Jamestown Gender Roles Essay

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In 1629 Virginia, a curious case arises within the General Court records of Jamestown. It is a case that offers a rare glimpse into the gender norms of colonial people and presents evidence for the difference between community roles in Europe and the New World. The cases of Thomas(ine) Hall, and the implication of gender roles and sexuality present historians with a person that is far ahead of their time, and operating within a modern regime of identity, as opposed to the ancient regime of identity that stands as the social norm of the time.
This episode reveals that gender stands as a highly important social categorization within this society. Without the presence of a traditional legal entity (such as a church or a court) the colonial community unintentionally creates an organic social structure based upon gender. For example, women are expected to dress and act in certain ways, and to perform certain jobs. They also possess a different type of authority than men do. In the case of Thomas(ine) Hall, “women’s authority derived from constructions of tradition and, more important, from their claims to interpret female bodies.” The limited say that women have during this time relies heavily upon their own interpretation of …show more content…
Perhaps this desire for control over other women’s bodies, is a response to the natural control men inherently have over women. This case reveals that colonial women are trying their hardest to seek some sort of independence form their male counterparts—even if it unknowingly by gripping onto a sexual authority that modern women may in fact find demeaning. Men are also expected to dress and act in certain ways but are also dealt a great deal more of status and power, as they can own land and choose a spouse along with having the ability to have control over a tobacco
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