Republican Motherhood Blog

What role did the Revolutionary War play in the transformation of housewifery to Republican Motherhood?

The war was used to explain the transition in the role of women. As Graves writes, the job of a woman is patriotic in that she serves her country by raising good citizens an leading young minds "along the pleasant paths of knowledge."

What were the consequences of Republican Motherhood on women?

Once they became mothers, women's lives were centered around teaching their sons and giving them an enlightened education, as Rush writes. In school women were prepared for these duties. Running the home was everything for women, and neglecting these duties by going out and socializing was going against what God wanted her to do.

What is the significance of the ideology of Republican Motherhood as a stage in the process of women's socialization?

Republican Motherhood elevated the role of women and gave them value. With both their role as teachers and their upbringing of the next generation, they became increasingly important to society (Stearns writes that "Society is her empire"). Stearns continues, saying that the destiny of America depends on the women of America, and they have the power to shape whether America will be "refined" or immoral.

Mary Gibson Tilghman and her sons

Describe the setting.

The scene takes place in the home of the family, where women are expected to work in the model of Republican Motherhood. Tilghman is caring for her children, and doing the job of a mother in this era.

Who serves at the center of the portrait and why? How does the woman look? How is she "republican" rather than aristocratic?

The mother is in the center because she is the focus of the picture. Republican Motherhood raised the focus on women and recognized their importance to the future of the country. She looks at ease, possibly because her children are behaving, meaning she is doing her job by raising civilized children. She does not look "aristocratic" because she is not wearing fancy clothing and does not appear to represent the upper class. She seems to be a working class mother doing her job.

What values do her sons exhibit?

The sons look to be well-behaved, valuing respect and order. Their calm, yet happy demeanor, shows that they know what is expected of them and were raised well.

Is there a significance to the position of Mrs. Tilghman's arm?

The younger child appears to be more active, with his arms in the air, so she is holding him still with her arm and supporting him, which represents the role of women in Republican Motherhood - to support their children.

Rosie the Riveter, who represented women working in factories during World War II.

Like women saw an elevated role when Republican Motherhood came about during the Revolutionary War, women found a new importance during World War II as well, as they worked in factories, doing jobs normally performed by men.