BISHOP'S UNIVERSITY

Review of Revolutionary
Mothers
For Professor Barker, HIS 215

Gaurav J. Selvaraj






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The book, Revolutionary Mothers: Women in the Struggle for America's Independence by
Caroline Berkin is a series of viewpoints of women from different backgrounds and ideals
coping with the grim reality they were surrounded with and how they dealt with the ravages war
wrought onto them.
After opening with a brief description of life and the current situation surrounding that
part of the century, she moves onto showing the reader through the eyes of different women how
women were essential cogs in the revolutionary struggle by providing valuable functions such as
washing, nursing, sewing, and personal assistance without which the struggle may well have
fallen short of the achievements it gained. Berkin gives a fresh and important perspective of the
roles played by women by showing how in addition to supporting the cause, they raised, fed and
clothed their children, never neglecting support for one in favour of another.
A notable point of the book is portion wherein Abigail Adams, wife of future president
John Adams in a letter to him and the Continental Congress to "...remember the ladies, and be
more generous and favorable to them than your ancestors. Do not put such unlimited power into
the hands of the Husbands. Remember all Men would be tyrants if they could. If particular care
and attention is not paid to the Ladies we are determined to foment a Rebellion, and will not hold
ourselves bound by any Laws in which we have no voice, or Representation."
The above exemplifies women who were waging their own battles, not only against the
British, but also for their rights as equal members of society under the soon be formed
Constitution.
The book describes a saddening tale of how once the war ended, the roles played by
women were unfortunately forgotten and ignored by the dominant male society which sought to
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regulate order and in doing so, relegated to the previous social order in which women were once
again casually disregarded for their efforts.
The book doesn't focus on white women serving the revolutionary cause, but also women
from differing backgrounds such as native American, African American and loyalist women. The
British attempted to entice African American slaves to their side by offering freedom in
exchange for support. The book tells the story of Mary Postill who attempted freedom for her
family but due to the dark nature of humanity, was enslaved once again.
Berkin's main purpose of the book is not only to get readers musing on the "forgotten
heroes" of the American Revolutionary War but also to outline the pressure ordinary people are
faced with and the way they react to it - rising up to their beliefs and defending them to the best
of their abilities. The book aims to show readers that the war was not only about the fighting but
also about the vast support structure that keeps the combatants functional and able to do what
they did.