How Did Women Affect The War
The American Revolution was a difficult time in history for all people involved. When studying the revolution it is easy to recognize the political and military actions taken by men, while ignoring the roles of women. Women faced danger in their own homes at the hands of soldiers from both armies. A smaller but vital group of women were those that took an active role in the war. These women showed great courage by performing undercover work that their gender allowed them to do. Additionally, women made daily sacrifices and worked from their homes to support war efforts. This could mean something as simple as giving up tea or the more time consuming act of making clothes for soldiers. Many women also adopted a more aggressive approach to caring
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One source of this was the scarcity of goods and the inflation of prices. It was primarily the role of women to shop for their families so that they would have the necessary items to sustain themselves. Because of the lack of affordable goods, women were forced to be creative in order to obtain the things they needed. One example of this was in Boston where a group of about a hundred women rioted against a merchant and stole his coffee, which he was overpricing (Adams 84-85). While many of their husbands were away from home, women in the colonies took a greater role of power. It is unlikely that this type of riot would occur in a time of peace; difficult times resulted in women taking more forceful actions in order to protect their families. Women also took time out of their busy lives to aid the war effort from home. Many gave up tea, nice clothing, and other luxuries to aid the war effort. They raised money and sewed clothes for the Continental soldiers to wear (De Berdt Reed). While these actions may not be as showy, they were crucial to the outcome of the war. Without the proper clothing to suit the Northeast’s cold winter climate more soldiers may have faced injury, such as hypothermia which would have hindered their ability. The actions of devoted women at home supported both their families and soldiers during this difficult
One source of this was the scarcity of goods and the inflation of prices. It was primarily the role of women to shop for their families so that they would have the necessary items to sustain themselves. Because of the lack of affordable goods, women were forced to be creative in order to obtain the things they needed. One example of this was in Boston where a group of about a hundred women rioted against a merchant and stole his coffee, which he was overpricing (Adams 84-85). While many of their husbands were away from home, women in the colonies took a greater role of power. It is unlikely that this type of riot would occur in a time of peace; difficult times resulted in women taking more forceful actions in order to protect their families. Women also took time out of their busy lives to aid the war effort from home. Many gave up tea, nice clothing, and other luxuries to aid the war effort. They raised money and sewed clothes for the Continental soldiers to wear (De Berdt Reed). While these actions may not be as showy, they were crucial to the outcome of the war. Without the proper clothing to suit the Northeast’s cold winter climate more soldiers may have faced injury, such as hypothermia which would have hindered their ability. The actions of devoted women at home supported both their families and soldiers during this difficult