Pioneer Women

Why do you think most pictures of pioneer women show them very solemn?

• Life for pioneer women was not easy. In fact it was very hard. They worked from before the sun came up until after the sun went down every day with very little rest. There was not time for rest.

• Pioneer women spent their day caring for her children, cooking, cleaning, making candles and soap, doing laundry, and helping her husband in the fields.

• Children were, of course, her first priority. Most pioneer women had large families.

• They were forced to live their lives without many extras. It was all they could do to provide the necessities of life. But if they worked hard, they did not go without the necessities of life which were food, water, shelter, space,and good clean air.

  Despite the pictures that show them weather worn and frowning, they were for the most part happy in their lives. It was the custom of the times to show a very solemn and straight face for photographs, but they were really very happy people.

• Pioneer women were very independent women. They could not rely on their husbands for every little thing because they were too busy providing for the family.

• Pioneer women were very resourceful. When they needed something or something needed fixing, they found a way to do it.