The American Women VOL 1 | Page 6

18 be l l Introducing the: e t n Co!on Gin A DID YOU KNOW? If you live in the city, you might not know what a cotton gin is. Cotton gins, which are used heavily in the South, remove the seed from the cotton. They can remove seeds from up to fifty pounds of cotton a day. It can be produced more quickly and efficiently, and made into fabric for women like you! As you know, before the Industrial Revolution, calicos (or printed cotton) were very expensive, and were only worn by the wealthy. Us ladies of the middle class could not even fathom wearing such finery! However, now with the invention of the cotton gin and water-powered factories, cotton is finally affordable! Take advantage of the beautifully patterned calico available to you! Both cotton and gingham work wonderfully for everyday wear, as you tend to your family and household. Cooking breakfast? Nursing your child? Tending to all of your responsibilities as a mother? Cotton and gingham clean easily which lessens the amount of effort for the laundry that you must do. If you are tired of living a life that is considered lesser than one of a man, challenge the social barrier women face. Having a job or receiving an education gives you an opportunity to contribute to society beyond being a wife and/or mother! Currently, women are acquiring jobs from teaching and medicine to factory jobs. They are even receiving higher education. Economic independence should be a yearning that all women have.