewall''s Efforts to Prevent Preachers from Officiating Refreshments at Weddings Increase in Hilarity V. Matrimonial Restrictions Reasons for Them Frequency of Bigamy Monthly Fines Marriage with Relatives VI. Spinsters Youthful Marriages Bachelors and Spinsters Viewed with Suspicion Fate of Old Maids Description of a Boston Spinster.

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