Women During The Revolutionary War

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.

Not all women took active participation in the rebellions that other women created, as there were a number of loyalist women as well. Now defining yourself as a loyalist women was not easy the loyalists were the strongest of all in the southern colonies, mostly in Pennsylvania, and New York. There was a huge load of pressure on these woman as they had to leave their properties as soon as possible for the sake of protection. They always had to ask for permission from nearby committees. They would walk to where their husbands were situated in specific forts with the help of the military guides. In these forts they were treated as burdens. A major constant fear for the women throughout the war was that the British would locate themselves somewhere

"Thus the first political act of American women was to say, 'No'" (p. 13). Mercy Otis Warren, Abigail Adams, Deborah Franklin, Lucy Knox, Catherine Greene, and Martha Washington's roles were detailed. A woman such as Deborah Sampson camouflaged as men and fought and chooses to follow and cater to their husbands during the war. Margaret Corbin was one of the women who maintained water supply for cooling the cannons used for fighting. Berkin's chapter on female couriers, saboteurs, and spies for both sides is especially fascinating. Deborah Champion carried dispatches; Sybil Ludington warned her countrymen in Danbury, Connecticut that the British were approaching. Berkin adds new detail using the memoirs of Lydia Darragh, Emily Geiger, Mammy Kate, and Martha

The role of women played in any given war is quite often severely underestimated. This sentiment especially goes for the American Revolutionary War, where women actually played an absolutely essential role in our victory against the British. Not only where there different types of women who had helped, but there were many different ways each of them helped--particularly as nurses to help save lives and tend to injured soldiers. Without women helping in the war, we would have most certainly lost (National History Education Clearinghouse).

Sarah Benjamin went before the deposition on the twentieth day of November, 1837 in the Court of Common Pleas of Wayne County, Pennsylvania. This deposition intended to validate claims for receiving pension benefits owed to Mrs. Benjamin from a previous marriage; an Aaron Osborn, veteran of the Revolutionary War. Her case founded itself on the numerous acts of Congress over the previous decade--in particular the Comprehensive Pension Act of 1832 and subsequent acts of Congress from July 4, 1836 and March 3, 1837--allowing for the first time yearly grants to all who served in the Continental Army for a period of six months or more. These acts supplanted Sarah Benjamin's case because applicants no longer required disability or monetary

The American Revolution was a war between the 13 colonies and Great Britain. The colonies, trying to gain their freedom, revolted against their mother country, which resulted in a war. The war lasted from 1765 to 1783 and as a result, the colonies gained independence from Great Britain and became the United States of America. While white, male Americans participated in the American Revolution, women, African Americans, and foreigners were also involved. While women, African Americans, and foreigners participated in the American Revolution, their contributions and motivations varied.

“Women were not passive observers, but rather partners with their husbands, brothers, fathers and sons.” Carol Berkin stated the gender roles portrayed throughout the revolutionary war were overly romanticized and usually watered down. While in reality women shared the same roles as the adult males. Revolutionary mothers focus on the roles women played throughout the war. Whether it was different social divisions or different ethnicities, each woman portrayed a real role throughout the war.

Since the Revolutionary War, women have been seen as inferior to men, a status that was especially clear in the lack of legal rights for women [1]. Women’s’ rights has been an issue that is still fought today with the struggles of being treated equally against men. In 1779, Judith Sargent Murray, was an essayist in support for women’s rights, once wrote that “women’s minds were as good as men’s and that girls as well as boys, therefore deserved access to education” [1]. Women were very domesticated by their husbands in this era which most men believed that a women’s only place was to maintain the household and taking care of children. The war gave some women the opportunity to demonstrate their ability to show responsibilities regarded as a

I realized that although in theory women in the armed forces seemed like a good idea, there are many obstacles that make that reality very difficult to achieve. In writing this paper I am not proposing that either position is more valid or right than the other. I only hope to present each side in an equal light to help others to understand the issues involved.

They opened up their homes to the wounded, raised money for and provided food and clothing to the Army. There are even several recorded instances of women serving as spies or soldiers in disguise. Most of the active participants however, were in the form of what was called "camp followers". While some of these were women were prostitutes, many others were wives, daughters and mothers of soldiers who followed the Army because they were unable to support themselves after their men left for war. They served the Continental Army as nurses, cooks, laundresses, and water bearers. These women became the earliest American examples of women who supported the military to "free a man to fight" as they performed jobs usually done by male soldiers.

Women from all over the world have been faced with many difficult problems since the beginning of time. Women in the past have had to fight for their rights of education, freedom, sexual choices, and their freedom to work. Women today still face problems because of their gender, but times are slowly but surely changing. Before the Revolution women had no say in any activities they participated in. Women had to obey their husbands, give them sex whenever they wanted, had no choice over reproductive patterns, were strictly in charge of taking care of the house and children, and were not allowed to leave the homestead. Joan R. Gundersen argues that the women of the American Revolution gained more than they had lost. She believed at that time the greatest changes appeared enhancing the lives of everyday women.

In the United States, women played an imperative role that is clearly depicted in American history. Women’s significance was apparent in imperative historical events such as the American Revolution, struggle for independence, and the colonial America. During the American Revolution, women contributed significantly, where they played an active role in the American armies (Wayne & Tiffany 213). In this case, the women participated in the war as soldiers, where they fought alongside men, with the intention of overwhelming nations that took part in the revolutionary war. Women such as Deborah Sampson, Hannah Snell, among many others played an active role (women soldiers) during the revolutionary war. Their active participation in battle accounted for their rise in high military ranks. The likes of Deborah Sampson were named aide-de-camps to revolutionary war generals such as John Peterson.

Navy warship, Colonel Linda McTague the first woman commander of a fighter squadron in U.S. Air Force history, Sergeant Leigh Ann Hester is the first woman to be awarded as the Silver Star for combat when women role was limited in military. In early days Deborah Sampson pretend to be man and serve in a light Infantry unit during the war because during that time women role in military was limited. During the war, Dr. Mary Walker became the first female surgeon in the United States Army when she volunteered to serve the Union forces and she was the only woman to win the Congressional Medal of Honor. These are some examples of the military women heroics act who served our nation

Women have fought alongside men in the United States Military in every major battle since the American Revolution. The roles of women in the military have evolved over time to allow the incorporation of women in expanding military career fields. Women have proven themselves to be an asset to the military despite some of society believing women would weaken America’s military effectiveness. Today more than 200,000 women are active-duty military, this is about 14.5% of all military. Currently, women are involved in all branches of the Armed Forces; there are around 74,000 women in the Army, 62,000 in the Air Force, 53,000 in the Navy, and 14,000 in the Marine Corps (By the numbers: Women in the U.S. Military). Military women continue to

Women have been participating in the United States military since the Revolutionary War, where they were nurses, maids, cooks and even spies. They played vital roles in order to keep those fighting on the front lines healthier, and even a more important role in keeping commanding officers informed with private information stolen from the other side. Although the Revolutionary War took play in 1776, the first law to be passed that permanently stated that women have an official place in the military was in 1948, almost one hundred and seventy-two years later. Since that time there has been a lack of true growth when it comes to integration of females in the military. In 1994, a law was passed that tried to prohibit women from being assigned to ground combat units below the brigade level. Women are excluded from more then 25% of active combat roles within the military and only in 2013 was the ban lifted which was the final barrier to allowing women into all active roles. This has been a huge step in the direction for women being considered as being equal but there are still challenges that women face within the military. Ranging from sexual assault, discrimination, bullying, and other tactics, it is clear that for many, the military is still a “boys club.”