In this unit’s Reading you will explore the concept of Republican Motherhood, the connection to women’s education in the late 18th Century United States, and society’s impression of women during the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Historians are divided regarding the impact of the Revolutionary War on women, specifically when considering whether the war provided women with a greater voice; as you read this week, consider whether you feel the revolutionary era provided women with additional opportunities or reduced their opportunities for equality.

Complete the assigned Reading.

Revolutionary Women and Republican Motherhood

Read Chapter 3 in Through Women’s Eyes

Dubois, E.C. & Dumenil, L. (2019). Through women’s eyes (5th ed.). Boston, MA: Bedford/St. Martin’s.

Women were active participants during the American Revolution; however, historians disagree regarding the extent of the war’s impact on women’s lives. Dubois and Dumenil (2019) note, “Historians vigorously debate the long-term impact of the American Revolution on women’s lives. Some scholars argue that while white men enjoyed expanded legal and political rights in the post-revolutionary period, women’s relative status declined. Others contend that women developed a new consciousness that led to improved education and increased opportunities to influence public life. These historians also point out that the religious revival that preceded the Revolution, the First Great Awakening, similarly offered women a greater voice in the world beyond their homes” (p. 103).

The American Revolution had a critical impact on women’s lives; they were contributors on the battlefield, whether as nursemaids or fighting in disguise, and they held vital roles as deputy husbands, maintaining the home front while spouses and male family members were fighting in the war. However, their legal rights were largely ignored, first via the Declaration of Independence in 1776, and subsequently, in the writing of the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights between 1789 and 1791. This impacted women of all backgrounds, including African American, Native American, and white women, as well as upper and lower class women.

The key debate revolves around whether the war and the immediate aftermath provided opportunities for women. Some historians contend that the war increased women’s influence on their families (the Republican Motherhood ideology), while others view the Revolution as detrimental due to continued exclusion of women from public life. In your essay, consider the perspective of authors Linda Dumenil and Ellen DuBois, as well as the varying perspectives of historians noted in the Unit 2 Reading.

Address your perspectives on the impact of the American Revolution. Did the American Revolution have a positive, negative, or limited impact on women? Consider the experiences of all women in the Revolutionary era, including African American, Native American, and white women, as well as women of the upper and lower classes. How did race and/or class status impact their experiences between 1750 and 1810? Select the experiences of two groups of women and compare their experiences. For example: You could compare the experiences of upper-class white women with those of African American women, or the experiences of lower-class white women and the experiences of Native American women.

In your essay, be sure to address your thoughts on whether the American Revolution and the immediate aftermath prompted discussions of equality and improved the overall quality of women’s experiences. Consider elements such as education, religion, and work opportunities.

APA formatting:

Connections to the Unit 2 Reading material are required for this Assignment. Be sure to include APA parenthetical citations and references; formatting for citations and reference entries should follow the APA 6th edition style guide, which is available under Content / Academic Tools via the Academic Writer link.

Word Count:

The Assignment should be at least 500 words and should employ connections to the Unit 2 Reading material. You should follow the Unit 2 Assignment template in Course Documents. Use APA formatting, including parenthetical citations and references, and structure your thoughts in essay format, including an introductory paragraph and thesis statement, supporting paragraphs, and a conclusion. Submit the Assignment to the Unit 2 Dropbox when it is complete.