Changes in Women’s Life after the American Revolution
In colonial times people in America lived under the law of the colonizers’ home country, which for majority of the colonies was Great Britain. In that time women were completely subordinate to their husbands and had practically no legal existence. However, after the American Patriots’ victory in the American Revolution the new republic with its new ideals was to be established. The revolutionary ideals influenced many women of that period, which is why they hoped to gain more independence and equal legal rights with men according to the new laws of the new country.
Despite their important role during the Revolution and establishment of the new republic, women experienced only minor changes in their legal status, still being dependent on men, while they enjoyed significant improvements in their social status due to recognition of their role as nurturers of republican values, which increased their educational opportunities and gave an impetus for further women’s rights fight.Women made significant contributions to the fight and victory in the American Revolution, which influenced their views on their rights and legal opportunities. During the fights majority of women stayed at home and took care of the households; many also took charge of their husbands’ businesses or took up jobs in order to provide for their families. By doing so women proved that they were capable of fulfilling traditionally male duties and could do without their husbands’ maintenance. Some wives left their homes and followed their men in the war camps. There they worked as cooks, nurses, washerwomen, and occasionally took part in the fights or acted as spies. Some women even disguised themselves as men and fought in battles on equal terms with men. Martin argues that another significant contribution to the defeat of the British forces was the boycott of British goods pioneered by women. These actions of women, even though tightly connected with the domestic sphere, proved that they could be patriots of their country, make judgments, and positively influence the affairs of the state.As a result, after the Revolution women expected to have more legal rights in the new republic.
Many upper-class women began to engage in political debate with powerful men and openly expressed their opinions on public issues. One of them was Abigail Adams, who in her letter to her husband encouraged the creators of the new Constitution to “Remember the Ladies, and be more generous and favorable to them than your ancestors”. Nevertheless, despite such developments, women’s rights underwent only minor changes in the household spheres and in no way equaled them to those of men. As before, women did not have the general public rights: they could not vote, testify in court, sit in a jury, or hold office. As Martin claims, women were viewed as too emotional and sometimes irrational for participation in public life of the country since it could undermine the Republic, which is why they were denied such political rights.
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