The American Revolution is commonly perceived as the tale of thirteen fed-up colonies banding together to defeat the tyranny of Great Britain, but is this really how it happened? In the traditional narrative, Loyalists and women are few and far between, and there is no mention of the daily lives that continued during the conflict. Due to this viewpoint, it is often a misconception that support for the American Revolution was a national movement heeded by wealthy white men and blindly followed by all others.
The primary sources in this unit bring to light societal values, relationships between men and women, and the placement of women in the fight for freedom. The documents illustrate that women played a duel role in the American Revolution. On one side, they were a driving force and enthusiastic voice during the War of Independence. Yet, at the same time, women were constrained by a patriarchal society and restrictive gender roles.
This unit exposes students to dissenting and often unheard voices from this contradicting time in our nation’s history. Students will read and interact with primary sources that show multiple perspectives of various men and women affected by the Revolution. By analyzing multiple perspectives, students will construct a new and more complete understanding of the American Revolution.