Prostitution During The Colonial Era

Many people believe that the colonial period was highly religious, and that the people followed strict laws and moralities. When in fact, almost the exact opposite happened.

One of the many immoralities that occurred during this period in time is prostitution. Even though it was frowned upon and illegal, most of the women in the colonies were prostitutes. This was especially common with female indentured servants that were recently released from their servant hood. These women didn’t have any money, property, and clothing. Most believed that prostitution was the only way they’d be able to survive in the colonies. They were often whipped when caught performing such acts.

I believe that prostitution is immoral for many reasons. One of them

being that it degrades women. Many times prostitution is also exploitative. Many times the colonial women would work in “bawdy houses”. The majority of the money they earned while working would go to the owner of the women. The colonial people had a strong religious background. The Christian culture they lived in taught to refrain from sexual actions outside of marriage, and yet they still had prostitutes.
Two more immoralities that occurred during the Colonial period were slavery and racial prejudice.

The two basically tie into each other as one. Slaves became predominantly African during the colonial era. Although slavery wasn’t considered illegal in this time, it still went against the colonists Christian background. Most people believed that God had determined whether or not a person were to be a slave. During the colonial era, Christians associated the color black with words such as evil, impure, and darkness. The colonists decided that the way the Africans looked and behaved made them evil. So it wouldn’t count as a sin if they enslaved

them.
One reason I believe that slavery and racial prejudice is immoral is that the slaves weren’t paid for their work. The slave owners were basically stealing labor. Slave owners didn’t see their slaves as humans, but rather as animals. They sometimes were even viewed as a lower class to animals. This loss of dignity plays a major role on as to why slavery is immoral. Slave owners would sell and trade their slaves like cattle. They would also beat and punish them in ways much crueler than anything they would have done to an animal.
Benjamin Franklin’s advice is very wise, and much more advanced than his fellow colonists.

His thirteen virtues to moral perfection reflect the Ten Commandments stated in the Bible. His thirteen virtues are basically rules on how to live your life and how to stay moral while doing it. In his twelfth moral Franklin stated, “CHASTITY. Rarely use venery but for health or offspring, never to dullness, weakness, or the injury of your own or another's peace or reputation.” Meaning that all sexual relations should be saved for your spouse. This touches on the subject of prostitution. and to why it is immoral. Prostitution deals with sexual relations outside of marriage. Virtues number six, seven, eight, and nine, all touch of the immorality of slavery. Virtue seven stating “SINCERITY. Use no hurtful deceit; think innocently and justly, and, if you speak, speak accordingly.” Meaning to be fair in everything you do. Virtue eight stated, “JUSTICE. Wrong none by doing injuries, or omitting the benefits that are your duty.” Meaning that you shouldn’t harm anyone in anyway. Slavery consisted of many unfair and cruel punishments resulting in injuries. Virtue nine also touches on this subject by stating, “MODERATION. Avoid extremes; forbear resenting injuries so much as you think they deserve.” The punishments carried out on the slaves were never in moderation, and moat always extreme. Benjamin Franklin was most wise when he wrote the thirteenth virtue. It states, “HUMILITY. Imitate Jesus

and Socrates”. Meaning that in everything you do, do it as Jesus would, with the mind of Socrates. This could have been the only virtue that Franklin wrote and the person reading it would still have been able to reach moral perfection by following it.