Women in the Revolutionary War

On January 31, 1770, more than 300 women in Boston signed a promise. They would not drink tea. Britain had put a tax on tea. The women wanted the tax to end. A Boston newspaper printed their promise. Women could not vote. But they chose what their families bought.

The Boycotts

Colonists stopped buying British goods. This is called a boycott. A boycott is when people refuse to buy something. Women did most of the shopping. So the boycott needed them. Some women called themselves the Daughters of Liberty. They met to spin thread. They made their own cloth at home.

Running the Farm

The war began in 1775. Men left to fight. Women ran the farms and shops. Abigail Adams ran her family's farm in Massachusetts. Her husband, John Adams, was away at Congress. In 1776 she wrote him a letter. She asked him to "Remember the Ladies" in the new laws. He wrote back that it made him laugh.

With the Army

Thousands of women went with the army. They were called camp followers. A camp follower marched with the soldiers and worked for them. They cooked. They washed clothes. They cared for sick men. The army gave them food. A few women were spies. A very few dressed as men and fought. Deborah Sampson joined the army in 1782. She served for over a year.

The Ladies Association

In 1780 a paper came out in Philadelphia. It was called "The Sentiments of an American Woman." Most historians think Esther Reed wrote it. It asked women to help the soldiers. Reed and other women went door to door. They collected money. Washington asked them to buy cloth. The women sewed more than 2,000 shirts for the soldiers.

After the War

The war did not change the law for women. A married woman lived under coverture. Coverture meant a wife had no legal rights apart from her husband. She could not own land. She could not sign a contract. Women could not vote in any state but one. In New Jersey, women who owned property could vote. In 1807 New Jersey passed a new law. It let only white men vote.

On January 31, 1770, more than 300 women in Boston signed an agreement. They promised to drink no tea until Britain ended its tax on it. About two weeks later a Boston newspaper printed the agreement. Women could not vote or hold office in the colonies. But they decided what their families bought.

The Boycotts

Colonists protested British taxes with a boycott, a refusal to buy British goods. Women did most of the shopping for their families, so the boycotts depended on them. Groups of women called the Daughters of Liberty held spinning bees. They spun thread and made homespun, cloth made at home, so families would not need cloth from Britain.

Running the Farm

When the war began in 1775, men left for the army. Women took over the farms, shops, and family money. Abigail Adams ran her family's farm in Massachusetts while her husband, John Adams, served in the Continental Congress. On March 31, 1776, she wrote and asked him to "Remember the Ladies" in the new laws. He wrote back two weeks later that her letter made him laugh.

With the Army

Thousands of women traveled with the Continental Army as camp followers, women who marched with the soldiers and worked for them. They cooked, washed clothes, and nursed the sick and wounded. The army gave them food. A few women worked as spies. A very few dressed as men and became soldiers. In 1782 Deborah Sampson of Massachusetts enlisted under the name "Robert Shurtleff." She served about a year and a half before the army found out she was a woman.

The Ladies Association

In June 1780 a printed sheet called "The Sentiments of an American Woman" appeared in Philadelphia. It was signed only "An American Woman." Most historians think Esther de Berdt Reed wrote it. The sheet asked women to give money for the soldiers. Reed and other Philadelphia women went door to door to collect it. By July they had raised more than 300,000 paper dollars. Washington asked them to spend the money on cloth for shirts. The women sewed more than 2,000 shirts. Reed died in September 1780, and Sarah Franklin Bache took over the group.

After the War

The war did not change women's place in the law. A married woman lived under coverture, a rule that gave a wife no legal identity apart from her husband. She could not own property, sign a contract, or sue in court in her own name. Single women and widows could own property. In every state but one, women could not vote. New Jersey's 1776 constitution let any adult with enough property vote, so women who owned property voted there. In 1807 New Jersey passed a law that gave the vote only to white men.

On January 31, 1770, more than 300 women in Boston signed an agreement. They promised to drink no tea until Parliament repealed the taxes it had placed on goods shipped to the colonies. About two weeks later the Boston Evening-Post printed the agreement and said it had been signed by "upwards of 300 Mistresses of Families." Women could not vote or hold office in the colonies, but they decided what their families bought.

The Boycotts

Beginning in the 1760s, colonists protested British taxes with a boycott, a refusal to buy British goods. Women made most of the purchases for their households, so the boycotts depended on them. Groups of women who called themselves the Daughters of Liberty held spinning bees, where they spun thread and wove homespun, cloth made at home, to replace cloth from Britain. In October 1774, 51 women in Edenton, North Carolina, signed a pledge like the one in Boston and put their names in print.

Running the Farm

When the fighting began in 1775, men left for the army, and women took over the farms, shops, and family accounts they left behind. Historians call this role the "deputy husband." Abigail Adams ran the family farm in Braintree, Massachusetts, while John Adams served in the Continental Congress in Philadelphia. On March 31, 1776, she wrote to him that the new laws should "Remember the Ladies." He wrote back on April 14, "I cannot but laugh."

With the Army

Thousands of women traveled with the Continental Army as camp followers, women who marched with the troops and worked for them. They cooked, washed clothes, and nursed sick and wounded soldiers, and the army issued them rations. A few women spied. A very few served as soldiers in disguise. In 1782 Deborah Sampson of Massachusetts enlisted as "Robert Shurtleff" and served about a year and a half before the army learned she was a woman.

The Ladies Association

In June 1780 a printed sheet called "The Sentiments of an American Woman" appeared in Philadelphia. It was signed only "An American Woman." Most historians think Esther de Berdt Reed, the wife of the head of Pennsylvania's government, wrote it. It said that from the start of the war "the Women of America manifested a firm resolution to contribute as much as could depend on them, to the deliverance of their country."

Reed and other Philadelphia women divided the city into districts and went door to door collecting money for the soldiers. By July 4 they had raised more than 300,000 Continental dollars. Washington asked them to spend the money on linen, and the women sewed more than 2,000 shirts. Reed died in September 1780, and Sarah Franklin Bache led the group after her.

After the War

The war did not change women's place in the law. Under coverture, a married woman had no legal identity separate from her husband. She could not own property, sign a contract, or sue in her own name. Single women and widows could own property, but in every state except New Jersey, women could not vote. New Jersey's 1776 constitution gave the vote to "all inhabitants" who owned enough property, and women who qualified, mostly widows and unmarried women, cast ballots there for thirty years. In 1807 the New Jersey legislature passed a law that limited the vote to white men.

On January 31, 1770, more than 300 women in Boston signed an agreement. They promised to drink no tea, "sickness excepted," until Parliament repealed the duties it had placed on goods shipped to the colonies, and they promised to refuse tea when it was offered to them. About two weeks later the Boston Evening-Post printed the agreement and reported that it had been signed by "upwards of 300 Mistresses of Families in this Town." Women could not vote or hold office anywhere in the colonies, but they decided what their households bought.

The Boycotts

Beginning with the Stamp Act protests of 1765, colonists answered British taxes with a boycott, an organized refusal to buy British goods. Women made most of the purchases for their households, so no boycott could hold without them. Groups of women who called themselves the Daughters of Liberty held spinning bees, where they spun thread and wove homespun, cloth made at home, to replace imported British cloth.

Women also signed their names in print. In October 1774, 51 women in Edenton, North Carolina, signed a pledge to support the Continental Congress's boycott, and a London newspaper reprinted it. In 1775 a London printer sold a cartoon that made fun of the signers.

Running the Farm

When the fighting began in 1775, men left for the army, and women took over the farms, shops, and family accounts they left behind. The historian Laurel Thatcher Ulrich calls this role the "deputy husband." Under the law a wife normally could not sign contracts or sell land, but in wartime she bought seed, hired workers, paid taxes, and sold crops in her husband's name. Abigail Adams ran the family farm in Braintree, Massachusetts, for most of the war while John Adams served in the Continental Congress and then in Europe. The couple exchanged more than 1,100 letters, which the Massachusetts Historical Society holds today.

On March 31, 1776, Abigail Adams wrote to her husband that the new laws should "Remember the Ladies" and not put "unlimited power into the hands of the Husbands." He wrote back on April 14, "As to your extraordinary Code of Laws, I cannot but laugh." The Continental Congress never took up the question.

With the Army

Thousands of women traveled with the Continental Army as camp followers, women who marched with the troops and worked for them. Most were the wives of soldiers, and many brought children. They cooked, washed clothes, and nursed sick and wounded soldiers, and the army issued them rations in return. Washington complained about their numbers. In his general orders of August 4, 1777, he wrote that "the multitude of women" with the army were "a clog upon every movement," and he told officers to send away those who were not absolutely necessary.

A few women spied, and a very few served as soldiers in disguise. In 1782 Deborah Sampson of Massachusetts enlisted in the 4th Massachusetts Regiment as "Robert Shurtleff." She served about a year and a half, was wounded, and was discharged with honor in 1783 after a doctor in Philadelphia discovered she was a woman.

The Ladies Association

In June 1780 a broadside, a single printed sheet meant to be posted or passed from hand to hand, appeared in Philadelphia under the title "The Sentiments of an American Woman." It was signed only "An American Woman." Most historians think Esther de Berdt Reed, the wife of Joseph Reed, the head of Pennsylvania's government, wrote it, though the attribution is not certain. The broadside said that from the start of the war "the Women of America manifested a firm resolution to contribute as much as could depend on them, to the deliverance of their country." It proposed that women in every county collect money for the soldiers and send it to Martha Washington.

Reed, Sarah Franklin Bache, and other Philadelphia women formed the Ladies Association on June 10, 1780. They divided the city into districts and went door to door. By July 4 Reed reported to Washington that they had collected more than 300,000 Continental dollars. Reed wanted to give each soldier cash. Washington asked that the money buy linen instead, because he thought some men would spend cash on drink, and the women agreed. They sewed more than 2,000 shirts, and each woman stitched her own name into the shirts she made. Reed died on September 18, 1780, and Bache led the association after her.

After the War

The war did not change women's place in the law. Under coverture, the English legal rule the states kept, a married woman had no legal identity separate from her husband. She could not own property, sign a contract, keep her own wages, or sue in her own name. Single women and widows could own property, and in every state except New Jersey, no woman could vote. New Jersey's 1776 constitution gave the vote to "all inhabitants" of full age who were worth fifty pounds, and women who qualified, mostly widows and unmarried women, cast ballots there. A 1790 state election law even used the words "he or she." In 1807 the New Jersey legislature passed a law that limited the vote to white men who paid taxes.

Historians use the term "republican motherhood," coined by Linda Kerber, for the role the new nation did offer women: raising sons and daughters to be good citizens. Academies for girls opened in Philadelphia in 1787 and in other cities after it, and their founders argued that the mothers of a republic needed an education. New Jersey, the one state where women had voted, did not restore the vote to them until 1920.