Andrew Stine
Sex in America
Week 4
2/6 Lecture
Response Paper 1 Prompt - Posted Feb 22
Response Paper 1 - Due Feb 25
Book Presentation in class - Feb 27
Book Reviews - Due Mar 3
Chapter 3 – Regulating Sexuality in the Anglo-American Colonies
- In what ways did laws affect the behavior of British colonists in Virginia and
Massachusetts?
- How did the colonists’ behavior affect the laws?
- How effective were laws in shaping the colonists’ actions and beliefs regarding
gender and sexuality?
The Reformation (Creation of Catholic Church - 1517 Germany)
- People immediately criticized the church - Martin Luther nailed his thesis to the church
- Faith alone is enough for salvation - Luther's message
- Can't buy your way into heaven, with no need for priests, any believer can achieve
salvation
- After Reformation - Catholics vs. Protestants
King Henry The 8th
- Was a Catholic - He wanted to make sure that he had a male heir
- He tried to nullify his marriage to Catherine of Aragon because she was not giving him a
son
1558 Queen Elizabeth takes the throne - Anglican Church
John Calvin
- Subscribed to the same connection of salvation through faith alone
- Believed that an individual interprets the bible themselves
- God had predetermined your salvation status
- Predestination - Jeremiah 1:5
- Calvinism - People are predetermined to be saved, and these people should “be in
charge.”
- Calvinists believe that they should be in charge of everything
- No separation of church and state - wanted everyone to live by the same code - By their
interpretation of the bible - Biblical law.
- Very focused on sin - The devil was everywhere
- Heavily believed the bible was God's word
- Fought and attempted to get rid of all worldly materials related to the bible - Control over
interpretations
Church of England (Catholic/Protestant) - Puratists(Calvinism) - Christianity(Saints)
- Puritans were targets of persecution in England - Silenced, land was taken, fined,
imprisoned
- Puritans wanted to separate from the Church of England - colonies
English Common Law 1066
- Coverture - Married women have no legal identity outside of a husband or father
- Marriage symbolizes two becoming one - Adult married women legally didn’t exist as their
persons.
- A man owned his wife
Doc 1&2 - Laws - Coverture
Doc 4 & Essay 2- Gender matters in community - law
- Women were deformed men, and women were inferior
- Women were weak
King James
- Wrote the King James version of the Bible
- King James was rumored to have several sexual relationships with men of the court
- Sin of sodomy
Jamestown - Virginia
- 1607 - Settlement of men - Employees of the Virginia Company
- A lot of failure
- 1620s - Men outnumbered women 6-1
- Women were enough to be wives - Tobacco Bride
- Women came to the colonies as indentured servants
- Sexual exploitation - Women who became pregnant added 2 years to their contract
- A mix of indentured and slavery
- Laws against sodomy
-
