A Mission of Motherhood

 

A Mission for Motherhood

By Jessica Schultz Pleasant

 

Women have played a key role throughout American history. But if you ask the young women of today, they will diminish a woman’s role in the creation of America. Radical feminists of today claim America is based on white male misogyny. But politics are down stream from culture, and there is no competition to a mother’s participation. Women are the demographic that drives a large portion of social and moral expectations of Western Civilization. Women are a national treasure gifted with the means of continuing the growth and success of their nation.

 

If we look to the past to Greece, you will find there were many limitations if one were a woman. Women had no rights without a man to hold her interests. They married and gave birth basically in childhood. These women were meant to be ornaments. They had to meet social norms of petite meals and engaged in their home activities. The women could not vote, inherit, or own property. (1)

 

During the same time, women of the Spartan state were afforded many rights the other states withheld from their women. Both sexes of Sparta were expected to be strong warriors. A healthy strong Spartan woman was appreciated, and the picture of a perfect Spartan began with the qualities of the mother. This is still seen in society today. Both sexes instinctively search for a mate that fits their definition of the “perfect specimen”.

 

Spartan women were the foundation of Spartan society. “Not only would a Spartan woman know how to fight and wrestle, she would expect her offspring to learn the same, passed down from woman to woman, the ethics, morality, and life of a Spartan women was only possible at the time in the State of Sparta.” (1) Spartan women often experienced dangerous birthing deliveries and saw high infant mortality rates. Ancient societies at war could wipe out entire generations of men. This would make it difficult to maintain stability if women could not inherit or own property. So, in Sparta the solution was to allow women to inherit and own property. (1)

 

Spartan girls experienced similar physical training as the boys. In doing so. it was culturally acceptable for women to drink in excess and gorge on food in a way that would make another Greek state’s woman faint. (9) Some hypothesize these pleasures were meant to meet the calorie needs of very active women. A healthy mother meant healthy children for the literal survival of Spartan society. (1) King Leonidas understood the priority of family and lineage. At Thermopylae, Leonidas only selected men with descendants to his royal guard going into battle, “…he knew there was little chance of them surviving and wanted to be sure that their lineages would continue.” (8)

Spartans are known for the battle of Thermopylae, June 480 B.C., when the Spartan King Leonidas’ royal bodyguards stood between the fleeing Greek people and the invading Persian army. It was a suicide mission, and they knew it. (8) It was a Spartan mother’s purpose to create the brave warriors that died that day. She was the bedrock on which they stood, planting themselves in the soil in protection of their women and children. The world is safer with strong moral men. The last thing your safety needs is an insecure man with no mission. “The Spartan system was based on the idea that the collective came before the individual.” (5)

“Sparta was a society that was based, according to many historians, on a caste system… The criteria for a Spartan citizen was very high. While the system ensured that the Spartans were dedicated and well-trained warriors, it also led to problems replacing those who died in battle.” (5)

There is a lot more knowledge a Spartan warrior needed to learn outside of combat training and much of it was influenced by his or her mother. Also, girls were lucky to marry later in life than their contemporaries. Allowing Spartan girls to engage in other activities grew their physical strength and minds. (9)  These girls would still be at peak fertility in their 20s when finally married. (1) Results of delaying child rearing then is not the same as seen in America today. Some women are waiting until they are 40 years old and infertile before realizing they want to be a mother.

In America, many progressives feel their womb is a hindrance and not to be revered. Somewhere along the line American daughters have been told they cannot walk and chew gum at the same time. It is not that elementary, but it fits, because women have been through more and worse times than we see today, especially in America.(1) In regard to abortion, the definition of “preserving the life of a mother” has been warped by the progressives and radical feminists. Most conservatives see the terminology meaning as a last option to medically preserve the mother’s life. Often it appears progressives believe preserving their life is by not taking on the responsibility of raising children. 

DailyHistory argued Sparta’s fall was exacerbated by population decline. (5) A key factor was less successful births, we could compare Spartan infant mortality rates to the numbers of planned abortions. Secondly, delay into age of jnfertility can at best create a weak population number for generations, hit or miss, of enough military age citizens. 

According to the CDC, there were a total of 625,346 abortions were reported in 2019, “the abortion rate was 11.4 abortions per 1,000 women aged 15-44 years and the abortion ratio was 195 abortions per 1,000 live births.” (6) Also, American women are choosing to wait into their 40s, with “increased risk of specific fetal abnormalities, including structural and chromosomal abnormalities: for instance the risk of having a baby with Down syndrome exponentially increases after 36 years of maternal age. But postponing pregnancy is also a risk for women. Delayed childbearing provokes an increase of sterility among the population.” (7) Delaying pregnancy “is also a risk for the society that renews itself slowly, with social and psychological consequences…” (7)

 

According to DailyHistory’s article, What Caused the Decline of Sparta, the argument appears to claim misogyny and conservative values were to blame for the fall. The writer’s argument is made and defeated within the first paragraphs. “However, in 371 BCE, Sparta was defeated, and this marked the end of Spartan power and gradually became a minor power over time. This decay occurred because Sparta’s population declined, change in values, and stubborn preservation of conservatism.” (5)

 

If we are to believe the fall of Sparta began partly by “stubborn conservatives” defying change to new progressive ideals, we should also note conservative values kept Sparta strong as an independent state for hundred of years. Based on DailyHistory’s assertion, it should be asked, “How is it conservative values are to blame for Sparta’s fall when the conservative defenders were not allowed to participate?”

 

 

In Conclusion, Sparta was an imperfect state, but it once had a people united by culture, ethics, and morality. Everyone needed each other to survive. Sexes were empowered in their roles as mother and father. These conservative beliefs and Spartan social identity grew generations of strong and intelligent families. The fall of Sparta began as conservative values became under attack, ending with their loss of identity. When progressive ideas aimed to topple their culture and conservative values ended with Sparta assimilating into the surrounding states.  One of the most powerful military states known to man flickered out like a flame.

 

Sources:

1.      Cartright, Mark. “Women in Ancient Greece.” World History Encyclopedia. July 27, 2016. Retrieved May 5, 2022. https://www.worldhistory.org/article/927/women-in-ancient-greece/

2.      Bagnall, R. et al. The Encyclopedia of Ancient History. Wiley-Blackwell, 2012.

3.      Boys-Stones et al. The Oxford Handbook of Hellenic Studies. Oxford University Press, 2009.

4.      Kinzl, H. A Companion to the Classical Greek World. Wiley-Blackwell, 2016.

5.      Lambrecht, Eric. “What Caused the Decline of Sparta.” Daily History. December 3, 2020. Retrieved May 5, 2022. https://dailyhistory.org/What_Caused_the_Decline_of_Sparta#:~:text=This%20decay%20occurred%20because%20Sparta%27s%20population%20declined%2C%20change,decades%20Sparta%20was%20the%20greatest%20power%20in%20Greece.

6.      Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “Reproductive Health: Abortion.” US Department of Human Health. December 17, 2021. Retrieved May 5, 2022.

7.      National Library of Medicine. “The Best Age for Pregnancy and Undue Pressures.” J Family Reprod Health. September, 2016; 10(3): 104–107. Retrieve May 5, 2022. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5241353/#B17https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5241353/#B17

8.      Murcia, Javier. Betrayal crushed Sparta's last stand at the Battle of Thermopylae. National Geographic. Jan 28, 2022. Retrieve May 1, 2022. https://www.nationalgeographic.co.uk/history-and-civilisation/2022/01/betrayal-crushed-spartas-last-stand-at-the-battle-of-thermopylae

9.      Legends and Chronicles: Spartan Women. (2007-2021). Retrieved May 5, 2022. https://www.legendsandchronicles.com/ancient-civilizations/ancient-sparta/spartan-women/#:~:text=Legends%20and%20Chronicles%20%3E%20Ancient%20Civilizations%20%3E%20Ancient,that%20no%20other%20woman%20of%20Greece%20was%20afforded.