Women in Colonial America When women first arrived in the new colonies, many did not have the money to pay to get off the boat. This forced them into 4-5 years of servitude. Women would then be free to look for a husband. In colonial America, citizens' social status was based on financial standing, ethnicity, and religious beliefs. Social class was a determining factor in the opportunities available to women. They had considerably more rights than their counterparts in England, yet women faced the strict rules and discrimination of a predominantly Puritan society. Education in the colonial era was highly dependent on the financial prosperity of individual families. Most could not afford to send their children to school, however wealthier families could afford to send their daughters to primary school to learn basic skills including the alphabet, reading, writing and women's jobs such as sewing and knitting. The kids had the opportunity to further their education beyond the basics; however, girls were often not afforded this privilege. Women with higher education were often considered unusual. This was detrimental to their chances of finding a suitable husband. Women primarily assumed the role of mother from a considerably young age. Prejudices have prevented many women from holding office, much less playing influential public roles. Most men in the colonial era were farmers or merchants, very few had careers in the medical or legal fields. Women rarely held jobs of high nobility, but a fraction practiced their husband's trades or served as midwives. Religion in the colonial era emphasized women balancing motherhood roles and serving their husband as an idealistic wife. ...... middle of paper ...... women served as letter deliverers and alerted the militia. The ideas of the Constitution and equal rights were formulated after the war. The laws of total male domination became less significant theories as women's primary roles in society were redefined. Abigail Adams wrote a letter to Congress titled “Remember the Ladies.” Higher levels of education were accessible to girls from wealthy families after the war. The unfathomable concept of female superiority and advanced education was being accepted. The meaning of equality was redefined as women strived to be seen as equal to their male counterparts. Works Cited “Gender and Sexuality in Colonial America.” Gender and sexuality in colonial America. Np, nd Web. 07 November 2013. "H-Net Reviews." H-Net Reviews. Np, nd Web. 07 November. 2013.