Women in Colonial America had varying, but distinctive, roles. Native women of Colonial America did everything around the home. They cleaned, cooked, made clothing and kept it clean, tended gardens to grow food for the family, engaged in making of pottery and baskets, even engaged in the construction of their homes. The women were "jacks of all trades" while the man of the house put meat on the family's table. European women were not used to working hard before coming to America. They therefore were not engaged in as many activities Native women. However, European women took care of household chores exclusively, made potteery items, engaged in basket weaving and sewed clothes.
African women first came to America mostly as indentured servants, not as slaves since Europe did not engage in slavery. They were free to marry, own property and to maintain that property. THey tended gardens in which they grew food their faqmilies as weel as for the family they worked for. They also made clothing for their families, as well as pottery to exchange with others.
European women who could afford to have an indentured servant had frew activities and responsibilities in Colonial America. Often the area in which a familiy settled controlled what activities were necessary for Colonial women to perform. In areas where the land was not fertile or conducive to growing crops,fishing became a major industry. Native women worked in the industry as well as in the home. European women tended to,leave the operation of the industry to the male and confined their efforts to the necessary activities in the home. Indentured servants performed the activities set out for them by their employers. Meanwhile, in all cases, the men did all the hunting and fishing for the families.