Women's Role In The American Revolution

The tales of America's founding are well-known and often enthusiastically told. Annually, fireworks burst in the sky as an entire nation celebrates the signing of the Declaration of Independence, and coinage is covered in the faces of the men who founded America. Although many of these tales feature figures such as Paul Revere, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and many more men, very few women are found in the grandiose stories of the American Revolution. Perhaps Eliza Hamilton will appear due to her husband, Alexander, who made poor choices regarding marital fidelity and excellent choices with America’s financial system. Or Abigail Adams writing to her husband, John, asking him to remember those who did not sit at the table with the founding …show more content…
Women’s supportive roles in the American Revolution ranged from quiet support from domestic duties to disguised women on the front lines, beginning with the less radical approaches to support. A particular artifact from the Museum of the American Revolution may help depict the wide range of women's support in the Revolution. One specific item in the museum’s collections exemplifies support in multiple ways. While it may appear like a simple piece of wood, a busk in the collection goes far beyond its material. For clarification, a busk is used by women in supportive garments, primarily from the 1700s to the 1800s. Busks were constructed from wood, bone, or ivory materials and could contain detailed engravings. The busk, held by the Museum of the American Revolution, flaunts intricate geometric designs and some revolutionary imagery. The busk shows a circular chain with the phrase “We are One,” a tree that likely depicts a Liberty Tree, and the initials E and L. The owner of the busk is unknown, but an inscription on the back leads historians to believe an American prisoner made the busk due to the words “Hallifax Prison ship June the 16 day of 1782,” carved on the

Show More