Essay - Women in the American Revolution Introduction - Social Status of...

Women in the American Revolution

***** - Social Status of Women in the Revolution

Molly Pitcher - the real story

Evidence supporting her existence

Evidence denying her *****

An American Icon

O*****r Women who took up Arms

Women as Spies

Ann Bates

Miss Jenny

Life as a Camp Follower

Women in Supporting Roles

***** winds ***** Equality

***** Adams

*****

Men's views on Women in the Revolution

*****. Women ***** a Symbol of ***** Comforts of Home

***** in the ***** Revolution played a deciding factor in the success ***** the colonists in winning their freedom from the Tyranny of England. Traditional roles of men and women had been heavily influenced by the teachings ***** Christianity in which men were above women and God was above men. The interpretation of this idea was taken rather literally during this time period and many men regarded women as lower beings. During the *****ary war women were not considered fit for battle and ***** was strictly a m*****n's realm. Women were responsible ***** cooking, mending, sewing, soap making, ***** o*****r forms ***** domestic tasks. The onset of the ***** forced some ***** these *****s to be loosened due to necessity. ***** war played a major role in re-def*****ing women's roles in the late 18th century. These ideas began a long series of reforms, ***** l*****ter led to the suffrage movement.

Women ***** as important role ***** the American Revolution. Many ***** ***** husbands in ***** Military left their homes; ***** even with their children, and followed their husb*****s. The reason why they did this is that they no longer had the help provided ***** the man, and if the territory in which ***** lived ***** British occupied, ***** situation at home might not be safe. These women were commonly referred to as "Camp followers." If the women performed the duties of cooking, mending uniforms, or doing laundry, ***** Army paid them a salary for their services. Some of the ***** were not paid a *****, but received food rations instead.

***** such "camp follower" is ***** legendary Molly *****. There are ***** who dispute her very existence, yet there exist many variations of stories of her life. One ***** the more prevalent versions of the ***** goes like this.

An Artillery wife, Mary Hays McCauly (better known as Molly Pitcher) shared the rigors of Valley Forge with her husb*****, William Hays. Her actions during the battle of Monmouth on June 28, 1778 became *****. That day at M*****mouth was as hot as ***** Forge was cold. ********** had to cool the hot guns and b*****he parched throats with water.

Across that bullet-swept ground, a striped skirt fluttered. Mary ***** McCauly was earning her nickname "***** Pitcher" by bringing pitcher after ***** of cool spring water ***** the exhausted and thirsty men. She also tended to the wounded and once, heaving a crippled Continental soldier up on her strong young back carried him out of reach of hard-charging Britishers. On her next trip with