Question

What role did woman play in supporting the patriot cause during the American revolution?

Answer 1

Housewives used their purchasing power to support the Patriot cause by refusing to buy British goods for use in their homes. The tea boycott, for example, was a relatively mild way for a woman to support the patriot war effort. Although the Boston Tea Party of 1773 is the most widely recognized protest, for years prior to that Patriot women had been refusing to consume British tea as a political statement.

Women also helped the Patriot cause through organizations such as the Ladies Association in Philadelphia, which recognized the capacity of every woman to contribute to the war effort. The women of Philadelphia collected funds to assist in the war effort, which Martha Washington then took directly to her husband, General George Washington. Other states subsequently followed the example set by founders Esther de Berdt Reed and Sarah Franklin Bache (daughter of Benjamin Franklin). In 1780, the colonies raised over $340,000 through these female-run organizations.