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 lowerclass 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.

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