How and why did Neoclassical architecture influence and shape architecture in the United States?
During the eighteenth century, Neoclassical architecture grew beyond belief in the United States. This classical style was seen as a direct expression of democracy itself. It was considered the purest form and was derived from classical antiquity. In the United States, Neoclassical architecture was influenced by Robert Adam (1728-1792) of England. His designs are very prominent and bold: “Adam filled the interior with opulent marbles, stucco decoration, Corinthian colonnades, and alcoves to contain sculpture copied from the ancients” (Sayre). Also, one of the most eye-drawing parts of his design is the open-ended oval staircase the leads to the
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Passages like “no man has natural authority of his fellow” and “all men are born equally free and independent and have certain inherent natural rights…” (Sayre) only states men as equals. It neglected the rights of women, which is why Abigail Adams felt it necessary to write her husband a letter about her thoughts towards these passages. These laws reject the rights of women, because back then women were just thought of as needing to stay home to cook, clean, and watch the children. In spite of this, Abigail consulted her husband knowing that he was on a committee to draft the Declaration of Independence. In her letter, written in the spring of 1776, she advised him that no attention was paid to ladies, which may start a rebellion because they will not be bound by any laws that they have no voice or representation in creating. She goes on to say that she is disgusted by these laws and how they blatantly discount women. “Why then not put it out of the power of the vicious and the lawless to use us with cruelty and indignity with impunity. Men of sense in all ages abhor those customs which treat us only as vassals of your sex” (Sayre). Although Abigail Adams was more private about expressing her feelings, she and other women fought for these
Abigail realized the problems in society, from the way women were treated to how the biases toward women affected all women’s
Abigail Adams letter to John Adams asking him to remember the ladies when the new country is made (Source B), and his crude letter back explaining her ridiculousness (Source E). A letter most likely written by a free slave so desperate for the freedom of the African children that he learned to write and sends a petition to the congress (Source C). And finally, in the recreation of the the mid 1770’s events, the miniseries John Adams (Source D). Therefore, The statement, “All men were created equal” is a hypocritical statement because the African people and women were treated as property to be owned instead of as equal people as the statement
The idea of all men are created equal is specious because there were Slavery, and women did not have equal rights as men. Sources A, B, C, D, show how the statement “all men are created equal” is hypocritical. The Declaration of Independence, from Source A, provides the reader that the Declaration of Natural Rights is false. In Source B, the letter from Abigail Adams shows how men had “unlimited power,” and women did not have the ability to vote, own property, or speak out in Congress. In Source C, it conveys how Slavery provoked unfair rights, embittered lives, and the loss of natural rights.
In this letter Abigail Adam tells her husband that he should speak more about the rights of women and let their voices be heard. So because of this and womens being able to speak up after this they are able to stand up for themselves and create a more comfortable place for both male and females. Abigail Adams also talks about how he should not allow to have men's superior power or they will create a rebellion against them. Preamble to the Constitution of the United States, 1787 another one of the documents that support the rights of Americans.
The “Declaration of Sentiments” and “Declaration of Independence” are documents written to show equality of women and men. They both have the same common theme, rights and equality. In the “Declaration of Sentiments” it explains the struggles for women with voting rights, getting an education, and having different morals than men. Why are women so feminized ? Why are men shown to have all the power?
At the end of the revolution, a large majority of the colonial citizens, such as women, slaves, and other lower class members, began to express resentment towards the way higher classmen viewed them. “The struggle for American liberty emboldened other colonists to demand more liberty” (Foner, 217), which led to many colonists debating and fighting for equality. In order for women to feel freer, they wished for a stronger sense of equality. For example, Abigail Adams stated that even by having more power around the house, they would feel more equivalent in comparison to their husband. The Declaration of Independence was also a reason for equality becoming a strong component of freedom.
In her Declaration of Sentiments, she wrote of the many faults in society and government that considered men were the superior to women. Sijourner Truth declared she too was a woman, in her writing, Ar’nt I
She states that men and women are equal and should have the same rights and should not be treated differently than each other. This quote by Anna from the speech backs this point up, “Now I want to make this proposition, and I believe every man will accept it. Of course, he will if he is intelligent. Whenever a Republic prescribes the qualifications as applying equally to all the citizens of the Republic, when the Republic says in order to vote, a citizen must be twenty-one years of age, it applies to all alike, there is no discrimination against any race or sex”. (Shaw,4)
Such as, in paragraph 4 “ but we assembled to protest against a form of government existing without the consent of the governed” She reference the declaration of independence to make her point more clear. It shows event though we made a declaration for independence it would make women eligible to have the same rights as men but instead weren’t cared enough to make sure men would guarantied their rights. In addition, she also used “and it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy.” She used this allusion to compare it to a passage from the bible.
She begins her letter by stating that John is working too frequently and not spending enough time with her and her family. She proceeds to denounce his work in office by stating that despite their government’s progress towards equality of all men, the women still deserve to have equal opportunities. Moreover, she also infers that a government is only as powerful as it’s people, thus, if not provided wit equal opportunities, the women will revolt against the government. Before reading this, I was unaware that women, especially women of higher class/power, were discussing equal rights and opportunities of women. I assumed that they would have primarily discussed this with the other women in their society rather than the men.
Numerous women expressed their disapproval towards how they were denied their rights based on their gender, thus causing women to take a stand for their suffrage and rights. In a letter to her husband, Abigail Adams told him to “be more generous and favourable to [women] than [his]
Abigail Adams was extremely influential to the nation’s beginnings due to her drive to push certain decisions and debates through the status of her husband. She found the issues of women’s rights and slavery while also finding local politics to be important. As the wife of a president, Abigail Adams was able to use her status in a way to push and bring to life her political agenda. Abigail Adams was able to provide her husband with information and insights of the political situation in Boston during his decade long trip through numerous letters that had been exchanged for so long. Her letters regarding the political situation “included commentary on the American struggle for independence and the political structure of the new republic.”
The Revolutionary war was not revolutionary because it did not protect some of people’s rights, made lives harder, and left Americans in despair. The Declaration of Independence clearly stated that all men are created equal and unalienable rights (Document 2). This, however, is not shown through the social classes. The Revolutionary War was fought to bring freedom, but that undoubtedly does not show. First and foremost, Abigail Adams wrote “Remember the ladies, and be more generous and favourable to them than your ancestors.
Education was a big factor that Abigail urged women to have more of a passion for. An educated woman is a strong woman. She promotes that women are just as capable as men, and intellectual thinkers who want their voices to be heard. Since women had little rights for themselves, some women were against slavery, especially Abigail Adam’s, they saw how little to no rights slaves were given and saw a comparison of the situations and wanted to be that voice for them and those that joined her. John Adams had complete trust in her to be able to handle all that was going on in the household while he was gone.
For example, Abigail Adams voiced her opinion on rights of women to her husband,