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Life after death
"Lisa Wilson traces the experiences of widows in a society that was developing a new ideology of proper female behavior. Using wills, court records, almshouse registers, correspondence, and diaries to explore the lives of widows during this period, Wilson alters our understanding of the diversity of women's experiences and adds a new dimension to the "separate spheres" explanation of gender roles. For this group of early American women, family concerns rather than the dictates of femininity lay at the core of their lives." "The focus of this study, Chester County and Philadelphia between 1750 and 1850, provides a backdrop from which many types of widowed women can be observed. Philadelphia during this time was a growing urban center. With this growth came economic change and the beginning of industrialization. In Chester County, the traditional, family-centered farms remained crucial...
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