What Were Women’s Roles in the Middle Colonies?

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The role of women in the Middle Colonies consisted mainly of cleaning, cooking and making goods. The goods that the women typically made were candles, butter, clothing and soap. Women were also expected to watch and take care of the children.

Just like the women of the Middle Colonies, the men had specific jobs to complete as well. Most of their jobs involved hunting for food, raising animals, building and fixing things. It was also usually the man’s job to work out in the garden during this time period.

Just like in the other colonies, the Middle Colonies suffered from a shortage of women during its early years. The storage of women is tracked back to when the Pilgrims landed in Plymouth, Mass., in 1620. Out of the nearly 100 passengers on the Mayflower, only around 28 of them were women.

Women who were marriageable were very highly sought after. By 1622, the problem was so dire that nearly 150 women were brought to the colonies to be auctioned to men. Most women were sold for just 80 pounds of tobacco. Despite this, nearly three years later, men still made up more than three-quarters of the population in some colonies.