单项选择题
| Throughout the colonial period there was a
remarkable shortage of women, which var-ied with the regions and was always
greatest in the frontier areas. This shortage enhanced women’s status and
position and allowed them to pursue different careers. (80) The Puri-tans
(清教徒) regarded idleness (无所事事) as a sin, and believed that life in an
under-developed country made it necessary that each member of the community
perform an eco-nomic function. Thus work for women was not only approved but
also was regarded as a civic (市民的) duty. Puritan town councils (议会) expected
widows (寡妇) and independ-ent women to be self-supporting. There was no social
prohibition against married women working; on the contrary, wives were expected
to help their husbands in their trade and won social approval for doing extra
work in or out of the home. The vast majority of women worked within their homes, where their labor produced most articles needed for the family. The entire colonial production of cloth and clothing and partly that of shoes was in the hands of women. In addition to these occupations, women were found in many different kinds of employment. They were butchers, silversmiths and gunsmiths. They ran mills, plantations, shipyards, and every kind of shops. They were gatekeepers, jail keepers, journalists, printers, nurses, and teachers. |