12. The Jamestown Brides Were Not Referred to as “Covered Women” Like Women in England
Many things changed for the women who chose to immigrate for marriage. The incentives given to them from the Virginia Company gave them more freedom than other 17th century women in England. One of these things was the women who chose to immigrate were given rights to land. Another prominent example of freedom for the women of Jamestown was that they were not considered “covered women.” To be such a woman meant that she gave up any independent identity once she married. Women in England were considered “covered women” once they married. However, women in Jamestown were not considered as such as they did not give up their independence upon marriage.
While the Virginia Company gave women who immigrated to the colony land to own, women in England could not own property or even dispose of any ground unless they had their husband’s permission. In fact, the Jamestown Colony had become so replaced with the “covered women” law that the leaders decided before they even brought any women over to set aside land for female colonists. Therefore, when the Virginia Company started requesting women for marriage immigration, Virginia’s leaders seek more land set aside for women as these women would need land too.