College Honors Program

"Weak Women?": Plotting Women's Networks of Influence at Plimouth Colony in the Early Seventeenth Century

Date of Creation

5-14-2022

Document Type

Campus Access Only

Department

History

First Advisor

Gwenn Miller

Second Advisor

Mary Conley

Abstract

The supposedly well-known tale of the Pilgrims who settled at Plimouth Patuxet evokes images of men huddled on the Mayflower or men peacefully gathered with Native persons at the First Thanksgiving. In these vignettes, women rarely, if at all, make an appearance. The early historians of Plimouth Patuxet minimally mention the contributions of women. Just because women remain absent from the settlement story of Plimouth Patuxet as it currently stands, however, does not mean that women did not impact the growth of their community. This thesis first explores how the first generation of English women aided in the establishment of a Separatist identity and formed networks through shared experiences, like child rearing. The second chapter then focuses on the solidification of these networks of influence, primarily focusing on the myriad of ways women exerted influence in the community that included but was not limited to their reproductive capabilities. Lastly, this thesis postulates about the effects of these networks on the first generation of women at Plimouth Patuxet as they aged. From Of Plimouth Plantation to Mourt’s Relation, this thesis draws on many well-trodden sources as well as some less familiar, to insert women into the narrative of Plimouth Patuxet.

Comments

Departmental Honors Thesis for History

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