Revolutionary Mothers Essay

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Revolutionary Mothers In Revolutionary Mothers written by Carol Berkin, the focus of the author is the lives of women during the Revolutionary War. Berkin argues the roles these women played were very important and indeed help with the outcome of the war, however were gone unappreciated or even noticed. Evidence of women’s achievements was not in articles or textbooks, but only found in their personal diaries. While men went off to war to fight the British, women were left behind to bear the burden of feeding the children and protect the property. Redcoats often burned homes, raped women, and even killed them and family members. Berkin states, “Thus when wives stepped into their husbands shoes, performing male duties exhibiting masculine trains such as bravery or aggression, the gender lines remained intact; for radical though their actions might be, these women were fulfilling their obligations as helpmates.” (Berkin 11) These tasks did not prove men that women were capable of doing the same tasks as men, but rather it was just their duties as wives. Genteel is the term to described women as well mannered and refined. This was the lifestyle that women were pressured to live by and if they showed anything opposite to that, were often judged. Women did not usually participate in political issues, however many were asked to voice their opinion when the taxing of sugar and stamps occurred. When voice their opinions they still must be careful of their words. For example to a letter to her friend, Charity Clark wrote, “she feared, she wrote that her discussion of politics would destroy the ‘Idea you have of [my] female softness’” (Berkin 17) In order for many so save their genteel appeal, women suppressed their thoughts. Ironic how women were asked to speak up and support their cause and when done, there may have been a change they would be judged. Women often
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