Women+in+the+Revolution

RIL: Even after all of women’s suffering and experiences in what was the man’s work during the Revolutionary War, women were not given the same roles as men. They were seen as equal to men, but their role in society was separately defined. This is severely flawed reasoning. If women have the same capabilities as men, why then should they be restricted by taking domestic roles? This is contradictory. Logically, if women are the same as men in the terms of their abilities, as shown by their role in the Revolution, they should have the same rights as men. They should have been able to continue their work after the war ended as they had been; many of the wives left behind by their husbands at war took control over the estates determining important business decisions. To grant them this right should have been the decision made by those in charge. This is not to say that their situation had not improved since the Revolution. Through their work during the Revolution and many women’s influence and power after the Revolution, they were finally seen as equivalent to their male counterparts. Now seen as equals, they were treated with more respect and their work in the domestic field was recognized for its importance. A very positive change in how women were treated had taken place. It is only disheartening that this change had not gone further to include the same rights as men. summarized not analyzed -- VERY short

SLW: The Revolutionary War not only led to the independence of the thirteen colonies from British rule but also resulted in the recognition by many women of their own independent capabilities, self-worth, and political rights. Until the American Revolution took place, these qualities had not been commonly associated with women who had traditionally assumed a domestic role. The American Revolution resulted in numerous calamities and no matter what colony one was from in America, disease, invasion, and loneliness abounded throughout. After their husbands left to fight in the war, women were forced to deal with difficult situations head-on and make life or death decisions for themselves and their children. The American Revolution presented women, for one of the first times in American history, with the opportunity to use their own minds to make extremely hard decisions outside the presence of men. Women proved themselves to be of high intelligence throughout the war. When diseases spread throughout the colonies, including a smallpox epidemic, some women chose to inoculate their children despite the controversy and the high risk associated with vaccinations. Woman had to face the destruction caused by troops raiding their cities and had to remain strong after being raped, robbed, and disparaged by the invading troops. Some women were able to successfully protect and run their farms and plantations in the absence of their husbands. This presented many women with business opportunities that they continued to pursue even after the war had ceased. Many slave women also became leaders throughout the American Revolution. These women, after being offered freedom from slavery by the British on the condition that they fight on the British side, were faced with the choice of staying at home where they had grown accustomed to or fighting for the British in hopes of reuniting with family and making a better life for their children. Thousands of these women opted to fight for freedom and became a part of the Tory party during the Revolution. By enduring the pitfalls of the war, women gained a sense of pride in knowing that they could live without being dependent upon men. Many women finally believed they were equal citizens who were not going to give away their newfound freedom. After the preconceived role of women changed due to the position that they played during the American Revolution, women advocates, such as Abigail Adams, continued to fight for the rights of women. During the American Revolution, women fought just as much as male soldiers. summarized not analyzed