Revolutionary War Women's Equality Essay

The revolutionary war was a calamity away from Great Britain that allowed the creation of new groups to form for rights which date back from the revolutionary war up until now. During the revolutionary days the ideas of equality was profound to only be customary to white males throughout the thirteen colonies, with other groups of people it was found to be unjust idea.
When the ideals of equality were brought into during the revolutionary war, few groups were not included in the social group including slaves. Slaves were brought in to fight for independence throughout the revolutionary war to fight a war for freedom for their masters. With the revolutionary war and the idea of equality for all, slaves gathered the idea that their life in is
violation of the rights of man and created a petition that states “A plentiful contry and in violation of Laws of Nature and off Nations and in defiance of all tender feelings of humanity Brough hear Either to Be sold Like Beast of Burthen & Like them Condemnd to Slavery for Life.” This brought hope for all those who went out to the war to fight for the independence in hopes they will become free in the same process, but this was not the case in many parts and was just another belief that was hoped. While the “All men are created equal” pushed many antislavery efforts in the north it still thrived in that “African Americans still faced constant criticism and resistance to their full participation in American Society.” While there were African American veterans like Prince Whipple of New Hampshire used his military experience to argue on behalf African American people but found little to no success in his endeavors to enhance the lifestyle of African American people in the new age of equality. While the ideals of freedom seemed to be a luxury for slaves there were struggles for them.
Women having a say in politics was viewed as a foolish idea within the minds of those in politics.
However, women were not just going to continue to be ignored and realized if they would want a better lifestyle, they would need to have the ability to vote to allow their voices to be heard. An early activist for women’s rights, Abigail Adams, spoke to her husband John Adams about her ideals and mentioned “As to your code of laws, I cannot but laugh.” John Adams allowed the view of the saying “All men are created equal” to stay as just men and allow women to be excepted from being included into the policies of the new country as it is forming in. Women had held a high role in participating role in the war, Deborah Sampson Gannett enlisted twice disguised as a man, meanwhile Ester DeBerdt Reed and Sarah Franklin Bache created the Ladies’ Association of Philadelphia which raised funds for soldiers fighting in the war. Women had a critical role in fighting in the war knowingly there was no political power for them in the new republic, but created a shift in white women roles based on the republican role that allowed a push of ideals that would allow women to vote. While women were still compressed to their republican values during the revolutionary period it also created a spark of imagination that would allow them to push their views through the minds of white males to have their voices heard by gaining the right to
vote.
The common belief that all men are created equal was extended to all groups of people who wanted a voice to be heard. Many of the legislation knew about the effects of a limited voice by the poor and minorities and sought to allow them to get rights. John Adams knew the restrictions and believed that in a new republic, those of whom had no say beforehand would want a say now, in his letter to James Sullivan he views the republic working under a single group that when “a motion is made and carried by a majority of one voice. The minority will not agree to this.” The thoughts of powerful women like Abigail Adams allowed her husband John Adams to understand that a single voice in a new republic to be heard was to be unjust and not completely fulfilled to the extent of each and every person in the new republic that was going to be formed. On the right of expression to laws that are being put into place an expression is that shown “Every poor man has a life, a personal liberty, and a right to his earnings, and is in danger of being injured by government in a variety of ways.” This belief allowed the people of all groups to have a say to show what they grow and make is theirs to keep and have the idea that people should vote for representatives, in which would be the protectors of their community.
The ideas of equality were thought to be customary to those of whom are white males throughout the thirteen colonies along with other groups it was found to be an unjust idea. While the idea of equality was not spread to all groups of people, there were people who fought for rights for both women and slaves, in which they were successful to a certain extent. Meanwhile there was some idea from a selective few that believed that equality should be progressed throughout everyone in the colonies to avoid the formation of new groups.