Document Project 6 Women in the Revolution

Women in the
Revolution

The Revolutionary War had a tremendous impact on the lives of women, just as women helped shape the course of that conflict. As in all wars, women faced the fear and hardships brought on by absent men, inadequate supplies, roaming enemy soldiers, and nearby battles. But at a time when women were supposed to limit their activities to domestic concerns, the war also opened up new opportunities. On the home front, they ran family farms and shops, raised money, and produced homespun goods for the Continental Army, and they defended themselves and their homes. Women also spied on enemy encampments, provided medical care for soldiers, and even fought alongside men on the battlefield. Women gained new skills, felt pride in their independence and abilities, and, like their male counterparts, gained satisfaction and sometimes fame in supporting the cause in which they believed. They cast their everyday responsibilities in a political light, even as the war generally failed to expand women’s legal or political rights.

The women represented in the following documents demonstrate a variety of experiences during the war. Some women, like Christian Barnes (Document 6.6), remained loyal to Great Britain and suffered attacks by patriot neighbors and soldiers. As a Seneca, Mary Jemison (Document 6.10) sought to remain neutral during the war, but she also faced hardships brought on by pillaging colonial soldiers. The other documents offer a window into the lives of patriot women who worked to defend their new country and their families during the war. Even here, there were differences between the activities of wealthy women (Documents 6.7 and 6.9) and those of ordinary women (Document 6.8). In reading these documents, think about the extent to which being a woman shaped how they experienced the war. Almost all women faced new challenges, but some were also offered new opportunities. Still, even the innovative roles women played were often justified in domestic or familial terms.