Carol Berkin Revolutionary Mothers Summary

“Revolutionary Mothers: Women in the Struggle for America’s Independence” By Carol Berkin portrays the lives of women during the Revolutionary War. The book touches on the parts of war that aren’t usually talked about including stories of women who were raped, murdered, and had everything taken from them, but continued to and live with bravery and courage. It views the struggle through the eyes of the women whom were in the middle of the prolonged violent conflict of the war. The Author, Carol Berkin, lives in New York City specializing in the history of American Women. She is the professor of American history at Baruch College and the Graduate Center of the City University of New York. Her other illustrations include, A brilliant Solution:

Carol Berkin’s theme of writing takes a twist. She has a standpoint of feminism and the focus of women’s significance in wartime undertakings. In historical books many of the same stories from the Revolutionary War are accounted for and follow a similar theme, but Revolutionary Mothers attracts readers who are fascinated in the deeper life behind the battlefields. Berkin brings the book to life through these women’s individual stories using quotes and anecdotes. The sources, references, and documents allow the readers to be pulled into the factual ideas of the past. She uses documents such as Directives from the American Command, The Book of Negroes, and the Philipsburg Proclamation. The sources help reader’s to become more understanding of if and why they were supporters of either the British or the

They were known as, “camp followers.” Most were in poor situations and longed for a different approach to life, so they wanted to proceed by following the troops. Some were obedient to generals commands, but many were not. Those that obey, served as either washers, cooks, nurses, or some tended the sexual needs of the men. Those who did not obey were looked upon by the soldiers as, “living pieces of ‘baggage.’” (Berkin 51). They only had the clothing items that they brought with them at the beginning of their connection with the camps. Because there was shortage of clothing, they were forced to use the remaining clothing that was stripped off of soldiers who had fallen and