Summary Of Revolutionary Mothers By Carol Perkins

I read “Revolutionary Mothers” by Carol Perkins. Berkins tells the many different stories of women throughout the Revolutionary War and the struggles and strives each women faced and overcame. She introduces us to women from all different backgrounds and their own personal stories that have so greatly affected our history today. Throughout the book Berkins shows how large of a role women played during this time period, even though it is often overlooked. Without the courage and bravery from these women during this time period we would have not been able to secure our independence from Britain. Many of us only think of the brave men such as Benjamin Franklin, and James Madison when in reality the woman played just as important roles as men did

“Her domain was the household, the garden, and the henhouse, and her days were spent processing the raw materials her husband produced into usable items such as food, clothing, candles, and soap (page6).” As known by many, women during the 17th century were to maintain their households for their husbands. By the 18th century they were expected to not only maintain a household, but to take care of their families and be proper women. Then by the late 18th century women's roles changed completely to having to be a surrogate father, and main provider. The roles of women during this time period changed drastically in such short periods of times. Many of these women gave up the well being of themselves in order to feed and take care of their families while their husbands were off at war. They went through several hardships and had to overcome many fears during this time period in order to keep their families alive and their land looking

We hear the stories of African Americans, Native Americans, whites, the poor, and the wealthy. “It as a story of both women and men. Too often the war of Independence is portrayed as an exclusively male event.. (xi)”. She shows the sides to both the wealthy and poor woman who were impacted. The poor woman during this time were forced out of their homes, or to even destroy their own homes so that no one else would. One woman in specific, Elizabeth Cary Wilstee was evacuated from her home. “Elizabeth stood helplessly by as her home was ransacked. Her furniture and winter supplies were taken and her feather beds were ripped open and destroyed (page 97). Therefore they would follow their husbands to the battlefields and work for the soldiers. They were put to work doing laundry, cleaning up after them, and cooking for them. Some women even went out to war and tried to disguise themselves as men so they would not have to do all of the work the rest of the woman were doing. Some women were even prostitutes or some were “temporary wives” to several of the soldiers. These women were not treated very nicely and were often looked down upon from the public. However several woman that came from wealthier families did not have to do this. The “wives of generals” (chap 5) usually stayed home and fended for their families and as soon as winter came around