Womens Role?

While i was writing my outlines for our midterm i realized that there is not much mention about women. I realize that women had no rights like they do now. But i am still curious, when the servants came over from Spain, it says most of them were men and young men. Were there still some girls in that group? If there were what were their roles. It is hard to imagine there were no women because then their wouldnt be another generation but i havent read much about the female role.

Chapter 6

I have not been able to understand the term "grassroots" i know we had a discussion on it in class, but how does it relate to popular soverenty? Does it have to do with the fact that the common should be the people in control because they are the one who are the foundation of the colony? like the roots are the foundation of the grass? Home rule like the foundation of the society?

It makes me think of locke and the idea of people creating the government therefore the government has to protect their natural rights. Like even the though the people are the "grass roots" the elite should be the one in control.

correct me if i am wrong :)