Who Are the Women of the Great Plains?

Who are the Women of the Great Plains?

My idea of women of the Great Plains is pretty stereotypical. The term "Great Plains" makes me think of the late 1800's to the early 1900's. I would relate my idea of them to Little House on the Prairie. I consider how women dressed, where they lived, and their daily life in order to come up with a general idea of what a Great Plains woman was.

The first thing to consider is what she looked like. Covering her body was necessary. This was done by wearing a long dress that goes to her ankles and has sleeves. The sleeves usually went to either the elbow or the wrist; nothing baring the shoulders. If she was cooking she always wore an apron and if she was ever out in public, a hat was worn. Of course women were more dressed up out in public, interacting with others, than they were at home. How they dressed was a measurement of their social rank. A wealthier woman wore more expensive and elaborate threads than a woman with less money to prove that she was above them. Social rank was everything then. Women were full of gossip so they wanted to impress one another. If she was single, she also dressed to impress the men, hoping that one would make her his wife.

The second aspect to a woman of the Great Plains is the rural area where she lived. A perfect example would be the stereotype of what all non-Nebraskan's think of when they think about Nebraska. She lived somewhere in the middle of the country where there were no buildings in sight, besides her house. Her house was a farm where you would find land, chickens, and cows. The closest neighbor and local shopping area were miles away so the main thing she focused on was keeping the house in order and helping the family.

Finally, the lifestyle of these women focused on the household. Basically, most were what you would call a "housewife". For married women, the men