Revolutionary mothers?

Question

What are some common facts/stories that an average American should know about our revolutionary mothers (important women in American history)?

Answer 1

I think the story of Pocahontas saving John Smith is an important one, she was America's first heroine.  her action in saving Smith staved off war between the Indians and the first settlers, and possibly, but for her, the colonists would have been wiped out.

The women who were early colonists kept civilisation going by producing most of the foodstuffs and clothing necessary for survival, preserving food for winter, caring for the sick etc, "it is not known whether men or women be more necessary" the Virginia Assembley declared in 1619.

Mary Johnson may have been the first African American woman.  She arrived sometime before 1620 as the maid of a Virginia planter. Johnson and her husband were indentured servants, and once they won their freedom they acquired a 250-acre farm and five indentured servants of their own.

Margaret Brent, an active businesswoman who virtually ran the colony of Maryland after the death of governor Calvert is another important woman, she was the first American woman to demand the vote, in 1648, of the Maryland Assembley.  She actually asked for two votes, one for herself and one as Lord Baltimore's representative.  She didn't get them, but at least she had the nerve to try.

Anne Hutchinson, who emigrated to Massachusetts in 1643, started her own religious sect which had a large popular following, and she created quite a stir in Massachusetts.

In 1682, Mary Rowlandson, the wife of a Massachusetts minister, published her account of her ordeal during King Philip's War, and it became a huge best-seller by the standards of the time.  Rowlandson and her children escaped capture by Indians.

Hannah Dustan, a farmer's wife in Haverill, Massachusetts, was captured by Indians in 1697, along with several other people.  Hannah managed to survive the march, and while the Indians were sleeping she and her fellow captives killed ten Indians while they slept, scalped them, and escaped in a stole canoe.  They returned home to great acclaim, and the General Court awarded Hannah a generous bounty for her scalps.

The Salem witch trials, in 1692, by far the biggest witch trials ever held in the colonies, led to the executions of fourteen women and six men.  Tituba, a slave from Barbados, helped some teenage girls to perform divination (trying to find out who they would marry) which started the whole thing off.  Ann Puttnam and Betty Parris were among the main accusers.  

Deborah Sampson was one of the most famous women of the revolutionary war, who disguised herself as a man in order to fight.  Another woman who fought bravely in the war was Margaret Corbin, she is buried at West Point.  Abigail Adams, the wife of John Adams, is famous for urging her husband to "remember the ladies" when he was helping to write the Declaration of Independence, but he didn't pay any attention to her.

Sarah and Angelina Grimke were the first female anti-slavery lecturerers in the USA, they spoke at many meetings to huge audiences.

Harriet Tubman, an escaped slave, courageously returned to the south many times to rescue other slaves.  She was brilliant at disguising herself, and her resourcefulness and iron nerve ensured that she was never recaptured.  "I was conductor of the Underground Railroad for eight years and I can say what most conductors can't say - I never ran my train off the track and I never lost a passenger" she said.

In 1850, Harriet Beecher Stowe published her novel 'Uncle Tom's Cabin' which was enormously influential on people's attitude towards slavery.

In 1848, Elizabeth CAdy Stanton and Lucretia Mott organised the Seneca Falls Convention, which began the long campaign for women's rights.  Elizabeth CAdy Stanton and her friend Susan B. Anthony were leaders of the movement throughout the second half of the 19th century.

Sojourner Truth, a former slave, was an eloquent speaker both for women's rights and for the rights of black people.  

In 1850, Elizabeth Blackwell became the first woman in the USA to graduate from a medical school and practice as a doctor.

Dorothea Dix, who made major reforms to the way mental patients were treated in the USA, was superintendent of nurses during the Civil War.

Clara Barton played an important role in the Civil War, transporting food and medicines to the Union Army, and nursing patients. After the Civil War she founded the American Red Cross.

Another important nurse in the Civil War was Mary Anne (Mother) Bickerdyke, who tackled the filthy, overcrowded hospital tents, rescued wounded men from the battlefield, and never asked anyone's permission.  She was famous for ordering everyone around, and her reputation gave her the clout to get away with it.  An army surgeon who challenged one of her orders was told "Mother Bickerdyke outranks everyone, even Lincoln"

Mary Walker, an army surgeon, was the first and only woman to be awarded the Congressional Medal of Honour, for bravery under fire at Gettysburg and other battles.

Answer 2

Read this book: "The Way of Duty." A story told from the home front. She is a mother at home trying to protect her property and family while her husband is off fighting in skirmishes throughout the Connecticut area. He becomes a prisoner of war, her house is raided by British soldiers and she must also deal with her own sons wanting to join the fight, all while the family fortunes and property are being eaten up by the expense of war. This is what life was like on the home front.