Women's Role Of Women In The American Revolution

From the social viewpoint the war changed the lives and rights of women all across the United States. Many of the husbands left to fight in the Revolutionary war leaving countless women in charge of farms and businesses, roles which they were not accustomed to. Although the war did little to change women’s rights, in some states it did become possible for women to divorce and in new jersey women even obtained the right to vote which was way out of the ordinary in that time. Before the war both men and women viewed the wife as an obedient and serving spouse that raised the children and took care of the house. But the revolution encouraged people of both genders to reconsider the contribution of women to the family and society.

     The revolution also changes the status of women in the 15 years following the American Revolution. There was a push to allow for better women’s education. In 1789, Massachusetts passed a law insisting elementary schools be open to both girls and boys. Girls from rich families had the ability to receive a good education on subjects including math, history and geography. A large advocate of women’s education was Judith Sargent Murray, who argued men and women had equal intellectual abilities, but women’s lack of chances is what made them appear inferior. Abigail Adams, the wife of John Adams, also called for legal reform in order to prevent male tyranny over women. Some even went further and called for the right of women to vote. This was still denied to women, however, and it would not be over 100 years later until they were granted this right. Despite some small advances for women’s rights, there was still a notion of inferiority to men.

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.

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).

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.

The role of women in the Early Republic is a topic mostly overlooked by historians when dealing with this era of American history. The triumphs of the Revolution and the early events of the new nation were done solely by men. However, women had their own political societies and even participated in the Revolution. Women's roles began to take a major turn after the war with Great Britain. This was due in part to their involvement in the war and female patriotism. Others believed it was due to the easier access to formal education for young women. Whatever the reason, it inspired women to challenge the social structure of the Early Republic. The roles of women were changing in the Early Republic. However, progress was slow and little change

During this time some store owners would hold supplies in hopes of later selling them for a higher markup. This led a group of women to take matters into their own hands. The women seized the man, got his keys, and proceeded to get the coffee that they needed. This was rare, but women did take these matters into their own hands when they needed too. These types of things allowed the men to only worry about fighting the British. This was another way women who sided with the Patriots saw their lives change during the

The American Revolution played a significant role in lives of nearly every person in America. Most men left their wives, mothers, sisters and daughters in charge of farms and businesses when they left to fight in the Patriot armies. There were many men, who had no farms or businesses, left their women with absolutely nothing to fall back on. This led to a significant increase in the population of impoverished women in several cities and towns. Due to the ongoing war, there were many price increases that these women simply could not afford. Some would riot and loot for food, while others would lead popular protests. “In New Jersey and Staten Island, women launched

As the saying goes, “a woman’s work is never done,” but today’s women live a far different life than their predecessors. The women of the revolution were courageous and brave-hearted. The obstacles of their time were far more difficult to overcome than those faced by women in this day and age. Whether it was slavery, war, or racial prejudice, these women kept their heads held high and worked to break down these barriers and create change for the future. On top of having to deal with these hardships, the women of the revolution had families to take care of, mouths to feed, houses to clean, and wounds to heal. For many women of the revolution it was all about taking a stand for their rights and being

Women in colonial America played revolutionary roles. They played roles that were always changing. “All men are created equal.” It’s the basis in which America was built, but what about the women? Without women, men wouldn’t have been nearly as successful. But what exactly did women do? Well, different races had different roles to play within their population(WiseGEEK).

The American Revolution, as many would assume, changed the lives of several groups of people both politically and socially. Depending on the group of people, the revolution either improved or diminished the quality of life for some. When looking at the quote, "The American Revolution was not truly revolutionary. Unlike later revolutions in France, Haiti, Russia, China, and Cuba, the American Revolution did not result in broad changes in American society,” I agree with this statement when examining women before, during and after the revolution. Though, women were the group of people who worked the most, they received the least. The American Revolution did not grant women the rights and liberties they fought hard to acquire, even with the subtle changes that only continued to oppress them. During the revolution, while men were away women were the ones who took over many of their responsibilities such as farm and shop work. They aided male soldiers with simple yet important necessities such as military weapons, food and health care.

Women were generally not active in the political sphere, but there were some exceptions. A famous instance of this was Abigail Adams, the wife of John Adams and mother of John Quincy Adams. She was intelligent and well read, and in her letters to her husband, she employs the rhetoric of the Revolution to address all the issues of power between men and women.

During the war, women were put in roles traditionally held by men such as cooks, medics, messengers and spies. In addition to taking care of the home, they formed groups such as the Daughters of Liberty to support the cause of the war.  Women even fought in the war, the most famous woman was Deborah Sampson.  Apparently, she took a bullet out of her own leg so as not to be identified as a woman fighting in the war. The women of that time did what they could to support the men in the quest for freedom.  As women's roles changed, so did a revolution of their roles in society and in American

When looking at political progress, no concrete evidence can be given to show that women were making progress. However, it's more about how they perceived themselves in the political realm as compared to what we can see in books now. Female patriots were able to find particular expression in their support of the colonial boycott of tea and other items taxed by the Townshend Act of 1767. The male leaders of the boycott "recognized that they needed women's cooperation to ensure that Americans would comply with the request to forgo the use of tea and luxury goods" This marked a movement away from female noninvolvement in public affairs. In 1774, an agreement was signed by fifty-one female North Carolinians declaring their "sincere adherence" to the resolutions of the provincial congress and declared it their "duty" to do "every thing as far as lies in our power" to support the "publick good." This was not taken seriously by the men, but it was the first time women were able to do something like this (actively participate in politics). For the first time, women were taking upon themselves a "duty" to work for the common good of America. Never before had they taken on the

Women in colonial America played revolutionary roles. They played roles that were always changing. “All men are created equal.” It’s the basis in which America was built, but what about the women? Without women, men wouldn’t have been nearly as successful. But what exactly did women do? Well, different races had different roles to play within their population.