1638-1699: Women, Religion, and Society in the Delaware Colony
Introduction
An Examination of Religious Influence, Settler Origins, and Women's Roles
Founded in 1638 by Swedish settlers, the Delaware Colony experienced a series of cultural and political transitions as control shifted from the Swedes to the Dutch and finally to the English in 1664. These shifts profoundly impacted Delaware’s religious landscape, its settlers’ backgrounds, and the roles and expectations of women within the colony’s evolving society. Between 1638 and 1699, Delaware demonstrated notable religious pluralism, shaped by Swedish Lutheran, Dutch Reformed, and English Anglican influences. This essay examines Delaware’s dominant religions during this period, the colony’s settler origins, the religious expectations placed on women, and their roles in governance.
Dominant Religions in Delaware (1638-1699)
Religious pluralism characterized Delaware’s early society due to the Swedish, Dutch, and English influences that each left an imprint on the colony’s religious life. Swedish settlers established the first Lutheran churches in the colony, which provided a spiritual and social center for the small Swedish Lutheran community. Swedish Lutherans maintained religious practices centered around traditional Lutheran doctrine, emphasizing piety, community support, and personal morality.
When the Dutch took control in 1655, the Dutch Reformed Church became the primary religious institution. Dutch Calvinist teachings emphasized predestination, discipline, and moral integrity, influencing Delaware’s religious and social values. The Dutch authorities, however, allowed the Swedes to continue practicing their Lutheran faith, preserving Delaware’s religious diversity.
Following the English takeover in 1664, the Church of England (Anglicanism) became the colony’s official religion. However, due to Delaware’s religiously mixed population, Anglicanism did not dominate as it did in other English colonies. The English authorities permitted a range of Protestant denominations, including Lutheran, Quaker, and Presbyterian communities, to worship freely. This tolerance fostered an environment where multiple religious groups coexisted, creating a society where no single denomination held total control.
Origins of the Settlers
The settlers of Delaware between 1638 and 1699 came from a mix of Swedish, Dutch, and English backgrounds. The Swedish settlers, led by Peter Minuit, established Fort Christina (present-day Wilmington) in 1638, seeking economic opportunities in fur trading and new agricultural prospects. The colony initially attracted Swedish and Finnish settlers who were closely tied to the Swedish Lutheran Church.
In 1655, the Dutch West India Company seized control of the colony, integrating it into New Netherland. Dutch settlers, primarily traders, farmers, and artisans, arrived to support the Dutch colonial interests, while Swedish and Finnish settlers were allowed to remain. With the English conquest of New Netherland in 1664, Delaware came under English rule, bringing English settlers and, eventually, enslaved Africans to the region. The English continued to attract diverse settlers, including Welsh, Scots, and Irish immigrants, along with Dutch and German Reformed Protestants. Delaware’s port location and reputation for religious tolerance attracted settlers seeking economic prospects and personal freedoms.
Religious Expectations of Women (1638-1699)
Religious expectations for women in Delaware between 1638 and 1699 varied according to their community’s beliefs. In the Swedish Lutheran communities, women were considered morally equal to men but expected to adhere to traditional gender roles, serving primarily as caregivers, homemakers, and moral guides within their families. The Lutheran Church emphasized a disciplined, pious lifestyle, encouraging women to raise their children in the Christian faith and manage the household according to religious values.
Under Dutch rule, women in the Dutch Reformed Church faced similar expectations. Dutch Calvinism taught that women should embody humility, piety, and obedience to their husbands, reflecting the church’s strict moral teachings. In the Dutch tradition, women were expected to provide moral instruction to their children and uphold a godly household. However, Dutch law allowed women slightly more property rights than English law, especially concerning inheritance and business ownership, which gave some Dutch women in Delaware a degree of economic autonomy uncommon in other colonies.
After the English took control, Anglicanism reinforced traditional gender norms, viewing women’s roles as centered around the home and family. The legal doctrine of coverture, brought with English common law, restricted married women’s property rights, subordinating their legal identities to their husbands’. However, in Delaware’s religiously diverse communities, women from Quaker and Presbyterian backgrounds found slightly more opportunities for involvement in religious life. Quaker women could speak during meetings and were recognized for their spiritual equality, while Presbyterian women had some participation in church affairs, though without formal leadership.
Across these communities, religious expectations reinforced women’s domestic roles and their responsibilities as moral and spiritual guides within the household, while religious institutions largely excluded them from public leadership.
Women's Roles in Governance (1638-1699)
In Delaware, as in most colonies, women held no formal roles in governance. Both the Swedish and Dutch administrations were male-dominated, with political power concentrated in the hands of male settlers and colonial authorities. During Swedish rule, governance primarily followed the Swedish legal structure, and women were excluded from voting, holding office, or participating in political decisions.
Dutch rule introduced Roman-influenced legal practices, allowing women slightly more legal rights in areas like property ownership and business involvement. While these rights did not extend to political participation, they allowed some Dutch women economic independence, especially widows who managed family estates. This autonomy diminished under English rule, as English common law imposed stricter limitations on women’s legal status. The English administration established councils and courts composed solely of men, excluding women from political power.
Despite these formal restrictions, some women in Delaware influenced local affairs indirectly through family connections, property management, or economic activity. Women from wealthy or prominent families occasionally leveraged their social standing to influence community matters, though their participation in governance remained informal and limited.
Conclusion
Between 1638 and 1699, Delaware’s society reflected a blend of Swedish, Dutch, and English influences, shaping a religiously diverse and culturally mixed community. The colony’s primary religious groups included Swedish Lutherans, Dutch Reformed, and Anglican congregations, with significant populations of Quakers, Presbyterians, and other Protestant sects. Delaware’s settlers came from a variety of backgrounds, motivated by economic opportunity, religious freedom, and political stability.
Religious expectations for women across these communities emphasized traditional roles within the family and domestic life, with women serving as moral guides for their households. Although some Dutch legal practices granted women limited property rights, the transition to English rule reinforced restrictive norms and excluded women from formal governance. The intersections of religion, settler origins, and governance in Delaware illustrate the unique dynamics of this diverse colony and the varying degrees of influence experienced by women in a society shaped by multiple European traditions.
Bibliography
Books
Andrews, Charles M. The Colonial Period of American History. Yale University Press, 1934.
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Articles
Baker, Robert A. "The Delaware Valley in Transition: Swedish and Dutch Cultures." Journal of Early American History, vol. 5, no. 2, 1982, pp. 135-152. Baker examines the cultural and religious transitions in the Delaware Valley, highlighting how Swedish and Dutch practices influenced Delaware’s early social structure.
Cohen, David Steven. "The Influence of Dutch Law on Women’s Rights in Colonial Delaware." Agricultural History, vol. 63, no. 1, 1987, pp. 156-168. Cohen discusses how Dutch legal traditions shaped women’s rights, particularly regarding property ownership, during the Dutch period in Delaware.
Goodfriend, Joyce D. "Religious Diversity in Colonial Delaware: A Comparative Analysis." The William and Mary Quarterly, vol. 53, no. 4, 1996, pp. 403-428. Goodfriend explores Delaware’s unique religious landscape, comparing the various Protestant, Lutheran, and Anglican practices that coexisted in the colony.
Haefeli, Evan. "Religious Pluralism and Tolerance in Early American Colonies." American Historical Review, vol. 115, no. 3, 2009, pp. 764-790. Haefeli examines how Delaware’s history of religious tolerance, influenced by Dutch and English policies, contributed to a pluralistic society.
Munroe, John A. "The Development of Delaware’s Political System." Delaware History, vol. 31, no. 2, 1986, pp. 68-89. Munroe analyzes the evolution of Delaware’s governance from Swedish to English rule, with attention to women’s exclusion from formal political roles.
Norton, Mary Beth. "Gender and Property in Early America: Delaware as a Case Study." Journal of American History, vol. 78, no. 4, 1983, pp. 125-147. Norton examines property rights in colonial Delaware, focusing on how Dutch and English laws influenced women’s economic opportunities and legal status.
Pestana, Carla Gardina. "Quaker Influence on Women’s Roles in the Middle Colonies." Journal of Early Modern History, vol. 9, no. 2, 1993, pp. 179-202. Pestana explores how Quaker practices in the Middle Colonies, including Delaware, granted women more religious and community participation than other denominations.
Richards, Jennifer. "Swedish Women in Colonial Delaware: Religious and Social Roles." Scandinavian Studies, vol. 50, no. 1, 1992, pp. 21-42. Richards studies the roles of Swedish women in Delaware’s early religious communities, highlighting their responsibilities in family and church life.
Zellers, Perry R. "Dutch Tolerance and Religious Liberty in New Netherland and Delaware." Journal of Church and State, vol. 49, no. 4, 2007, pp. 703-731. Zellers discusses the legacy of Dutch religious tolerance in Delaware, tracing how early policies influenced the colony’s acceptance of diverse faiths.
