How Did Betsy Ross Contribute To The Revolutionary War

Throughout the Revolutionary War, the men now known as the Founding Fathers or Sons of Liberty were regarded as superstars and icons. Meanwhile, the women of the time period played a behind the scenes role that ultimately led to the success of the colonists just as much as the men’s actions did. Perhaps the most famous of these women was Elizabeth Griscom, also known as Betsy Ross. She lived a life of fulfillment and her support for the colonies never wavered; she was a force to be reckoned with. Through her contributions concerning the nation’s flag and her involvement with the patriotic Free Quakers, she has become the poster woman of the American Revolution. Elizabeth Griscom was born on January 1, 1752 to a traditional Quaker family in

The flag that she created served to unify all the colonies. With all the regions united under one flag, the troops became more cohesive and integrated. The flag became America’s unique symbol, which intimidated the British. The Continental Army had formed its own identity, using the flag as a rallying point. This made leading the soldiers to victory much easier. Betsy’s flag was flown in major battles of the Revolutionary War. In a painting drawn by John Trumball, an aide to General Washington, Betsy’s flag is displayed in the background of the Battle of Trenton on December 25th, 1776. Another painting by Charles Wilson Peale depicts the Betsy Ross flag at the triumphant Battle of Princeton on January 3rd, 1777 (Moran, 2014). The flag became a figure of

She joined the Free Quakers, who quickly became known as the Fighting Quakers (Furbee, 2001). It was a congregation of two hundred men and women, all of whom were former Quakers. They were disowned due to their support of the war. They chose to break away from traditional values like pacifism and disapproval of violence. The Free Quakers vowed to back up the colonists in the war for independence and all of them, including Betsy, contributed directly. The Quaker men enlisted into the Continental Army and the women cared for and bandaged the wounds of injured soldiers. Betsy was one of the youngest Free Quakers (Wetherill, 1894). During her time with the Free Quakers, Betsy remarried. Yet, tragedy struck again, “Betsy’s second husband, Joseph Ashburn, a captain in the Continental Army, died in March 1782 in Old Mill Prison in England. He had been captured during a trip to the West Indies to get war supplies for the Revolutionary cause” (Ferry, 2003, p. 24). She went on to marry, for a third and final time, a man named John Claypoole. She continued to run her shop until her retirement in 1827 when she went blind. She passed away at age eighty-four, and she confessed all of her Revolution experiences on her death bed (Ferry