Student’s Name
Institutional Affiliation
Revolutionary Mothers
Carol Berkin focuses on stories of many demographics that play to the advantage of her analysis of women in the American Revolutionary Era. Through her analysis, a reader can understand the social history of Colonial white women, Native Americans, and African-American women at the time of war. Through citing examples, one can understand the plight of these women and how their vital roles helped in facilitating war. During American Revolutionary Era, women played vital roles in the war. However, most books document little about women and sometimes leave out women role, which Berkin has effectively addressed.
Women took responsibilities in protecting children, managing farms and businesses when men left for war. Some women also followed fighters in war camps where they cooked for the soldiers, nursed the injured as well as satisfying their sexual desires (Berkin, 2006). However, some women also were spies or couriers and served in rescuing the Patriots. These active roles increased trust in their responsibilities that led to their inclusion in voting. Through giving social history at a woman’s point of view, Berkin ventures into an analysis of war period and how women worked hand in hand with men for victory. It is through the help of women that warriors and fighters managed to face their enemies.
Native American and Slave women chapters show how far high a woman would go and how low women would go during the war. According to Berkin, Native American women had a chance to enjoy extreme powers as far as a female would go. On the other hand, the slave women had the least responsibilities a woman would enjoy. Chapter seven addresses the plight of Native American women. These women experienced more influential roles in comparison to white women (Berkin, 2006). They were aligned with British since they were offered an opportunity to preserve their way of life. For a moment, these women seemed to live their dream. However, when America emerged victoriously, this way of life came to an end. Their active involvement in politics was curtailed, and their societal influence became the same as that of the white women.
The slave women as addressed in chapter eight had a rough past before the war. During the war, they followed the army to war camps as there they would get protection and food (Berkin, 2006). They would also participate in giving some services to the soldiers. After the war, some were lucky to regain their freedom. However, the majority remained slaves, and their plight did not change from their past. Therefore, to all women, some remained in their previous situation while other’s past has been modified for better.
The choice of “Revolutionary Mothers” as the topic of the analysis was very thoughtful of Berkin. The term mothers show their feminine nature as well as their productive role during the war. It was their responsibility to manage farm production as well as businesses. Therefore, just like mothers, they supplied the soldiers with food and other materials for use. Also, they cooked for the fighters as well as nursed the injured soldiers (Berkin, 2006). The term mother cuts across all women of different social categories such as rich or poor, white women, American Natives women as well as the slave women. All had a productive responsibility, and their productive duties saw the soldiers through the season.
In conclusion, the book helps me understand diverse roles of women during American Revolution. Roles such as cooking and nursing soldiers are often overlooked and seen as usual roles but at a sharp look, they are things that kept the soldiers moving. Berkin also highlights that there are those women who worked as spies and couriers who had a more active role. Eventually, there is a realization that all women despite their social class participated at their capacities in facilitating the war. Their responsibilities in managing farms and businesses when men were at war also enhanced food supply to the fighters. It is through the hard work of women that men survived the war. Therefore, they should be celebrated as heroines of the war.
Reference
Berkin, C. (2006). Revolutionary Mothers: The Women in the struggle for America’s independence. New York: Vintage Books.