The American Revolution was undeniably an inevitable event in history given the rising tension between England and their American colonies over the question of who was to govern and make laws for the colonies. While the Revolution was obviously a war among Patriots and Loyalists, there were also many other groups of people that were directly involved and affected by the war including women, Native Americans and African Americans. Women aided the war effort and in doing so gained a mild degree of independence, but not nearly as much as they had hoped for. The Native Americans entered the war on both the sides of the Patriots and Loyalists, but their efforts proved unsuccessful as they were deprived of their land, terrorized and taken as slaves by the Patriots. African Americans were already in a rather unfortunate position going into the war and hoped that their support of the patriots would lead to freedom and liberty, but instead the end of the war only brought the confirmation that their struggle was to prevail in a new America.
While a few women were directly involved in war, many found themselves taking over the positions of their husbands as they sent family members off to fight. Despite their involvement in the war, women ultimately saw no increase in their status with in society. Many women began to experience the effects of the revolution when their families were torn apart between those who were Loyalists and those who were Patriots. A family who experienced such a division was Benjamin Franklin’s family; while Franklin was a Patriot who believed in independence, his son William was a Loyalists who wanted to remain loyal to the King of England. The war also affected women individually as many wives began to t...
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...that followed the American Revolution were more decisive in deciding the future of African Americans in America. For example, a provision of the Northwest Ordinance of 1787 was that slavery was to be eliminated in any of the new territories formed with the territory boundaries. Furthermore, the Three-Fifths compromise passed in 1787 during the Constitutional Convention confirmed the ratio for which slaves counted when counting population. The Compromise confirmed that slaves were in no way equal to other white Americans, a trend that would continue for much of America’s history. Additionally, under the Constitution slave importation was to end by 1808 but in reality the last slave ship arrived in the 1850s. From evidence like this it’s evident that the freedom and liberty African Americans expected would not come from the country they had just fought to form.
The book begins by explaining the roles that women in this time were known to have as this helps the reader get a background understanding of a woman’s life pre-war. This is done because later in the book women begin to break the standards that they are expected to have. It shows just how determined and motivated these revolutionary women and mothers were for independence. First and foremost, many people believed that a “woman’s truth was that God had created her to be a helpmate to a man” (p.4). Women focused on the domain of their households and families, and left the intellectual issues of the time and education to the men. Legally, women had almost no rights. Oppressed by law and tradition, women were restricted their choice of professions regardless of their identity or economic status. As a result, many women were left with few choices and were cornered into marriage or spinsterhood, which also had its limitations. As a spinster, you were deemed as unmarried who was past the usual age of marriage. Patronized by society, these women were left and stamped as “rejected”. On the other side, If the woman became married, all that she owned belonged to her husband, even her own existence. In exchange to her commitment, if a woman’s husband was away serving in the military or if she became a widower, she could use but not own, one-third of her husband’s property. This left her to manage the land and serve as a surrogate laborer in her husband’s absence. Needless to say, a day in a woman’s life then was filled with a full day of multi-tasking and as circumstances changed, more women had to adapt to their urban
Kerber uses research from legal records, diaries, memoirs, and letters to demonstrate how the war affected the lives of women and the new responsibilities that fell to them as a result. When the American Revolution began, men and women did not know what role women would play. It was certainly evident that someone would have to tend the farms and run the men’s property. No man would want to leave their estate without knowing it would be taken care of, leaving women to become leaders on the home front. Men left their property with the ...
The American Revolution, also known as the War for Independence began from 1785-1783. The primary cause for the war was because of a conflict between the 13 British colonies and England. The American Revolution resulted in a victory for the 13 British colonies who would declare themselves as the United States of America. However, there are many questions on whether or not the American Revolution was really revolutionary and if there were revolutionary changes being made to society. The American Revolution was not revolutionary because separation between African-Americans and Whites still existed, no change in women's representation or their voices being valued as high as men, and the Indians were promised the “Utmost Good Faith” but the result
The time before the Revolutionary War, women’s main role was in the home. They were the manufacturers of the home, taking raw materials and turning them into household goods. The women were the consumers and before the Revolution they led the boycotts against British goods. During the Revolutionary War, they became the men at home on top of the roles they already had. They became spies, nurses, propagandists, and even took over the battlefield.
Comparable to other American men as well as a few American women before, during, and after the Revolutionary War of the 18th century, Benjamin Rush believed that women’s skills were limited to that of domestic work. His thoughts toward the abilities of women were that they began, and ended with the home: from caring for their children to caring for their husbands in addition to caring for the home. According to Rush: “They must be stewards and guardians of their husband’s property.” Judith Sargent Murray on the other hand believed women’s abilities extended past and beyond that of domesticity alone. She believed that women were capable of much...
When the war started, women had to take over the jobs of men and they learned to be independent. These women exemplified the beginning of change. Coupled with enfranchisement and the increased popularity of birth control, women experienced a new liberation. When the men returned from the war they found competition from the newly liberated woman who did not want to settle for making a home (Melman 17). This new class of women exercised a freedom that shocked society.
Often historical events leading up to the twentieth century are dominated by men and the role of women is seemingly non-existent outside of reproduction. When one thinks of notable and memorable names and events of the Revolution, men are the first to be mentioned. The American Revolution was mainly dominated by men including George Washington, Samuel Adams, and Benjamin Franklin. There is no denying that men were vitally important to the American Revolution, but what were the women doing? Often overlooked, the women of the Revolution played a key role in the outcome of the nation. The women of the American Revolution, although not always recognized, were an influential society that assumed risky jobs like soldiers, as well as involvement
..., certain women were able to participate in politics and government issues like never before. People of color were given freedom and able to form communities that likely would not have existed if not for the principles of the Revolution. The inherent rights and responsibilities of all men, women, coloreds, and whites were eventually recognized and respected, and the Revolution served as a starting point. Zagarri states, “The Revolution established universal ideals as the benchmark by which American society would subsequently judge the fairness and equity of its policies.” These established ideals and this story of extreme change in the way people viewed freedom is nothing short of radical. The successful way in which the Revolution surpassed European political and social traditions can only be described as radical. The American Revolution, therefore, was radical.
The American Revolution was the cause of America trying to become independent from British grasps. People rebelled while some were pro and others were anti the main group of people that were uniquely affected were slaves and women in this great time. Rebellions were going as the revolution took place causing vivid changes in the aspects of women and slavery. It gave a new light to the women who had been looked down on the predominately controlled man society and hope for slaveries who helped fight the cause. These two groups were favorably affected by the changes brought by this war by furthering women rebellions as well as giving them many benefits from the ideals of the revolution, and not to mention slave’s role being a main factor in the war as they try to find freedom and with the lasting results from the revolution.
The later 18th century was a time of crisis for the old regimes of Europe and their economic systems and political agitation sometimes breaking out into revolts. English Industrial Revolution vaulted Britain to the fore. France was the most powerful and the most typical of the old aristocratic absolute monarchies of Europe. (lower taxes off backs of lower classes).
The French Revolution evokes many different emotions and controversial issues in that some believe it was worth the cost and some don't. There is no doubt that the French Revolution did have major significance in history. Not only did the French gain their independence, but an industrial revolution also took place. One of the main issues of the Revolution was it's human costs. Two writers, the first, Peter Kropotkin who was a Russian prince, and the other Simon Schama, a history professor, both had very opposing views on whether the wars fought by France during the Revolution were worth it's human costs. Krapotkin believed that the French Revolution was the main turning point for not only France but for most other countries as well. On the other hand, Schama viewed the French Revolution as unproductive and excessively violent.
The American Revolution was a political upheaval that greatly influenced the society we have today. A series of events that lasted from 1765 through 1783 affected how and why the American Revolution occurred. American colonists had been living under English control, which was the greatest and most powerful nation at the time, but after a while the colonist’s opinions on the English's way of government and ruling changed. Even though all of these events affected the colonists and their opinions, there were three main occurrences that caused colonists to decide to separate from England. These events were the Boston Massacre of 1770, The Intolerable Acts of 1774, and the French and Indian War that lasted from 1756 through 1763.
...d all other minor affiliations who were engaged in the war. However this revolution would have never began had it not been for the decisive tactics set forth by the blacks in the beginning which triggered the entire revolution. Both the oppressed blacks and the nations which were after different aspirations kept them fighting for over a decade. The white were after money, power, and land while the blacks were merely attempting to restore peace, freedom, and their ability to practice voodoo. All the havoc ended in the indigenous blacks victorious with their ultimate destiny manifested by ways in which a maroon defended " his own freedom against the onslaughts of established regimes". (Fick 236). The author makes the point that this marked the only spot in history, where a slave revolt resulted in the foundation of a new nation, under the rule of the ex-slaves.
In From Slavery to Freedom (2007), it was said that “the transition from slavery to freedom represents one of the major themes in the history of African Diaspora in the Americas” (para. 1). African American history plays an important role in American history not only because the Civil Rights Movement, but because of the strength and courage of Afro-Americans struggling to live a good life in America. Afro-Americans have been present in this country since the early 1600’s, and have been making history since. We as Americans have studied American history all throughout school, and took one Month out of the year to studied African American history. Of course we learn some things about the important people and events in African American history, but some of the most important things remain untold which will take more than a month to learn about.
Women were not only separated by class, but also by their gender. No woman was equal to a man and didn’t matter how rich or poor they were. They were not equal to men. Women couldn’t vote own business or property and were not allowed to have custody of their children unless they had permission from their husband first. Women’s roles changed instantly because of the war. They had to pick up all the jobs that the men had no choice but to leave behind. They were expected to work and take care of their homes and children as well. Working outside the home was a challenge for these women even though the women probably appreciated being able to provide for their families. “They faced shortages of basic goods, lack of childcare and medical care, little training, and resistance from men who felt they should stay home.” (p 434)