The Drum Women At Valley Forge

As Abigail Adams will write to her husband John to “remember the ladies” during the Continental Congress, so too must we must not forget the many women who played a vital role here during the winter encampment at Valley Forge from 1777-1778.

They were not allowed to work in factories or allowed own a business. They were discriminated of their rights to work. They were not allowed to join a war legally and could not own property. Women had no rights politically or economically. However, a positive for women was that they took men’s jobs during the civil war. Increasing their pay and showing men that they could work also. They took men’s jobs in factories and held business. They helped their side of the Civil War greatly and contributed by healing their men. They worked very hard to help keep soldiers healthy and to allow them to keep fighting. Working hards in men’s places, women helped the army stay in good

During the American Revolution, not only did men have to face the struggles of war time atmosphere, but women had to as well. The country during the war was divided into three different groups of people; the loyalists, the patriots and the remaining people who did not care. Catherine Van Cortlandt, a loyalist had to endure different struggles then the patriot women Eliza Pinckney and Abigail Adams. However, parts of their stories are similar when it came to their family struggles.

One thing in the story that shocked me is how different our perception of the Revolutionary War is from the reality. An example of this was how ill trained the American army was at the beginning of the war. The army was undisciplined, disobedient, and motivated only by their paychecks. Many perceive the soldiers as valiant, zealous men, but it wasn’t until much later in the war that the soldiers rose to the occasion and became the warriors that we remember today.

Men fought their enemies and held great honor doing so. They hunted buffalo, deer, and other wild animals (Deloria 240). The men's main priority in life was to make sure his family was safe and well-cared for. He was the protector and provider of all things. Women packed the houses each times the camp moved; they guarded all belongings during the march. Once they stopped, the women were in charge of unpacking and setting up the tipi. They laid out all bedding, gathered firewood, brought water, cooked, passed out food, and took care of children (Deloria 240). It was the women's job to run the household. She prepared what the men provided to care for the family. “Men's and women's worlds were complementary, but very much compartmentalized.” (Deloria 241). Gender roles do not include just physical responsibilities, they are also thought processes and emotions. Dakota women were more concerned with the welfare and reputation of their brothers, children and husbands. They learned to honor themselves by honoring others first. They held traditions that are similar to what some women are taught today, such as, it is up to the man to pursue a relationship with a woman, to dress modestly so that men see you and not your body first, etc. While some may find these ideas as sexist, personally, I don't think they are. I think it is how culture has played a role in my life. It is what has been engraved in me and not because I am

“Valley Forge is 18 miles from Pennsylvania.’ (background essay,141). I was there from the summer of 1775 through January 1778 with about 2 months to go.They declared independence from Britain, then, they started a war

No battle was fought here, but from December 19, 1777 to June 19, 1778, a struggle against the elements and low morale was overcome on this sacred ground. When General Washington’s army marched out of Valley Forge on June 19, 1778, the men were better disciplined and stronger in spirit than when they had entered. Nine days later, they won a victory against the British under Lord Cornwallis at the Battle of Monmouth in New Jersey. The revolutionary war was affected by Valley Forge in the way that it brought great leadership, developed important connections with allies, and boosted the morale of the Continental

Valley Forge was held from December 1777 to February 1778. Most people got sick and died but some lived. If you were in Washington’s army, would you continue at Valley Forge or give up and go home?Before this there was the French and Indian War. After the colonists helped the British win the war, the king taxed the colonists in anything he could get his hands on. After fighting battles and fighting for independence, the colonists end up at Valley Forge. After all this, what would you do? If was a soldier in Washington’s army, I would leave Valley Forge because many of the soldiers got sick and died, the conditions in and outside the huts were terrible, but if I was to stay I would because Britain taxed us and I would help continue fighting

Clearly the role of women reflected one of diminished value as compared to her male companion. But that was all about to change with the onset of World War II.

As most of us know the women of the Civil War were a lot different I believe than the

wanting to help men build the nation it was more about to draw attention to them. The women

Valley Forge is the patriot encampment during the revolutionary war, the patriots used this camp as it was only 18 miles Philadelphia which was a British controlled town. Valley Forge played a huge role in America’s birth times were hard, cold winds, lack of food, people started to leave in fear of becoming sick and dying, but the ones who stayed were the true Patriots, the fathers of America! Soldiers would stay because they believed in the American dream and becoming independent. (Doc A) At Valley Forge around 50% of all soldiers were ill, about 25% of those who became ill ended up dying.(Doc A) Valley Forge was the true test of soldier loyalty, at the time of Valley Forge’s foundation, it was the end of most periods of service for most soldiers, 9-12 months, many began to return home.

She writes how the housewives also served as " helpmates" to the men. If for any reason the men were injured and could not perform in the Revolutionary War, these women were expected to "step into their husbands' shoes" and "fulfill their obligations as helpmates" when needed to (11). That brought out the physical strength, courage, mental toughness in the women as they were "performing male duties, exhibiting masculine traits" (11). Through all this the "gender lines remained intact" and women were still considered smaller than the

No one truly knows what exactly happened during the Revolutionary War, however, the book Forge by Laurie Halse Anderson describes the brutality of the war through a teenage boy’s eyes. Curzon was forged by the hardships of war and slavery, and endured the long winter in Valley Forge, where he forged friendships through hard times in the “mixing pot” of the Valley Forge camp. There are many interpretations for the word forge, and in the book Forge by Laurie Halse Anderson, Curzon explores the meanings of the word forge through the perils of war, the hardships of slavery, and enduring a harsh winter at Valley Forge. In the beginning of the book Forge, Curzon found himself in the middle of a gruesome battle.

At this time, women were mostly homemakers who supported their husbands and families in what had to be done to make a living. It was a very submissive and obedient time for women during which a husband was a staple to provide for the family. There were no true political figure heads in the Colonial period, but the wives of the Founding fathers did a great service by rallying support for their husbands. There are very few records to show the political prowess of loyalist wives, but it is well