American Revolution: Unsung Heroes of Independence “We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men and women are created equal.” (Elizabeth Cady Stanton, 1848). During the American Revolution, America went from being an extension of Britain (and a source of revenue when needed) to an independent nation built upon the grecian idea of democracy. When people hear the names George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, or Thomas Jefferson, they easily connect them to the capable leaders and revolutionary heroes who made great contributions during America’s delicate infancy. These men, along with countless others, fought for the end of the monopolization Britain held over the colonies and undyingly laid down their lives for the pursuit of freedom. However, do the names Deborah Sampson, Peter Salem, or Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben ring a bell? Women, people of color, and Europeans from all different walks of life were also swept up in the war for independence. The war did not feature people of one gender, race, or nationality. These individuals were in the flesh for all of these historical events, but, at the best, get a sentence in the history books taught in school curriculums. History books have a tendency to give major credit towards white men for our country’s freedom. The figures history teaches led armies into battles and shaped our government with significant doctrine, but they were not the only people in this war. The unprecedented sacrifices these unsung heroes gave
“Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new na-tion, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal,” a quote by America’s 16th president, Abraham Lincoln, directly recalling how equality was the catalyst for the conception of America. It’s a universal right that should be known by all, but it was barely an option in our country for the African American faction almost a century ago. Chained, chastised and condemned, the African American had to surpass through radical odds to get to a mediocre amount of respect. When World War I first began, many citizens of America saw it as a seemingly distant European conflict that they couldn’t be bothered with.
The principle of equality in 1776 meant the most to white rich American males. Our government has changed so much since 1776 that equality means both men and women alike. “We hold these truths to be self-evident; that all men and women are created equal.” Women and men stated at the Declaration of Sentiments
Our history books continue to present our country's story in conventional patriotic terms. America being settled by courageous, white colonists who tamed a wilderness and the savages in it. With very few exceptions our society depicts these people who actually first discovered America and without whose help the colonists would not have survived, as immoral, despicable savages who needed to be removed by killing and shipping out of the country into slavery. In her book, The Name of War: King Philip's War and the Origins of American Identity, Jill Lepore tells us there was another side to the story of King Philip’s War. She goes beyond the actual effects
Women are frequently overlooked when it comes to history in the 18th centuries. They were there in the flesh for all of the historical events, but they are rarely mentioned. Everyone has heard of the “Founding Fathers”, but students rarely hear about the “Founding Mothers” in their curriculum. Although women did not directly plan out our government, they still deserve to be given some credit for it. The roles that women played during the Revolutionary War greatly influenced the outcome of the war and the country that resulted from it.
When we think of history stories we tend to easily recall the outstanding endeavors of men, but what about all the brave and courageous acts women have accomplished? The Daughters of Liberty is just one of many groups of women who have made a lasting impact on our country. These women were a Colonial American group founded around 1765 in response to unfair British taxation. The group was often overlooked, but they helped further the American Revolutionary cause. Their support and loyalty were shown by boycotting British goods, urging colonists to buy from American businesses.
Many radical changes occurred with the American Revolution such as making the anti-slavery and women’s rights movements of the nineteenth century possible. It “changed the personal and social relationships of people, including the position of women, but also destroyed aristocracy as it had been understood in the Western world for at least two millennia.” (Wood 8).The people had to work together with each other, even the women and children, for the war. They all wanted the freedom from Britain, and unified for a victory. After, they felt freer and more equal and that
When the American Revolution first broke out, many countries did not give the colonies more than a passing thought; most assumed that this rebellion would quickly be quelled by the world renowned British army and the colonies would once again be under their control. However, under the leadership of military officers and the guidance of laws and proclamations set forth by the Founding Fathers, America succeeded in their revolution against the control of Britain. Textbooks and teachers have praised America for years, stating that the revolution was a major turning point in world history, setting precedence for future revolutions, such as the French Revolution just a decade after the American Revolution ended. However, in later years, historians have begun to argue that the American Revolution was not the first of its kind, or unique in the way researchers previously stated. The Declaration of Independence, though groundbreaking in its own right, was influenced by documents and declarations in the English Civil War, such as the Petition of Rights and the English Bill of Rights. The Declaration of Independence, in turn, was a base for the authors and contributors of France’s Declaration of Rights of Man and Citizen. Furthermore, for all the connections in the chain of antecedents for these documents and the documents themselves, such as philosophical and religious writings, they did not build off of each other in terms of giving rights to more and more people; women and other
We hold these truths to be self evident, that all men and women are created equal; that they are endowed certain unalienable rights; that among these rights are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. These rights are ensured by the humanity of the people around us, and judgement threatens these purest of rights. We must, as people, humans,
A critical analysis entails the review of the book Revolutionary Mothers: Women in the struggle for America’s independence by Carol Berkin. This comprised of details on women who had been involved in struggling to fulfill the independence of America. Women played their role at facing or creating impact towards the war. This outlines on myriad of women,s lives as well as getting to know the obstacles that they encountered during the war. This aids in bringing out the idea that not only men who played vital roles during the war, but also women as being key characters, inclusive of colonial women as well as Native American women and the consequences they faced. Women brought about a generation of having the initial tale of history avoiding rise of different stories thus the book,s intention was to reveal the truth of the history as well as women importance during the revolutionary war.
The book is written by, Slotkin, Richard. Lost Battalions: The Great War and the Crisis of American Nationality. New York, N.Y: Henry Holt and Company, 2005. Print. During the Great War, American Nationality and a nation struggling with inequalities came to the forefront. Slotkin concentrates his writings on the heroic African American troops of the 369th Infantry and the legendary 77th “lost battalion” composed of New York City immigrants. These brave men fought in a foreign war they didn’t even believe in; what they were really fighting for was the right to be treated equal
This undeniable reality of the racial constraints on the concept of equality naturally leads us to question whether the Revolution Era had a “truly revolutionary” effect on anyone except for the white man. When discussing the concept of equality in part with the Revolutionary Era, we should start with identifying the various demographics that were meant to be affected by this concept. Africans are arguably the most affected demographic by the revolutionary era. The most significant changes of where they sit on the societal totem pole happen in the northern colonies, as America a Narrative History states, after achieving independence all the states except Georgia stopped the trafficking of slaves; only for South Carolina to re-open their slave trade in 1803. However, we should also
"All men are created equal. They are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights; among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness."
We hold these truths to be self-evident; that all men and women are created equal,...
The creation of the American nation became what it is today from years of struggle in which the common people, as well as the Founding Fathers, played a vital part for independence. The promise of the Revolution, a nation based on the republican ideals of liberty, independence, and equality, was to some extent achieved. Yet the great principles of the Revolution have long shaped our thoughts of what it means to be an American. All the events leading up and after the American Revolution will have effects on the common people. The story of George Robert Twelves Hewes helps historians comprehend the part that the common people played in their struggle for freedom and republican ideals they wanted to achieve for the generations to come in the new nation.
“When I encounter people who try to make me feel lesser than equal, I don’t argue. My equality is not up for debate, it is an implicit truth.” - Rachel Wolchin