"I Stand for Liberty" - At Home
The women who followed and worked with the army were influential, but those women who stayed at home when their male family members left were just as important. Many women wanted to stay with their husbands, but decided to stay at home for the better of their family and life. Someone had to assume the responsibilities that came with owning a farm, maintaining a house, and raising children, so leaving everything behind to follow their man was not an option for some women. They decided both willingly and begrudgingly to do their duty for their family, rather than be with other loved ones. As Carol Berkin speaks in her video, “Women and the Revolution,” women “took care of farms and businesses while their fathers, sons, or husbands were away, and if they had not done that, there would have been nothing to come home to.” (18) Someone needed to tend to shops, keep the farms running, and make money to feed their families, so that when the soldiers came home they would be able to live the life they had lived before. The important choice women made to stay at home reflects the selfless and serving character that these women possessed. They did not do what was necessarily best for them, but was was most helpful to their country and their families. (19)
With the obligation of being at home alone, without a man, for what may have been the first time, women’s lives changed in drastic ways. Since the American Revolution was being fought across towns and cities all over the colonies, the war brought the threat of physical violence and raging battles to their doorsteps. The women had to confront these wartime problems on their own, for their sons, husbands, and fathers were away, so there was no one to help them if anything awful occurred. In addition, the responsibility of the house fell solely onto the women’s shoulders, even though there was no one to guide them. The women were strong, dedicated, and resilient in their newly altered roles and most women did their absolute best to ensure there would be something for their men to come home to. Women worked tirelessly to tend to small children, and deal with new challenges such as the prices of daily items quickly spiraling upward, shortages of everyday necessities such as pins and medicines, and above all, the loss of family who normally worked the fields or ran the shops. The weight of the accountability and duty women now had to worry about changed their lives because essentially, they had to take on the roles of both a male and a female. Yet there was a positive side too: with this new sole ownership and responsibility, women began to gain a sense of pride in their lives that extended beyond the home and garden. In the book, Revolutionary Mothers: Women in the Struggle for America’s Independence, Carol Berkin describes how women’s perceptions changed when they stayed at home and tended to things on their own. She writes, “‘Your farm’ slowly became ‘our farm.’” Instead of women saying the farm belonged to their male spouses, they started to claim it as shared property because they worked on it and were responsible for its success too. This perspective shows how, by staying at home, with their increasing ownership and duties, women began to see their world and themselves in a new manner. (20)
In order to manage the farm and house, women gained many new roles and positions they had never held before the American Revolution. Indirectly, women were asked for the first time to expand their interest beyond family and farm, to paying attention to what was happening in the civic realm. This was because the war had a direct impact on the materials available, so where the battle occurred mattered to daily life. Women also took on jobs that were both formidable and unfamiliar, but they did so to the best of their ability and with the thought of supporting the independence of their country. Women found themselves mending fences, cutting and storing firewood, and repairing farming and/or fielding tools, all of course, while keeping up with their traditional domestic chores. The stereotypical roles that women continued to perform during the war included feeding babies, watching older children, cooking meals, creating and maintaining a garden, doing laundry, and sewing and mending clothing. Even those women who did not do the back-breaking and grueling field work themselves learned to supervise it, which was work that they were unaccustomed to doing. There was not a moment of free/relaxing time for women at home because they were always adopting new tasks and duties, as well as keeping up with their old jobs. Wives, sisters, and daughters who had never negotiated or been involved with the purchasing of items now commenced the sale of crops, purchased new farm equipment or supplies to replace broken ones, paid laborers, and bought and sold slaves. They ran the farms and businesses, and hopefully kept earning enough money to support themselves, the male soldiers who were gone, and their children. Any and all jobs that men traditionally did during these times, even the simplest ones like keeping the fireplace running in the coldest days of the winter, the women at home now did. They used logs they had chopped down themselves, or had supervised the cutting down of, and of course, these women tended to the fire while simultaneously watching the smallest of their children and cooking a simple supper over the heat. Despite the challenges, the women strived for excellence in their new jobs and a great example of this positivity about assuming unfamiliar positions is evident in Abigail Adams’ letter to John Adams. In April 1776, she wrote, “I hope in time to have the Reputation of being as good a Farmeress as my partner [John] has of being a good Statesmen.”(21) Even though working on the family farm would have been a job that was new to her, Abigail wanted to be a successful farmer for the sake of her family and husband, just as other women at home also strived to be successful in their new roles/jobs. (22)
With their new roles and responsibilities, plus a war raging in their towns, there were many types of challenges that the women at home faced everyday. First, with their husbands and sons gone, women felt a sense of loneliness and heartache for their men who were fighting in a dangerous war where communication was both sparse and unreliable. These people, who had previously been such an integral part of their lives every day, were now suddenly gone for months and maybe even years, with little to no written communication. It did not matter if they sent their men off with tears or praise, the devastating isolation crept into many women’s lives. Lucy Knox, the wife of General Henry Knox, stayed at home for years, while her husband valiantly led the army. She too faced the ongoing hardship of being alone and in her letter to Henry in August 1777 she wrote, “...but when I return home - how shall describe my feelings to find myself entirely alone - to reflect that the only friend I have in the world is at such an immense distance from me - to think that [he] may [be] sick and I cannot assist him ah poor me my heart is ready to burst.” (23) Here, Lucy describes her struggle in feeling lonely and worried. (24) In another letter to Henry Knox, Lucy explains another challenge women at home faced: the increasing price of material goods. Since many of their products had come from either England or colonial businesses before the war, during the war, the production of these goods was significantly slower, since the relations with Britain was obviously not strong. Products were hard to access and more expensive for the already struggling-to-make-ends-meet women. Lucy Knox wrote to Henry in May of 1777: “The price of everything is so exorbitant indeed it is difficult to get the necessarys of life here, at any price – the evil increases daily – beef is at eaight pence a pound if you will take half an ox neck, shins, and all you may get it for seven pence – for butter we give two shillings a pound.”(25) Buying just simple household goods, such as beef, could empty the bank. Women at home tried to face these challenges with grace by improvising and by learning to use less of those goods in sparse supply. Another major challenge was the possible proximity of the troops. If there was a battle occurring in the town, farms and homes were fair ground for fighting. Despite a woman’s efforts to preserve the family farm, the army could destroy all of it, and all other family resources, in a moment. Thus, the challenges women faced at home were unlike those that men encountered on the battlefield, but women working at home were not living an easier life either-their lives were also filled with hardships and worries. (26)
Women at home not only managed their farms, businesses, and families, they also did work to help the army and support their husbands in whatever ways they could. One of the major contributions women made throughout the entire war was raising funds and creating clothing for the American army. For example, the Ladies Association of Philadelphia was an organization that consisted of primarily wealthy women at home who wanted to help their families and the army. This group was started by Esther de Berdt Reed for women who wanted to join her in a patriotic cause. The Ladies Association worked hard, using many different methods, to support the army with money. They contacted newspapers and printers first, asking for publicity about what they wanted to do. Between word of mouth, as well as various newspapers, the women announced their remarkable undertaking: going door to door to raise money for the army. The women also asked people to donate putter or anything else that could be made into musket balls and shot for soldiers. These women undertook this amazing task voluntarily, simply because they wanted to support the army and do what they could from home, rather than just sit and watch the war pass by. Their total sum of money raised is astonishing. Historian and journalist Amanda Colletta writes just how successful their help was in an article in the New York Times saying, “The Association raised nearly $300,000 continental dollars.” (27) This large sum of money equals about $7,900,000 dollars in today’s currency. (28) Thus, nearly eight million dollars was raised solely for the army by women at home who persistently and dedicatedly went house to house. The women then used this money to buy material and sew clothing for the soldiers of the Continental Army, a request that was suggested by George Washington himself. The soldiers were able to use the new, handmade clothing and to replace their tattered, worn, and ripped uniforms. New uniforms presented a professional and serious tone to the army. Without the assistance of women raising so much money, the soldiers definitely would have been in a rougher condition. Women did everything they could to support the army from their homes and were enormously successful in raising funds, as well as creating clothing for the army. (29)
Women at were also important participants in various boycotts against the British, especially since those boycotts focused on household and food materials such as tea. Because women were the ones who stayed at home and used many of the products for themselves, their family, or their properties, women’s participation in the boycotts was critical to their success. Women proactively boycotted products before the war, and during the American Revolutionary War, they carried out the wage and price schedules. Before the war, women at home were very involved in helping to get certain laws repealed because they agreed not to buy cloth or tea from the British. Women participated in boycotts and even signed public documents agreeing that they would not use certain English products. This declaration of their actions was something that was remarkably radical for women to do in those days. Having their names on a written piece of paper was a way of proclaiming, “I stand for liberty!” and publicly revealing their desire to support the war and to fight for independence. (30) Most women wanted independence just as much as their male family members and they were willing to support the cause in any way they felt was necessary. Although some women were too scared or too shy to take public action on behalf of their patriotic beliefs, newspapers and other townswomen influenced women from near and far to join together and boycott material goods since this could be done privately. On November 16, 1767, the Boston Post-Boy and Advertiser published an article called “Address to the Ladies,” encouraging women to join the boycotts to show their devotion to America. The article reads: “Wear none but your own country linnen… let your pride be the most and as one... all agree that you'll not married be to such as will wear London Fact'ry… Love your country much better than fine things…” (31) Wearing only home-made clothing and not using any objects made in England were two ways that women at home could show their pride and love for the revolutionary cause. This article was aimed specifically at the “ladies” because women held a key role in the success of the boycotts. Without the agreement of women to not use or wear household materials, the boycotts would have been solely dependent on men, who traditionally did not buy products like tea. The energetic cooperation of women in the boycotts against the British both helped to get the acts repealed and to instill a sense of country pride among women. (32)
With the obligation of being at home alone, without a man, for what may have been the first time, women’s lives changed in drastic ways. Since the American Revolution was being fought across towns and cities all over the colonies, the war brought the threat of physical violence and raging battles to their doorsteps. The women had to confront these wartime problems on their own, for their sons, husbands, and fathers were away, so there was no one to help them if anything awful occurred. In addition, the responsibility of the house fell solely onto the women’s shoulders, even though there was no one to guide them. The women were strong, dedicated, and resilient in their newly altered roles and most women did their absolute best to ensure there would be something for their men to come home to. Women worked tirelessly to tend to small children, and deal with new challenges such as the prices of daily items quickly spiraling upward, shortages of everyday necessities such as pins and medicines, and above all, the loss of family who normally worked the fields or ran the shops. The weight of the accountability and duty women now had to worry about changed their lives because essentially, they had to take on the roles of both a male and a female. Yet there was a positive side too: with this new sole ownership and responsibility, women began to gain a sense of pride in their lives that extended beyond the home and garden. In the book, Revolutionary Mothers: Women in the Struggle for America’s Independence, Carol Berkin describes how women’s perceptions changed when they stayed at home and tended to things on their own. She writes, “‘Your farm’ slowly became ‘our farm.’” Instead of women saying the farm belonged to their male spouses, they started to claim it as shared property because they worked on it and were responsible for its success too. This perspective shows how, by staying at home, with their increasing ownership and duties, women began to see their world and themselves in a new manner. (20)
In order to manage the farm and house, women gained many new roles and positions they had never held before the American Revolution. Indirectly, women were asked for the first time to expand their interest beyond family and farm, to paying attention to what was happening in the civic realm. This was because the war had a direct impact on the materials available, so where the battle occurred mattered to daily life. Women also took on jobs that were both formidable and unfamiliar, but they did so to the best of their ability and with the thought of supporting the independence of their country. Women found themselves mending fences, cutting and storing firewood, and repairing farming and/or fielding tools, all of course, while keeping up with their traditional domestic chores. The stereotypical roles that women continued to perform during the war included feeding babies, watching older children, cooking meals, creating and maintaining a garden, doing laundry, and sewing and mending clothing. Even those women who did not do the back-breaking and grueling field work themselves learned to supervise it, which was work that they were unaccustomed to doing. There was not a moment of free/relaxing time for women at home because they were always adopting new tasks and duties, as well as keeping up with their old jobs. Wives, sisters, and daughters who had never negotiated or been involved with the purchasing of items now commenced the sale of crops, purchased new farm equipment or supplies to replace broken ones, paid laborers, and bought and sold slaves. They ran the farms and businesses, and hopefully kept earning enough money to support themselves, the male soldiers who were gone, and their children. Any and all jobs that men traditionally did during these times, even the simplest ones like keeping the fireplace running in the coldest days of the winter, the women at home now did. They used logs they had chopped down themselves, or had supervised the cutting down of, and of course, these women tended to the fire while simultaneously watching the smallest of their children and cooking a simple supper over the heat. Despite the challenges, the women strived for excellence in their new jobs and a great example of this positivity about assuming unfamiliar positions is evident in Abigail Adams’ letter to John Adams. In April 1776, she wrote, “I hope in time to have the Reputation of being as good a Farmeress as my partner [John] has of being a good Statesmen.”(21) Even though working on the family farm would have been a job that was new to her, Abigail wanted to be a successful farmer for the sake of her family and husband, just as other women at home also strived to be successful in their new roles/jobs. (22)
With their new roles and responsibilities, plus a war raging in their towns, there were many types of challenges that the women at home faced everyday. First, with their husbands and sons gone, women felt a sense of loneliness and heartache for their men who were fighting in a dangerous war where communication was both sparse and unreliable. These people, who had previously been such an integral part of their lives every day, were now suddenly gone for months and maybe even years, with little to no written communication. It did not matter if they sent their men off with tears or praise, the devastating isolation crept into many women’s lives. Lucy Knox, the wife of General Henry Knox, stayed at home for years, while her husband valiantly led the army. She too faced the ongoing hardship of being alone and in her letter to Henry in August 1777 she wrote, “...but when I return home - how shall describe my feelings to find myself entirely alone - to reflect that the only friend I have in the world is at such an immense distance from me - to think that [he] may [be] sick and I cannot assist him ah poor me my heart is ready to burst.” (23) Here, Lucy describes her struggle in feeling lonely and worried. (24) In another letter to Henry Knox, Lucy explains another challenge women at home faced: the increasing price of material goods. Since many of their products had come from either England or colonial businesses before the war, during the war, the production of these goods was significantly slower, since the relations with Britain was obviously not strong. Products were hard to access and more expensive for the already struggling-to-make-ends-meet women. Lucy Knox wrote to Henry in May of 1777: “The price of everything is so exorbitant indeed it is difficult to get the necessarys of life here, at any price – the evil increases daily – beef is at eaight pence a pound if you will take half an ox neck, shins, and all you may get it for seven pence – for butter we give two shillings a pound.”(25) Buying just simple household goods, such as beef, could empty the bank. Women at home tried to face these challenges with grace by improvising and by learning to use less of those goods in sparse supply. Another major challenge was the possible proximity of the troops. If there was a battle occurring in the town, farms and homes were fair ground for fighting. Despite a woman’s efforts to preserve the family farm, the army could destroy all of it, and all other family resources, in a moment. Thus, the challenges women faced at home were unlike those that men encountered on the battlefield, but women working at home were not living an easier life either-their lives were also filled with hardships and worries. (26)
Women at home not only managed their farms, businesses, and families, they also did work to help the army and support their husbands in whatever ways they could. One of the major contributions women made throughout the entire war was raising funds and creating clothing for the American army. For example, the Ladies Association of Philadelphia was an organization that consisted of primarily wealthy women at home who wanted to help their families and the army. This group was started by Esther de Berdt Reed for women who wanted to join her in a patriotic cause. The Ladies Association worked hard, using many different methods, to support the army with money. They contacted newspapers and printers first, asking for publicity about what they wanted to do. Between word of mouth, as well as various newspapers, the women announced their remarkable undertaking: going door to door to raise money for the army. The women also asked people to donate putter or anything else that could be made into musket balls and shot for soldiers. These women undertook this amazing task voluntarily, simply because they wanted to support the army and do what they could from home, rather than just sit and watch the war pass by. Their total sum of money raised is astonishing. Historian and journalist Amanda Colletta writes just how successful their help was in an article in the New York Times saying, “The Association raised nearly $300,000 continental dollars.” (27) This large sum of money equals about $7,900,000 dollars in today’s currency. (28) Thus, nearly eight million dollars was raised solely for the army by women at home who persistently and dedicatedly went house to house. The women then used this money to buy material and sew clothing for the soldiers of the Continental Army, a request that was suggested by George Washington himself. The soldiers were able to use the new, handmade clothing and to replace their tattered, worn, and ripped uniforms. New uniforms presented a professional and serious tone to the army. Without the assistance of women raising so much money, the soldiers definitely would have been in a rougher condition. Women did everything they could to support the army from their homes and were enormously successful in raising funds, as well as creating clothing for the army. (29)
Women at were also important participants in various boycotts against the British, especially since those boycotts focused on household and food materials such as tea. Because women were the ones who stayed at home and used many of the products for themselves, their family, or their properties, women’s participation in the boycotts was critical to their success. Women proactively boycotted products before the war, and during the American Revolutionary War, they carried out the wage and price schedules. Before the war, women at home were very involved in helping to get certain laws repealed because they agreed not to buy cloth or tea from the British. Women participated in boycotts and even signed public documents agreeing that they would not use certain English products. This declaration of their actions was something that was remarkably radical for women to do in those days. Having their names on a written piece of paper was a way of proclaiming, “I stand for liberty!” and publicly revealing their desire to support the war and to fight for independence. (30) Most women wanted independence just as much as their male family members and they were willing to support the cause in any way they felt was necessary. Although some women were too scared or too shy to take public action on behalf of their patriotic beliefs, newspapers and other townswomen influenced women from near and far to join together and boycott material goods since this could be done privately. On November 16, 1767, the Boston Post-Boy and Advertiser published an article called “Address to the Ladies,” encouraging women to join the boycotts to show their devotion to America. The article reads: “Wear none but your own country linnen… let your pride be the most and as one... all agree that you'll not married be to such as will wear London Fact'ry… Love your country much better than fine things…” (31) Wearing only home-made clothing and not using any objects made in England were two ways that women at home could show their pride and love for the revolutionary cause. This article was aimed specifically at the “ladies” because women held a key role in the success of the boycotts. Without the agreement of women to not use or wear household materials, the boycotts would have been solely dependent on men, who traditionally did not buy products like tea. The energetic cooperation of women in the boycotts against the British both helped to get the acts repealed and to instill a sense of country pride among women. (32)