American Revolution Women

The free labor that slavery provided helped boost the economy of the south exponentially. This agricultural economy was greatly dependent on physical manpower to perform the grueling task of harvesting cash crops such as Indigo, rice and cotton. Eli Whitney’s invention of the cotton gin increased the cotton output and profits for plantation slave owners, creating an even bigger economic dependency on slavery for the south. Such a strong focus on manual slave labor for farming prevented the south from keeping up with the industrial and financial growth of the north.

Leading up to the American Revolution women were socially and economically beneath men. They were expected to be diligent wives and mothers without legal rights, such as the ability to vote or own property. Women’s social and political roles began to change during the civil war bringing about greater rights for women. As women began to advocate for their own rights the women’s movement gained momentum to achieve equal rights. In 1848 Elizabeth Cady spearheaded the first Women’s Rights convention advocating that “it is the duty of the women of this country to secure to themselves their sacred right to the elective franchise.” In 1869 the women’s only National Woman Suffrage Association fought for
Migrating west was important to the economic and political growth of the United States. The phrase manifest destiny was used to describe the divine mission of traveling westward for North America to spread religious and political ideas. The opportunity to increase ones financial wealth was a big reason the notion of “manifest destiny” gained so much popularity. The term was also used as running ground for politicians to gain voters. With the improvements made to the canals, railroads and steamboats migration to the west was possible for many people wanting to fulfill their patriotic