Gendering, Racializing, and Classifying: Settler Colonization in the United States

Author: Dolores Janiewski
Book: Unsettling Settler Socities
pages: 132-160

Summary:
This chapter foretells the history of the people different that lived in the United States. According to Janiewski: " Contained within its historical evolution are the three kinds of settler colonies identified by scholars: mixed settlement, plantation, and pure settlement". (USS 1995, pg 132) The chapter reviewed how class, race, gender, and citizenship affected how people were treated and perceived in the shared country.

Native Americans had their own customs and class system before the arrival of the Europeans. Women were the main the producers and controller of agriculture goods. They also shared equal status as men by being able to make decisions, taking on leadership roles, and some women even fought in wars. The arrival of the Europeans marked a period of constant war and deaths by diseases according to the chapter "Wars such as the Pequot War in 1637, Bacon's Rebellion in 1676 which originated in settler conflict with the Susquehannahs, Doegs and Piscasttaways and Metacom's War in 1675-76 'demonstrated that some of the coastal tribes were prepared to risk extinction rather than become a colonized and culturally imperialized people' as well as that they 'were doomed whether they chose war or peace' (Nash, 1974: 127, 135; Morgan, 1975:250-1)" (USS 1995, pg 136) Many Europeans wanted the Native Americans to assimilate into western society.

The chapter then explains the Mexican American experience in the United States. According to the chapter "the Spanish Colonizers thus established the first racially and class-stratified societies within the boundaries of what would become the United States". (USS 1995, pg 137) Spanish settlers were on top of the hierarchical ladder, then it was Native American women married to Spanish settlers, the African Americans slaves, then Native Americans. The intermingling of Native and the Europeans caused a relapse in women's rights and influence. Before European influence, women were allowed to own property and marriage was known to be a union between two families instead of a "single patriarchal household". (USS 1995, pg 137) In 1871 Congress decided that the government did not have to withhold past treaties or negotiate with the Native Americans because they were no longer considered to be independent nations.

The African American experience went through close examination. African slaves were brought in from Africa as the main form of labour for southern colonies. In the north, "slaves retained the right to own property , bequeath and inherit legacies, and work for their own benefit during their free time". (USS 1995, pg 138) Relationships between African American men and European women were illegal however, relationships between European men and African women were tolerated.

My thoughts/reactions:
This chapter presented a lot of good points of how gender, class, and race determined how people were treated socially and politically. The information about marriage laws was especially enlightening because it illustrated the ideals and customs of the society. Especially the part of European women and African men can't have a relationship but European men and African women can. Even though inter-racial marriage is no longer outlawed today, society is still trying to accept gay marriage.