"Remember the Ladies"
When thinking about the American Revolution, images of men fighting honorably, brutally, and bravely on the battlefield appear. Perceptions of strong male soldiers nobly putting their lives on the line and traveling with the ever-increasing army to defend a country they strongly believed in is what tends to come to mind. History books, historians, professors, and the majority of the world reflect upon the American Revolution as the actions and words of male soldiers and colonists. But could these men have accomplished all that they did without the help and support of women behind the scenes? Given that most men were fighting on the battlefield, how did such a massive army succeed? Who were the people in the shadows healing the wounded, tending to the farms, caring for families, and preparing supplies and food? The answer lies in the other half of the adult population: women. Women were indispensable to the war of the thirteen colonies during the eighteenth century American Revolution. Even George Washington, after the war in 1788, commemorated women in a letter to Annis Boudinot Stockton. He wrote, “I think you ladies are...the best Patriots America can boast” (1). Such a compliment to women from a prestigious general could have only derived from devoted and significant actions. So what was the role of women as camp followers, nurses, and wives during the American Revolution, and what was their impact?
I first became interested in this topic when I realized, after skimming through several history books and information about the American Revolution, that stories about the war were solely focused on male generals, leaders, and soldiers. What, I asked myself, were the women doing during the war? Weren’t the women affected by the waging war just as much as the important male figures? When I learned that much of the knowledge about women’s lives and influence was disregarded and unappreciated by most people and by most history books, I became very intrigued about the role of women in history. So often, only important men get recognition for their work, but history inevitably included herstory because women are always influencing the world, whether or not they get credit. Women’s jobs in times of hardship, such as the American Revolution, may have been the reason that success was possible. This topic that matters to me because I have always had a passion for learning about bold women who stepped past traditional gender roles and courageously did new things, regardless of the odds against them. Women have power and deserve to be recognized for their remarkable feats and vital impact. Women were the ones who held down the home fronts and stood up to the armies who came into the towns, so their roles were a huge factor in the triumph of the colonists. Thus, the roles and accomplishments of women are extremely relevant to the American Revolution unit in history class.
Before starting my research paper, I knew little about the influence and roles of women during the Revolutionary war. I knew that women had a vital role in assisting and support the men, but did not truly understand exactly what that influence was and how it made the male army more successful. I assumed that the women took on many household and “feminine”-like chores since stereotypically, that was what women did in those times. Little did I know, women, in fact, took on more new jobs than familiar ones during the war, and because of the circumstances, they behaved in ways that were extremely unorthodox for the eighteenth century. In addition, I assumed that the women who worked for the army led a life that was simply an extension of their traditional and daily home life. I also expected that women took on new roles, such as nurses, out of the pure kindness of their hearts and that they worked voluntarily. I predicted that I would only discover more about the specifics of their jobs and actions, not the struggles and challenges of everyday life as women stretched themselves to fill countless new jobs and roles. As I learned new information through my research, I discovered that some of my presumptions about women’s actions and their impact were true; some were misconceptions and false.
I first became interested in this topic when I realized, after skimming through several history books and information about the American Revolution, that stories about the war were solely focused on male generals, leaders, and soldiers. What, I asked myself, were the women doing during the war? Weren’t the women affected by the waging war just as much as the important male figures? When I learned that much of the knowledge about women’s lives and influence was disregarded and unappreciated by most people and by most history books, I became very intrigued about the role of women in history. So often, only important men get recognition for their work, but history inevitably included herstory because women are always influencing the world, whether or not they get credit. Women’s jobs in times of hardship, such as the American Revolution, may have been the reason that success was possible. This topic that matters to me because I have always had a passion for learning about bold women who stepped past traditional gender roles and courageously did new things, regardless of the odds against them. Women have power and deserve to be recognized for their remarkable feats and vital impact. Women were the ones who held down the home fronts and stood up to the armies who came into the towns, so their roles were a huge factor in the triumph of the colonists. Thus, the roles and accomplishments of women are extremely relevant to the American Revolution unit in history class.
Before starting my research paper, I knew little about the influence and roles of women during the Revolutionary war. I knew that women had a vital role in assisting and support the men, but did not truly understand exactly what that influence was and how it made the male army more successful. I assumed that the women took on many household and “feminine”-like chores since stereotypically, that was what women did in those times. Little did I know, women, in fact, took on more new jobs than familiar ones during the war, and because of the circumstances, they behaved in ways that were extremely unorthodox for the eighteenth century. In addition, I assumed that the women who worked for the army led a life that was simply an extension of their traditional and daily home life. I also expected that women took on new roles, such as nurses, out of the pure kindness of their hearts and that they worked voluntarily. I predicted that I would only discover more about the specifics of their jobs and actions, not the struggles and challenges of everyday life as women stretched themselves to fill countless new jobs and roles. As I learned new information through my research, I discovered that some of my presumptions about women’s actions and their impact were true; some were misconceptions and false.