Problem
Write short paper in which you explain what you think about the experiences of these women? What do you think about their hardships and the advantages they had through the experience? Address two other aspects of the accounts: To what extent were the women engaged in the broader society of which they were apart? Were there one or two more involved than the others? If society expected men, generally, to assume personal responsibility for earning a living in the market place, to what extent did the Homestead Act enable women to redefine and challenge traditional expectations about personal responsibility, assert themselves in new ways, and take responsibility for themselves? Most importantly, what do you think about their experiences? Could you see yourself in their shoes, risking everything to go west and contending with the same environment that they confronted? What have you learned about the American past from their experiences? I want to see your reactions, thoughts, and analysis.