History Post One: A Midwife's Tale

Why is there so little evidence of women’s roles in the early 19th century? What revelations does Ulrich’s research bring?

In the late 18th and early 19th century Maine women had many roles and were crucial to the family. The women were the glue of the family, house keepers, business people, and neighborly companions. Much about the women’s lives beyond keeping house was not known large to do with the fact that most women did not keep written records. With the help of Martha Ballard’s diary Ulrich looks into her life and the life of the other women as well.

We learn most about history from written accounts. The parts of history that are the most hazy are the ones with no documents, literature, or any form of writing to go by. Many women in the nineteenth century did not keep writings on what they did through out the day or their transactions with neighbors; at least not that survived. Because of how little written material there is that would show what the women’s roles were, little was known and the general assumption was that they worked hard, but the work did not extend far beyond the door of their homes. Ulrich’s research, backed up by Martha’s diary shows that to be untrue, and that women played many roles in the home and community.

Martha Ballard’s diary is so unique because it chronicles the life of a woman day to day, and not only that but it shows that she, and other women in the town, had important roles in the community as well as the home. The diary and the research conducted around it by Ulrich gives important and rare insight into the life of the nineteenth century people of Maine, especially the women.

The common conception of the nineteenth century woman is on many levels true. Women worked in the garden and sewed, mended, cooked, worked the flax, spun, had and raised children. They taught their girls how to do all the work that they did, and together kept up the house. For most women though, and Martha in particular, this role of home body was not the only one.

The men were not the only ones who did business. Again, lack of record is likely the reason for the little realization of this. Another reason might be because the business often didn’t require currency, and was more of a trade system. The women would trade service for goods or goods for goods. Much of the women’s business was done with other women, but doing business with men wasn’t something that didn’t happen. The occasional trade of service or goods for money usually came from doing business with men.

Women were neighbors to the very extent of the word. They had a strong social network that exceeds what many people have now. The women came together to help when another woman was going to give birth, and often stay the night. After the baby was born women would come to help the mother until she was able to get back to her daily work. Women would go to each other’s homes and pull flax to help and to be able to take some as their own. Women would send their daughters from home to home to learn from the other women and single women would also move about the town in the same manner.

Apart from these roles some women had another attached to them that was more of a profession. Martha Ballard was not only the home maker, part time business woman and neighbor; she was also a midwife and healer. She would travel around the near by towns, helping the sick and delivering babies, being paid in money, credit or goods. All this she would do without letting her other roles as a woman slip. Having a profession the way Martha did was not a role that all women had, but it was not uncommon.

Women in nineteenth century Maine worked hard, and were not confined to one role. Because of Ulrich’s research into the contents of Martha Ballard’s diary, more light has been shed on the home maker, neighbor, business and professional roles of these women.

Touching Spirit Bear

Edwin tells Cole that “Off the coast of British Columbia, there is a special black bear called the Spirit Bear. It is pure white and has pride, dignity and honor.” I was interested to find out if the bear was more of a legend, or if it was something people could actually still see. Also, because the book is called “Touching Spirit Bear” I figured there would probably be a lot of interaction between the bear and Cole and that it would be important.
Spirit Bears are not just a legend, but in order to see one you would have to go to Princess Royal Island or Gribbell Island and areas around there to see one because that is the only area in the whole world that they exist. I thought these were two nice pictures of them: http://sudoku.com.au/Prizes/H337.jpg and http://www.kermode-terrace-bc.com/spirit_bearcub1.jpg. Because they have lived mostly secluded for so long they do not have a natural fear of humans.
The Spirit Bear is called the Kermode after a British zoologist named Francis Kermode from the British Columbia Provincial Museum who helped W. T. Hornaday in learning about the Spirit Bear.
I learned that the legend of the Spirit Bear comes from the Tsimshian people, and that for a long time they were called Moksgm’ol. When the earth was in an ice age, the Raven decided to change the world back to green plants but as a reminder of the ice and snow turned every tenth Black Bear white. The Raven also gave them special powers. One was to be able to dive deep for fish and the other to be able to lead special people to their places. I think that maybe this is what the spirit bear in this book will do for Cole; he needs the help.

Works Cited:

"Legend and History." Spiritbearyouth.Org. 25 June 2008 http://www.spiritbearyouth.org/spiritbear.php?page_id=7.

"Princess Royal Island." Britishcolumbia.Com. 25 June 2008 http://www.britishcolumbia.com/regions/towns/?townID=4014.

Leadership. The last Honors 10 History Essay

Abstract: This paper will discuss what was required of leadership to guide the colonies into a working government and how The Founding Brothers achieved this not as individuals but collectively and because of this created a unique form of government. Support comes from Founding Brothers by Joseph J. Ellis, http://www.britannica.com/, and class notes.

The American government was not established with firm rules set for what should happen and how the country should be run; instead checks and balances were set up that give the people freedoms but protect the rights of others. This precarious tug of war that keeps the country stable came about because of the unique leadership and unusual but affective collaboration of Adams, Jefferson, Washington, Hamilton and Madison, that is continued today. The formation of this government required these men to use their opinions, skills, quirks and passions in a mix as the Founding Brothers.

Leadership is not up to it's full potential when only one person is leading. In order for something hugely important to be lead, such as the establishing of the American government, and for it to succeed there needs to be a collaboration of leaders who stop each other as much as they help. The Founding Brothers did this, using their personal talents to progress and preventing destruction to the country by checking the other's flawed ideas.

Washington possessed the qualities the people of the country needed to see in their leader. He was physically impressive, could command the room and was a person of great integrity. Washington had lead the army through the war and was regarded as hero among the people. Everyone; most of all the Brothers, realized that Washington was the only choice for the country's first president. Washington fulfilled the needs of the country at the time. He was a figure of strength that the new government needed for people to trust that there was stability in there government. When after two terms he resigned, he exemplified the true non-marnachial government that had begun to be established. However, as skilled a president as Washington was, he was not perfect and could not have had as affective a terms as he did if not for other members of the Founding Brothers. Washington had wonderful charisma, but compared to some of the Brothers he was not as masterful at the higher level politics. He often collaborated with Madison and especially Hamilton when it came to very official business and articulating his ideas; they even helped him write his famous farewell address.

Just as Washington would not have had the ability to hold office the way he did without the help of the brothers, Hamilton also was not a one man show. Hamilton on his own was skilled in the area of finances. He set up the national banking system and is considered the father of modern capitalism, and was very useful in military areas, but he too needed to be checked. His confidence in the early American army was over estimated, and when Washington set him up in charge of the armies he would have sent the country to it's doom by putting it into a war with England and France. Adams used his presidential powers to prevent this from happening. Hamilton and Adams also disagreed about where the power of the government should be. Hamilton believed that it should be a National power, while Adams leaned more to local control, leading to our systems today that incorporate both.

Madison was a convincing speaker in congress, but he also worked closely with many of the brothers quieter and more behind the scenes. He and Jefferson had a close relationship and when Jefferson was in France; he was his chief corespondent for knowledge about the affairs of the developing government, and when Jefferson came back Madison remained his confidant and someone he trusted. Madison knew how to get inside peoples heads without them hardly noticing.

Ideology belonged to Jefferson. He had the most opinionated ideals and wanted only purity for the government he was helping to mold. Unfortunately, all though these ideals were perfect for the constitution, his actions were not always prompted by the same motives and sometimes his high ideals left him short when he failed to see the bad sides of things. He had a naivety that caused him to not just see the best in things, but refusing to see the danger. When vice president to Adams he was enthralled with the French Revolution and wanted Adams as president to support it. Adams knew better and could see past the mask of ideals that blocked Jefferson's view to the mess that the French were in rightfully refusing to take any part in it and reprimanding Jefferson for his blind oppinion.

Adams was quite level headed and intelligent and played a key role in convincing the congress of war with England. He was the second president and carried the country though his time without serious issues. He often had the insight to prevent some of the other brothers from leading the country into catastrophes; namely Jefferson and Hamilton. Even with these traits he was not a favorite of the people and didn't have the personality type that many people wanted to see leading and making decisions for their county, so people like Washington and Jefferson balanced him out for the public.

The leadership needed for a newly born country required many things; more than one person could possess, but all the Founding Brothers stepped up to the challenge and in doing so created a government unlike any other. This government took from each of the Brothers their best contributions brought forth through their own individual leadership style. It needed the image of Washington, the financial savviness of Hamilton, the brains of Madison, ideals of Jefferson and Adams cool head.

Each Founding Brother possessed particular aspects in their personality that spoke leadership; but as they were all human and thus flawed; none of them could lead a new country alone. Their collective leadership qualities were needed to balance out the other brother's ideas that were doomed to failure and establish a working government. One man could not have done it alone; all the Brothers best qualities were needed to have what was required of leadership necessary to start the government of the United States of America.