In Martha Ballard, the idea that 'all men are created equal' was still not fully realized. In fact, it was just in its infancy as the Civil War hadn't happened yet. But it was coming. Persons of color were not viewed as 'human' and were considered a subspecies in some places. And, if you happened to be a woman of color, you were relegated to an even lower status. Nationally, this notion of equality began to gain momentum, even in the southern states of the US.