1. Jamestown Brides Established Power and Became Spoiled
While it is not often discussed in history, the Jamestown brides were making strides for women in a male-dominated society. As written before, women in England could not own land. Furthermore, widows were given very little of their deceased husband’s estate. These conditions were not the same for women in Jamestown. This fact made women in the colony rare and special, and soon the Jamestown brides realized they could indeed change powers for their descendants. Therefore, women in Jamestown began focusing on what legal changes they could make in America, whether they were single, married, or widowed.
It became apparent that women in Jamestown were valued more than women in England. Moreover, the women of Jamestown quickly began using their value as a means to gain as much power as they could, including in the courts. In England, it was rare to see a woman fight a case in court. However, in America, it became common for women to sue someone or request a court case to defend themselves or their rights. This practice became so common that women were going to court for even minor offenses. Over time, the European visitors began taking note on how spoiled the women had grown and were quick to point this out.
Where did we find this stuff? Here are our sources:
“The Mail-Order Brides of Jamestown, Virginia.” Marcia Zug, The Atlantic. August 2016.
“Pioneering Female Colonists Changed Jamestown.” Mark St. John Erickson, Daily Press. March 2016.
“The Powhatan Indian Attack of March 22, 1622.” Virtual Jamestown. 1998.
“Roles of women and children at Jamestown?”. History Fun.
“Early VA. Wives a Varied Group.” Parke Rouse, Daily Press. June 1991.
“The Bride Ships of 1620, Colonial America’s First Transatlantic Party Buses.” Cheryl Adams Richoff, Ranker. 2018.
“The Real Wives of Jamestown.” Misha Ewen, History Today. May 2017.
“The Real Housewives of Jamestown.” Hanna Rioseco, Thirteen. May 2018.
“World’s first mail order brides who inspired Downton Abbey makers’ new show Jamestown.” Emily Fairbairn, The Sun. May 2017.
“The Tobacco Brides.” Becky Lower, History Imagined. September 2017.