Women of the Revolutionary War
Emma Lucas
Mr. Stiver
Women of the Revolutionary War
19 December 2012 Everyone who has studied the history of the United States of America has heard of Paul Revere, George Washington, and Benedict Arnold, but who has heard of Molly Pitcher, Sybil Luddington, or Eliza Lucas? Was it not Abigail Adams who told her husband John Adams to, "Remember the ladies"? And James Otis, brother of Mercy Otis Warren, another mother, said, "Are not women born as free as men? Would it not be infamous to assert that the ladies are all slaves by nature?" (Roberts 49). These women, and many more, were active in the Revolutionary War; they are considered "mothers of our country." However, not all of them picked up muskets and went into battle. Some chose to fight for America with an arrow or a cannon, others with a pen or a needle (Zitek). However, some of the women that helped were actually just teenage girls. The women that participated in the Revolutionary War contributed to both the Patriot and Loyalist sides, and provided a means of help for many soldiers. Of course, the revolution began as a serious conflict between the colonies of America and England following the French and Indian War from 1754-1763 (Kamensky 31). England was in debt from the war, so Parliament decided to introduce, and then raise taxes in the colonies to settle the debt (Kamensky 32). The revolution began in 1775, at the Battle of Lexington and Concord; out of two million colonists, one-third were Patriots, one-third were neutral, and one-third were Loyalists (Kamensky 32). King George III employed some of these Loyalists as royal governors, judges, tax collectors, and customs officials (Kamensky 32)). The revolution was fought everywhere in colonial America, which led to many women being involved, seeing as some battles occurred on a farm, or armies raided houses for food and money (Kamensky 34). When the war began, ten percent of businesses in Boston, Massachusetts were run by women (Zeinert 12).
Mr. Stiver
Women of the Revolutionary War
19 December 2012 Everyone who has studied the history of the United States of America has heard of Paul Revere, George Washington, and Benedict Arnold, but who has heard of Molly Pitcher, Sybil Luddington, or Eliza Lucas? Was it not Abigail Adams who told her husband John Adams to, "Remember the ladies"? And James Otis, brother of Mercy Otis Warren, another mother, said, "Are not women born as free as men? Would it not be infamous to assert that the ladies are all slaves by nature?" (Roberts 49). These women, and many more, were active in the Revolutionary War; they are considered "mothers of our country." However, not all of them picked up muskets and went into battle. Some chose to fight for America with an arrow or a cannon, others with a pen or a needle (Zitek). However, some of the women that helped were actually just teenage girls. The women that participated in the Revolutionary War contributed to both the Patriot and Loyalist sides, and provided a means of help for many soldiers. Of course, the revolution began as a serious conflict between the colonies of America and England following the French and Indian War from 1754-1763 (Kamensky 31). England was in debt from the war, so Parliament decided to introduce, and then raise taxes in the colonies to settle the debt (Kamensky 32). The revolution began in 1775, at the Battle of Lexington and Concord; out of two million colonists, one-third were Patriots, one-third were neutral, and one-third were Loyalists (Kamensky 32). King George III employed some of these Loyalists as royal governors, judges, tax collectors, and customs officials (Kamensky 32)). The revolution was fought everywhere in colonial America, which led to many women being involved, seeing as some battles occurred on a farm, or armies raided houses for food and money (Kamensky 34). When the war began, ten percent of businesses in Boston, Massachusetts were run by women (Zeinert 12).
Cited: Zitek, Carl, ed. "http://score.rims.k12.ca.us/score_lessons/women_american_revolution/." http://score.rims.k12.ca.us. N.p.. Web. 29 Nov 2012 Roberts, Cokie. Founding Mothers: the Women who Raised our Nation. 1st ed. 1. New York: William Morrow, 2004. 1-359. Print Salmon, Marylynn. The Limits of Independence: American Women 1760-1800. 1st ed. 3. New York: Oxford University Press, 1994. 1-144. Print. Zeinert, Karen. Those Remarkable Women of the American Revolution. 1st ed. 1. Brookfield, Connecticut: Millbrook Press, 1996. 1-96. Print. Collins, Gail. American 's Women: Four Hundred Years of Dolls, Drudges, Helpmates, and Heroines. 1st ed. 1. New York: William Morrow, 2003. 1-556. Print. Frost-Knappman, Elizabeth. The ABC-CLIO Companion to Women 's Progress in America. 1st ed. 1. Santa Barbara: ABC-CLIO, 1994. 1-339. Print. Miller, Brandon Marie. Good Women of a Well-Blessed Land. 1st ed. 1. Minneapolis: Lerner Publications Company, 2003. 8-89. Print. Holton, Woody. Abigail Adams. 1st ed. 1. New York: Free Press, 2009. 1-412. Print. Kamensky, Jane. The Colonial Mosaic: American Women 1600-1760. 1st ed. 2. New York: Oxford University Press, 1995. 7-149. Print. Aircheck, Dave. "http://www.americanrevolution.org/women/women.html." americanrevolution.org. History Channel. Web. 18 Dec 2012.