Women During The American Revolution Essay

During the seventeenth century, some women began their journey in the colonies as Indentured servants. This meant that in exchange for many years of work and servitude women were allowed for a free passage into the colonies. With that said, lower class women occupied themselves with many jobs. As wives of farmers, they mainly helped out with cash crops during the seasonal cycles. In the winter and spring seasons, lower class women spent their times spinning and sewing clothing or table cloths for the family. Even though they were poor, women also helped contribute to the revolution. In the article, Women During the Revolution, by Awet Amedichiel, “many women made products at home, especially clothing, thus facilitating the boycotts without
Back then, women had little to no legal rights, there was no law that aided women. The life of middle class to high-class women differed greatly form the lower class. The wives of plantation owners and merchants were usually very wealthy. These women did not have to work as hard as the lower class women did. Wealthy women were responsible for seeing that the household was orderly maintained. According to Stuart Kallen author of Life During the American Revolution, “married women whose husbands were artisans, tradesmen, or merchants had an easier time than the newly arrived immigrant women” (Kallen 95). It was common for middle-class women to hire nurses, nannies, or servants to help them with their daily chores. Many women spent their time shopping for family necessities. Kallen also wrote about how clothing stores were particularly prevalent, with many speculating in women’s clothes, perfumes, accessories, and shoes. Fashionable hairstyles were also popular, and hairdressers specialized in cutting hair, and grooming extraordinary wigs among the wealthy classes. As a result, popular culture was not greatly seen in the lives of average women. Only the elite high-class women who dressed up with wigs got to experience popular