Histiography of Women of the American Revolution

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Women’s Roles in the Revolutionary War: Histiography Essay Many times the roles of women and their impact on the American Revolution are overlooked in our textbooks. In fact very little is mentioned unless it is in reference to the courageous Molly Pitcher or a more recognizable female patriot of Betsy Ross. During Colonial times women’s roles were limited. Once married a woman lost all of her legal and property rights to her husband thus delegating women to fulfill the only roles left open to them; wife, mother, homemaker. This being said it might automatically be assumed that women would not have played a vital role during our nations revolt against Britain, instead they played a vital part in the revolution in a multitude of ways such as nurses, spies, and even as soldiers. The American Revolution has been subject to a wide variety of different interpretations by historians through the years. Often when we read historical text about the Revolution terms like “Whig” or “Progressive” are often referenced in regard to the political environment of the time, however those terms have more implications then just politics. They are also part of the Histiography that is used to explain and interrupt the events and roles played by men and women during the Revolution. It cannot be mistaken however that women were often considered nonentities by the major historian from the time of the Revolution till current times. By understanding the different ways that historians view or interpret the roles of women during the revolution it can be argued that the success of the revolution was largely in part due to these female patriots and that their sacrifices not only contributed to their cause but also paved the way for women’s rights today. Revolutionary Interpretation Two of the most well known historians of the Revolution were Mercy Otis Warren, playwright and

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