What were the roles of women in the American Revolution?

Winning the American Revolution took more than generals, gunpowder, and founding fathers. It took the participation of both men and women in every level of society. Roles of women during the war varied, depending on their backgrounds and economic positions. Allyson Schettino: There is one through line for all women, regardless of their race, their class, their social standing, etc. And that is, they are supposed to be prioritizing care for the home and care for the family. This could’ve meant managing an elegant household, raising children, or working in the dirt on a farm—either for themselves or for someone else. One thing is certain: Women were not passive observers to the war. Women worked alongside men, often in ways history has overlooked: They were medics, cooks, tailors, camp followers, campaigners, political activists, and even soldiers. Some women, like Deborah Sampson, disguised themselves as men in order to enlist and fight. But others, like Molly Corbin, never hid who they were. Allyson: At the battle of Fort Washington, this is the last stronghold the Americans even have in New York City. Allyson: The Hessians are advancing. They are like the stormtroopers of the American Revolution. And her husband and his entire group is taken out, and Molly takes over the cannon. And she’s so good at it that the Hessians stop their advance for a little bit to focus fire on her, to eliminate her as a threat. Beyond the battlefield, women were couriers and spies. Allyson: Women made really excellent spies because, again, because of societal expectations that women aren’t really paying attention to public life, that women can’t really have much of a role in what’s going on in a war. And as many as 10,000 women served as “camp followers.” Allyson: They bring their children. They pack up their worldly possessions, and they perform jobs that even Washington admits that the Army would not survive without. Allyson: So they’re the women doing laundry so that nobody’s getting weird skin diseases because they’re wearing disgusting clothing. They’re cooking the food. They’re taking care of injured and sick soldiers. Even far from the front lines, women were waging battles of their own. Allyson: We have some women who are putting out pamphlets and trying to raise money and throwing officers balls and doing all sorts of stuff to support the war. And for these women, the war is basically a contest of ideals, right? There’s this pro-king. There is the anti-king independence movement. And for these women that’s where they’re playing, that’s their playing field. For others, like Elizabeth Freeman, an enslaved woman in Massachusetts, the Revolution became a deeply personal fight for her own freedom. Allyson: Massachusetts—once independence is declared—is one of the first states to write their state constitution. Allyson: Essentially, Massachusetts replicated the line from the Declaration of Independence. All men are created equal and therefore deserve life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness. And Elizabeth Freeman, enslaved woman, says, “Interesting. Does that apply to me?” She sued for her freedom—and won. Her case helped end slavery in Massachusetts. This victory is just one example of how women shaped the course—and the consequences—of the revolution. Allyson: I think the most important thing we need to remember when we’re talking about women in the American Revolution is that they were active participants in the world around them.