{"id":20672,"date":"2022-11-03T15:00:00","date_gmt":"2022-11-03T15:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dcc.newberry.org\/?p=20672"},"modified":"2026-07-30T18:21:36","modified_gmt":"2026-07-30T18:21:36","slug":"copy-20-copy-4","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dcc.newberry.org\/?p=20672","title":{"rendered":"The Will of Eduarda Rita Gardu\u00f1o"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-getwid-tabs\" data-active-tab=\"0\"><ul class=\"wp-block-getwid-tabs__nav-links\"><\/ul>\n<div class=\"wp-block-getwid-tabs__nav-link\"><span class=\"wp-block-getwid-tabs__title-wrapper\"><a href=\"#\"><span class=\"wp-block-getwid-tabs__title\">Intro<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div><div class=\"wp-block-getwid-tabs__tab-content-wrapper\"><div class=\"wp-block-getwid-tabs__tab-content\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-995f960e wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Themes<\/strong><br>Gender<br>Latinx History<br>Western History<br>Women&#8217;s History<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Periods &amp; Events<\/strong><br>18th Century<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Skills &amp; Document Types<\/strong><br>Close Reading<br>Wills and Testaments<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Overview and Instructional Use<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In this\u00a0activity, <strong>middle school students<\/strong> will analyze a will to learn about\u00a0<strong>gender<\/strong>,\u00a0<strong>Latinx history<\/strong>, and\u00a0<strong>western history<\/strong>\u00a0during the\u00a018<sup>th<\/sup>\u00a0century while practicing close reading.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This activity can be used:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>As part of a unit on women\u2019s history.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>To practice close reading.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>As part of a unit on Latinx history.\u00a0\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Materials<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>A copy of \u201cThe Will of\u00a0Eduarda Rita Gardu\u00f1o&#8221; <a href=\"https:\/\/dcc.newberry.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/EduardaGarduno_Activity_Download.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">activity plan<\/a>.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A <a href=\"https:\/\/dcc.newberry.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/EduardaGarduno_Transcript.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">transcription <\/a>of Eduarda Rita Gardu\u00f1o&#8217;s will.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-getwid-tabs__nav-link\"><span class=\"wp-block-getwid-tabs__title-wrapper\"><a href=\"#\"><span class=\"wp-block-getwid-tabs__title\">Activity<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div><div class=\"wp-block-getwid-tabs__tab-content-wrapper\"><div class=\"wp-block-getwid-tabs__tab-content\">\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Procedure<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Display\u00a0<\/strong>or\u00a0<strong>distribute\u00a0<\/strong>the will.\u00a0Give students time to take notes on the document,\u00a0generate questions, and attempt to answer them.\u00a0\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Discuss\u00a0<\/strong>the\u00a0source as a class,\u00a0supplementing with\u00a0background information when\u00a0appropriate.\u00a0\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Curriculum Connections: Latinx History, Women&#8217;s History, Women&#8217;s Rights<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>The source in this activity comes from the book <\/em><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/i-share-nby.primo.exlibrisgroup.com\/permalink\/01CARLI_NBY\/i5mcb2\/alma999580608805867\" target=\"_blank\">Their Lives, Their Wills: Women in the Borderlands, 1750-1846<em> by Amy M. Porter<\/em><\/a> <em>in the Newberry&#8217;s collection. The original document is at the New Mexico State Records Center and Archive.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/collections.newberry.org\/asset-management\/2KXJ8ZF9ZUTI \"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"820\" src=\"https:\/\/dcc.newberry.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Porter_Their-Lives_130-131-1024x820.jpg\" alt=\"Two-page spread of a modern printed book.\" class=\"wp-image-20685\" srcset=\"https:\/\/dcc.newberry.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Porter_Their-Lives_130-131-1024x820.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/dcc.newberry.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Porter_Their-Lives_130-131-300x240.jpg 300w, https:\/\/dcc.newberry.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Porter_Their-Lives_130-131-scaled-600x481.jpg 600w, https:\/\/dcc.newberry.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Porter_Their-Lives_130-131-768x615.jpg 768w, https:\/\/dcc.newberry.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Porter_Their-Lives_130-131-1536x1231.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/dcc.newberry.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Porter_Their-Lives_130-131-2048x1641.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/collections.newberry.org\/asset-management\/2KXJ8ZF9ZUTI\" target=\"_blank\">Amy M. Porter, <em>Their Lives, Their Wills: Women in the Borderlands, 1750-1846,<\/em> 130-131 (2015). Document originally from the New Mexico State Records Center and Archive.<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Step 1: Display or Distribute the Will<\/h5>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Display or distribute the will to the class. Give students time to take notes on the document, generate questions, and attempt to answer them. Use the questions below as a guide. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h6 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Questions<\/h6>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>What kind of source is this? \n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><em>An official document, a will<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Is it a primary source? \n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><em>Yes, because Eduarda Rita Gardu\u00f1o tells us about herself, what she did and what she owned and what she wanted.<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>What information about Eduarda Rita Gardu\u00f1o can you find in this <strong>excerpt<\/strong>?\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><em>She was alive in 1785 and had been married for forty years, so she was born in the early 1700s.<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><em>She was married to Commander Jos\u00e9 Mares and had one child who died. She raised three orphans. She was Catholic.<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>What information can you find about what she owned?\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><em>She owned 266 varas of land that she inherited from her parents; a piece of land with a house and a fruit tree; 1,100 varas of land that she acquired during her marriage; a male mule (or goat), a horse, a cow, a copper pot, and some coral bracelets.<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Who did she leave her belongings to? \n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><em>The orphans she raised and her husband.<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>What questions do you have after reading this?\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><em>How much land is a vara? <\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><em>If she was married to a man named Commander Vares, why is her last name Gardu\u00f1o, and who is Juan Gregorio Gardu\u00f1o? <\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><em>How did she acquire the 1,100 varas of land during her marriage?<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Step 2: Discuss the Source as a Class<\/h5>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Using the information in the \u201cBackground\u201d section below, explain to students that the laws were in force in many places until at least the nineteenth century that prevented married women from owning property. Then discuss how Eduarda Gardu\u00f1o\u2019s situation was different and how her personal financial authority may have affected her life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Background<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Historically, married women in many countries have not been allowed to own property, sign contracts, make wills, or otherwise control any part of their financial lives. If a single woman who owned property got married, her husband became the owner of that property. If a married woman inherited property, her husband became the owner of that property. This was true in the United States until 1839, when Mississippi passed the Married Women\u2019s Property Act, which said that a woman could own property that could not be seized for her husband\u2019s debts. Gradually, other states began to pass similar laws and, by the 1870s, most married women in the U. S. had some control over their own property.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Texas and California, both influenced by Spanish legal traditions, had more progressive laws earlier than the other states. In Spain, married women were allowed to own property privately, although most of the family\u2019s money was managed by the husband. Spain also had a stronger history of adoption, although it was often informal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Additional Resources<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/i-share-nby.primo.exlibrisgroup.com\/permalink\/01CARLI_NBY\/i5mcb2\/alma999580608805867\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Porter, Amy M. <em>Their Lives, Their Wills: Women in the Borderlands, 1750-1846<\/em>. Lubbock: Texas Tech University Press, 2015. <\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/guides.loc.gov\/american-women-law\/state-laws#s-lib-ctab-19233885-1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Library of Congress Research Guides. American Women: Resources from the Law Library, Property Law, \u201cMarried Women\u2019s Property Law.\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tshaonline.org\/handbook\/entries\/women-and-the-law\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Enstam, Elizabeth York. \u201cWomen and the Law,\u201d Texas State Historical Association.<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-getwid-tabs__nav-link\"><span class=\"wp-block-getwid-tabs__title-wrapper\"><a href=\"#\"><span class=\"wp-block-getwid-tabs__title\">Standards<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div><div class=\"wp-block-getwid-tabs__tab-content-wrapper\"><div class=\"wp-block-getwid-tabs__tab-content\">\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Illinois Social Science Standards<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This lesson supports the following standards from the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.isbe.net\/Documents\/IL-Social-Science-Standards.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Illinois Learning Standards for Social Science<\/a>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h6 class=\"wp-block-heading\">History<\/h6>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>SS.6-8.H.1.MdC. Analyze connections and disconnections among events and developments in broader historical contexts and identify the effects of events on groups of people who have been marginalized.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>SS.6-8.H.2.LC. Explain how and why perspectives of people have changed over time.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Common Core<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This lesson supports the following&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.thecorestandards.org\/ELA-Literacy\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Common Core Literacy in History\/Social Science standards:<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h6 class=\"wp-block-heading\">English Language Arts: History\/Social Studies<\/h6>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.6.2: Determine a central idea of a text and how it is conveyed through particular details; provide a summary of the text distinct from personal opinions or judgments<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.7.1: Cite several pieces of textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.8.1: Cite the textual evidence that most strongly supports an analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.8.4: Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative, connotative, and technical meanings; analyze the impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone, including analogies or allusions to other texts<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The College, Career, and Civic Life (C3) Framework<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This lesson supports the following&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.socialstudies.org\/system\/files\/2022\/c3-framework-for-social-studies-rev0617.2.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">C3 Framework standards<\/a>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h6 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Dimension 2, History<\/h6>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>D2.His.3.6-8. Use questions generated about individuals and groups to analyze why they, and the developments they shaped, are seen as historically significant.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>D2.His.4.6-8. Analyze multiple factors that influenced the perspectives of people during different historical eras.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>D2.His.13.6-8. Evaluate the relevancy and utility of a historical source based on information such as maker, date, place of origin, intended audience, and purpose.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-getwid-tabs__nav-link\"><span class=\"wp-block-getwid-tabs__title-wrapper\"><a href=\"#\"><span class=\"wp-block-getwid-tabs__title\">Downloads<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div><div class=\"wp-block-getwid-tabs__tab-content-wrapper\"><div class=\"wp-block-getwid-tabs__tab-content\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Download the following materials below: <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>A copy of &#8220;The Will of Eduarda Rita Gardu\u00f1o&#8221; activity <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A transcription of Eduarda Rita Gardu\u00f1o&#8217;s will <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<div data-wp-interactive=\"core\/file\" class=\"wp-block-file\"><object data-wp-bind--hidden=\"!state.hasPdfPreview\" hidden class=\"wp-block-file__embed\" data=\"https:\/\/dcc.newberry.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/EduardaGarduno_Activity_Download.pdf\" type=\"application\/pdf\" style=\"width:100%;height:600px\" aria-label=\"Embed of Download a copy of the Eduarda Rita Gardu\u00f1o activity here..\"><\/object><a id=\"wp-block-file--media-15e2a8a9-7d4e-4af4-9c88-59bebd83d4af\" href=\"https:\/\/dcc.newberry.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/EduardaGarduno_Activity_Download.pdf\">Download a copy of the Eduarda Rita Gardu\u00f1o activity here.<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/dcc.newberry.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/EduardaGarduno_Activity_Download.pdf\" class=\"wp-block-file__button wp-element-button\" download aria-describedby=\"wp-block-file--media-15e2a8a9-7d4e-4af4-9c88-59bebd83d4af\">Download<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div data-wp-interactive=\"core\/file\" class=\"wp-block-file\"><object data-wp-bind--hidden=\"!state.hasPdfPreview\" hidden class=\"wp-block-file__embed\" data=\"https:\/\/dcc.newberry.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/EduardaGarduno_Transcript.pdf\" type=\"application\/pdf\" style=\"width:100%;height:600px\" aria-label=\"Embed of Download a transcription of Eduarda Rita Gardu\u00f1o&apos;s will here..\"><\/object><a id=\"wp-block-file--media-7f63fa83-1cee-40bc-ba9a-8b00eca6ccea\" href=\"https:\/\/dcc.newberry.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/EduardaGarduno_Transcript.pdf\">Download a transcription of Eduarda Rita Gardu\u00f1o&#8217;s will here.<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/dcc.newberry.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/EduardaGarduno_Transcript.pdf\" class=\"wp-block-file__button wp-element-button\" download aria-describedby=\"wp-block-file--media-7f63fa83-1cee-40bc-ba9a-8b00eca6ccea\">Download<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":20685,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[103,136,124,139],"tags":[165,171],"class_list":["post-20672","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-18th-century","category-activities","category-cm","category-middle-school","tag-us-history","tag-women"],"blocksy_meta":{"styles_descriptor":{"styles":{"desktop":"","tablet":"","mobile":""},"google_fonts":[],"version":6}},"acf":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/dcc.newberry.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Porter_Their-Lives_130-131-scaled.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dcc.newberry.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20672","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dcc.newberry.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dcc.newberry.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dcc.newberry.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dcc.newberry.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=20672"}],"version-history":[{"count":14,"href":"https:\/\/dcc.newberry.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20672\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":25561,"href":"https:\/\/dcc.newberry.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20672\/revisions\/25561"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dcc.newberry.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/20685"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dcc.newberry.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=20672"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dcc.newberry.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=20672"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dcc.newberry.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=20672"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}