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Post#2 Britain's view on American Political Activism

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In an attempt to raise funds after the Seven Years War the English decided to impose new taxes on the colonists in order to help pay off the debt that occurred because of the war. Since these taxes, such as the Stamp Act, were never approved by the local councils in the colonies, the colonists did not believe that they had to pay them. And the first groups of colonial resistance, such as the Sons of Liberty, were formed. In the spirit of resistance and defiance to these acts, women who lived in the colonies felt that they should do something in order to help the cause. Even in this day and age women are still considered second class citizens and as it is said in Nation of Nations ” While the new political activism of some American women often amused male leaders of the resistance, it inspired the scorn of some partisans of British authority”(p.139). A political cartoon titled “The Women of Edenton” was published by a British cartoonist in North Carolina and was intended to poke fun at this new found sense of participation in the colonial women. The idea that the American colonies had the audacity to stand up to the rule of the British Empire was considered an insult to the British people, and through the act of political cartoons the British showed how they felt. American women who participated in political activism were not only promiscuous and drunk, but they also forgot their role in society, which was running the household and family, as shown in the cartoon “Women of Edenton.”

The most obvious act seen in the cartoon is that the women in the picture are drinking large amounts of alcohol. To begin with the young lady on the far right of the cartoon, she looks as if she is in a drunken daze, which is probably true considering the number of empty alcohol containers lying next to her. Another example of being drunk is seen in the background of the cartoon. By the window, there are two women who are obviously drinking, but is what they are drinking out of that the cartoonist is making fun of. The woman is not only drinking but she is drinking out of what seems to be an enormous punch bowl. One more example of drinking is in the far left where the women are pouring huge vats of alcohol into what seem like huge glasses.

The cartoonist also implied that these women were loose in nature. The prime example is the woman in the middle who is busy trying to sign the document, but at the same time the only man in the picture is very close to her and is trying to kiss her and if you notice his hands they are in a most inappropriate place. The cartoonist also placed a woman in the foreground that is bending over facing away from us, trying to sign the document. This of course is considered a very unlady-like stance and should not be done in public.

The final point the cartoonist is trying to make is that women who participate in politics forget about their main purpose in life which is taking care of the home and children. As you can see in the cartoon all the women are taken up with other events and forget about the child who is sitting on the floor by the table. The child is sitting on the floor with a plate of food which is falling over, but no one seems to care about the unhygienic conditions. He is also underneath the table with the dog that is licking the child and urinating at the same time. At this point of time, dogs were considered very unsanitary especially around children; however in this cartoon no one seems to care because the women are preoccupied with politics instead of taking care of the household.

The British at this time were annoyed with the political upheavals in America. And in this political cartoon the cartoonists depicted their aggravation towards American women who were included in politics. The British did not believe a woman’s place was anywhere other than in charge of the household, they did not think that women were capable of taking part in politics and therefore thought that women that were involved in politics were immoral and loose and neglected their wifely duties. They did not think that a woman could both take care of the household and take part in politics. “The Women of Edenton” was a huge mockery of the politically active women in America.

Post #1 The influence of Christian Beliefs on Native American Culture

     From day one of my History class I have been told that " History is the prescence or absence of change over time". Native Americans had been living in the Americas for centuries without any foreign influence or ideals, and yet when the first Europeans came to the native's lands these explorers considered them barbarians and pagans. This feeling of superiority that the Europeans shared was very clear on how they felt about the natives religious beliefs.  The Native Americans were very in touch with nature and considered themselves one with not only the earth but with the animals around them. Europeans considered this ridiculous since they all had strong Christian backgrounds where man was above beast.  Over time European influence not only changed the Native Americans daily lives, but would change their own religious ideals and sense of creation.

      The Native Americans not only had a very distinct way of life, but they also had a very distinct way of how they believed they were created.  The first story I read was from the natives of New Netherlands circa 1650.  At this time there were not many settlers in the New World and most of them were adventurers looking for economic freedom. Still, according to the story these men were also more then willing to share stories and information with the natives and even bigger willing to listen.  The first story talks about a goddess who comes down from heaven and wherever she steps, land appears from the water, which at this time the earth is covered by.  She gives birth to the animals; the main three being the deer, bear, and the wolf.  After she raises them she returns to heaven and the animals spread across the land. As man came to be the natives believed that everyone shared one of the three main animal spirits.  Most of the native families at this time had a totem which represented their animal spirit.  This society was very close to nature and considered themselves one with the animals.  This idea of animal kinship was a complete opposite religious ideal that any of the explorers ever had heard. 

      The next story is from the Ottawa Society circa 1720 and now we see how the explorers feel about the natives creation stories. Once again the story is based around nature but there is one main figure who is responcible for the creation.  This is somewhat different  from the first story where it is never said that there is one and only powerful being.  Regardless once again man is created from the animals so that once again they share qualities and characteristics from the animals.  After hearing this story the explorer who is listening to this story says " in the regard to the creation of man: it is based only upon the most ridiculous and extravagant notions." This shows the superiority that the Europeans feel since they believe that their religion is the only one true religion.  With the expansion of European settlements across America the natives soon found themselves at war with the explorers who they once welcomed into their lives.  History shows that over time the now new Americans conquered the natives and took their lands.  After taking their land they taught these "savages" their ways in many areas of life.  One of the ways they tried to get the natives to adapt was to convert them to Christianity.  This is seen more in the Sioux creation myth which was told around 1935.  In this story it tells of a creating power and a world that is wicked which strangely sounds like the story of moses from the bible. In the other two stories the creating power was something material and lived on earth with its creations and no an all powerful being.  Also the world was never wicked in the other stories and in this story the world was wicked and the creating power decided to bring forth rains long and hard enough to flood the earth.  In the Bible God flooded the earth to punish man and to cleanse the earth with a great flood.  Also at the end of the great flood he gave man the rainbow to show them that it would rain no more, just like god in the Christian religion did for moses.  Also the third creation myth ends with "then he rested" a rhetoric seen in the bible.  Since these creation stories were passed orally from one generation to another it was easy to forget certain details of the original story.  Also since the Christian beliefs were taught in the schools where the native children were taught they got myths and stories confused and eventually the old stories changed.  This is why over time parallels between Christian culture and native American culture blended.