American Revolution Women

It was a particularly atrocious time for the loyalist of the colonies after the Revolution officially started. Many of these Loyalists were tarred and feathered or hung just like it is displayed in Document 3. The men who fought the Loyalists and Britain were not alone in their endeavors though. Women also played a role in providing care for the wounded on the battlefield and they did other things such as sewing the uniforms. These women were also fighting for their independence and for respect from all men.

“Behind every great man there’s a great women.” This quote by Meryll Frost was first used in 1946 during his acceptance speech for the most courageous athlete of 1945. He gave credit to his wife and noted that he would not have received the award without her help. To this quote could have also been used to describe Abigail Adams, wife of John Adams. She was a courageous woman who stood out to against in justice.

Women were considered inferior to men; they had to rights and most of all no voice. Typically, as the old saying goes ‘they were to be seen and not hear’. Revolutionary Mothers, by Carol Berkin tells of the general stereotypes of women in America, the roles in which they played during the America revolution, and lastly it tells the story of the women through their own words. Stereotypes of Women In chapter one, Berkin states “God had created her to be a helpmate to man….and formed her for this purpose…to be frugal, and obedient (2005, p.4)”.

As of the beginning of the revolution, traditional responsibilities still existed among the colonists. Women typically worked around the household, performing duties of the sort while men were traditionally the ones with more privileges, such as having the right to associate in politics. However, one brave advocate, Abigail Adams, wanted to prove otherwise when she wrote to her husband, John Adams, on March 31, 1776, asking him to “remember the ladies” (Document M). In Abigail Adam’s letter, Abigail also asks of her husband to be “more generous and favourable” to the women than his ancestors had (Document M). Abigail also warned that “If particular care and attention is not paid to the ladies we are determined to foment a rebellion, and will not hold ourselves bound by any laws in which we have no voice or representation” (Document M).

The next chapter highlights the gendered division of labor and the difficulty to keep a family as a slave. Chapter six and seven moves on to the eighteenth century and shows how women have improved in areas such as more political participation and increasing social class of

It’s been over 200 years since the original thirteen colonies of America fought their revolutionary war against Great Britain, in hopes of achieving their independence. We shall be going through a few areas of the Revolution, such as the military, social hierarchy, the role of men and women during the war, the colonists’ values of equality and their social contract response to the British government’s abuses, and we’ll compare these areas to the present day. The American Revolution started around April of 1775, when British redcoats and American militiamen exchanged gunshots in Lexington and Concord in Massachusetts. However, that was only the beginning of the fighting; the reasons for the war date from years prior, when resistance from the

“Christine insists that an author take full responsibility for every word written”(Delaney 324). Christine supports that women are strong and active in the society building a good relationship with other individuals including their family. Christine disproves the fact that women should not be staying home all day doing house chores rather they should go out and work just as

Evodie Saadoun Trevor Kallimani Hist 210 13th October 2015 Women in the American Revolution There is a proverb that says, “The woman is born free and remains equal to men in rights”. Since the eighteenth century, women still try to be equal to men and try to be independent. During the American Revolution, women were dependent on their husband. This meant they had to cook, clean and take care of their children. They were not allowed to do what they wanted.

One famous instance is Mary Wollstonecraft, who had a child out of wedlock and did not marry the father. Mary was self-educated and supported herself by writing fiction, non-fiction and translating literary works. But what truly makes her stand out was her 18th century book on the rights of women which she stated rights and liberties pertained to everyone, men and women. Another woman who vocal about women’s rights was Abigail Adams who did not hold back any when it came to expressing herself to her husband John Adams. Abigail implored to her husband as he was drafting the Declaration of Independence to not forget women who were a part of the new world and deserved a voice.

The revolution and the whole aspect of the war was based around freedom for individuals as well as the statement that “all men are created equal.” This idea of freedom made other groups in America such as women and slaves to think about their own place in America and where they fit in, and what rights they deserved for their part in the fight for freedom. This is seen in Abigail Adams’ letter when she states, “I long to hear that you have declared an independency, and by the way in the new Code of Laws…” showing that she believed that women, under the new constitution and set of laws, deserve their freedom as well. This is also seen in the “Petitions of Slaves…” when is states, “America has acted in the course of their unhappy difficulties with Great Britain pleads stronger than a thousand arguments in favor of your petitioners to be restored to the enjoyment of that which is the natural right of all

One might think that men had the greatest role in the Revolution, but women had an equal role in making the Revolution

If women continued to gain power and independence then the fabric of society would disintegrate and gender relations would be altered, which men did not want to happen. Americans had a choice of keeping the practices and ideals of the revolution concerning women or maintain the social

She maintains: [If] woman seems to be the inessential which never becomes the essential, it is because she herself fails to bring about this change [...] the women 's effort have never been anything more than a symbolic agitation. They have gained only what men have been willing to grant; they have taken nothing, they have only received. (1956, 18)

Women have always played a critical role in the history of many great countries such as America. However, their role has always been overshadowed by male chauvinism and this has blinded the society making it fail to see the achievements and contributions of women to the society and to the nation. The essay below focuses on how women have been able to influence the American history positively by changing how things are done and changing the perception of the community on what women can achieve. The essay below has also focused on specific areas in which women have excelled in and how they have changed the history of America. Women such as Eleanor Roosevelt and Michelle Obama fully redefined the role of a first lady in America.

The French Revolution of 1789-1799 aimed to spread Liberty, Equality and Brotherhood through France and through Europe. It wished to create a French Republic and it ultimately resulted in the overthrow and executions of the King Louis XVI and Queen Marie Antoinette. It failed, however, to secure voting rights for women. Despite this, participation of women in the Revolution was clear. However, the question remains - just how did women help the Revolution, and how important were their roles?