Daughters of Liberty: Women of the American Revolution
Happy 4th of July! It’s time to celebrate our country’s Independence Day! I have gathered some facts and resources so you can teach your children about the women of the American Revolution.
Women of the American Revolution
At the time of the Revolutionary War, women were expected to take care of the home and raise children. Their opportunities to get an education, be heard in the realm of politics, or join the Army were non-existent. However, this did not stop brave women from doing what they could, even when it meant going against the conventions of the time.
The contributions of women during the Revolutionary War include:
the Homespun Movement ~ women made their own material so they could boycott purchasing imported materials from England. They also made soap, blankets, and uniforms to keep the American troops supplied.
the Ladies of Philadelphia ~ women collected over $300,000 in donations to support the American troops. That’s a huge sum today and even more astounding at that time. They presented the money to General George Washington, who asked them to use it for much-needed clothing and supplies for the troops.
the Camp Followers ~ women who followed their husbands in the Army as they moved from battlefield to battlefield. These women cooked and sewed and took care of the wounded in order to stay with their husbands during the war. They faced the same hardships, including freezing temperatures, lack of shelter, and near starvation. Some even took up arms and fought alongside their husbands. Molly Pitcher was a Camp Follower who took up her husband’s place at a cannon and continued to fight after he was wounded or killed in battle (reports vary on the details).
Writers ~ Even though it wasn’t widely accepted for women to write for newspapers or to publish books at the time, women began using the written word as a means of protesting the British and recording the events of the war.
Daughters of Liberty ~ Established around 1769 as a means of protest of the Townshend Acts. Women rallied to initiate nonconsumption agreements and boycott British goods and taxes, e.g. the Boston Tea Party. Abigail Adams and Martha Washington were both members of the Daughters of Liberty. Abigail’s letters to her husband John have become some of our greatest historical records of the American Revolution. These brave Daughters of Liberty used their time and talents tirelessly in the fight for freedom.
Farms and businesses ~ women stepped up to take over the responsibilities of running the farms and businesses while their husbands were away. This was unheard of before as women were not allowed to own property or manage finances at the time. Men considered them too “simple-minded” to handle such things, but the women of the American Revolution proved them wrong!
Some women even disguised themselves as men in order to fight. Others became spies.
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Recommended Reading and Resources
Liberty’s Kids DVD series ~ This animated series from PBS brings the American Revolution to life in a way that engages and educates children. One of the fictionalized main characters is a girl named Sarah, who must decide whether she sympathizes with the cause of the colonists or will remain loyal to her native England. She writes for Ben Franklin’s newspaper and encounters many of the famous people of the Revolutionary War, including Phillis Wheatley and Molly Pitcher. It’s a good way for children to see the positive contributions of women during the American Revolution.
Men may have fought the battles of the American Revolution, but women played an important part too. Some women fought the battle at home, speaking their minds about the British occupation or gathering supplies for their soldiers. Others fought openly for their cause, secretly joining the military or becoming spies. Get to know these heroic women and their importance to the colonists’ victory during the Revolutionary War.
Women in the American Revolution: website with a list of important women of the American Revolution with brief bios
10 Amazing Women of the Revolutionary War: Revolutionary War info site
American Revolution: Women: another Revolutionary War website
Revolutionary War Women: another website with interesting facts and bios of women
Declaration of Independence Worksheet: Learn about the document they defended and how it came to be.
There are some typos in the text of this slideshow, but the ideas are correct and help demonstrate the impact women had during the American Revolution:
Women in History: Amelia Earhart Unit Study
Virtual Field Trip: National Women’s Hall of Fame
Seneca Falls Convention for Women’s Rights
101 Women in History Everyone Should Know
Quotable Women of the American Revolution
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