The Revolutionary War Other Contributors The Revolutionary War

The Revolutionary War Other Contributors

The Revolutionary War • Was more than Washington and Continental Congress • Many other groups made lasting contributions to the Revolutionary Effort • Women • Native Americans • African Americans • The War and war effort was not won by the Army alone

Women • What roles did women play in the Revolutionary War? • Nurses • Cooks • Camp Women: Washerwomen, Seamstresses, Maids, Cleaners • • Often followed their husbands to war, and brought kids along Women earned ½ rations, children ¼ rations Were paid at a rate set by the Contintental Army If caught breaking the law, or taking advantage of prices, punished same as men • Spies • Active Combat • Supporters of the Cause

Molly Pitcher aka The Legend aka Mary Ludwig Hays Mc. Cauley maybe • You. Tube Video • A “Molly Pitcher” was a woman who carried water to the troops • Margaret Corbin was the 1 st woman given a military pension in American History. Husband killed in battle, she took over his post at a cannon.

Active Combat • Ann Bailey • Deborah Sampson • Anna Marie Lane • Sally St Clair • Tyonajanegen (Oneida)

Civil Disobedience • Mercy Otis Warren • Esther de Berdt Reed formed the Ladies Association of Philadelphia • 1 st Female led fundraising campaign to pay soldiers

The Home Front • If men enlist and go to fight what roles do women have to now do at home? • Mary Katherine Goddard Printer • Jane Burgess and Elizabeth Hager - Blacksmiths

Famous Wives / Founding Mothers • Martha Washington • Lucy Knox • Abigail Adams • “We possess a spirit that will not be conquered” ~Abby Adams

Spies • Some of the most effective spy craft was accomplished by women • “Mom” Rinker • Elizabeth Burgin • Sybil Ludington and Deborah Champion

Lydia Darragh • Quaker • She and her family helped inform the Patriots of British activity in Philadelphia

Native Americans • Many served active and support roles • Siege of Boston • Iroquois Confederacy fell apart for 1 st time as they split over Patriot v Tory, 4 of 6 Tribes • Most support went to British amongst Native Americans

Native Americans on Patriot Side • The Oneida Chief Shenandoah sent active support to the Patriots at Valley Forge • 600 Baskets of white corn and 40 Warriors • Polly Cooper (a young Oneida woman) taught the troops how to eat white corn and was a cook for Washington

Natives on the British Side • Wanted to regain lands • Cherokee, Delaware, Seneca, and Shawnee fought Americans • Caused a Civil War amongst the Iroquois • Battle of Oriskany • General John Sullivan at the orders of Washington attacked and burned settlements in NY

African Americans • 5 -9, 000 Soldiers during the War • 1 st Rhode Island Regiment • On land at Sea • Saratoga, Bunker Hill and Lexington and Concord • Patriots hesitant to arm enslaved African Americans • Many fought like Prince Estabrook or Salem Poor

Peter Salem • Fought at Bunker Hill • Shot Major Pitcairn

African Americans at Valley Forge • Served in units from Rhode Island, Connecticut and Massachusetts • Received same pay, did the same jobs and suffered the same as well • Tobias Gilmore

James Armistead Lafayette • You. Tube Video

African Americans in the Navy • Long tradition of African Americans serving at sea • Whaling, Fishing, Merchant ships • Numerous African American Captains in privateer ranks • Judged ot by color of skin, but by skill

African Americans on the British Side • Washington banned enlistment of African Americans in 1775 • There were African American Loyalists • Lord Dunmore Proclamation • Fought with their masters who were Loyalists • Why? • Fight for British and get freedom • Many settled to Sierra Leone after War • 200 African American Loyalist defended Charleston

African American Women • Most oppressed group in colonies • Served many the same roles as camp women as their counterparts • Inspired because of the rhetoric of freedom and equality • Often paid less because of color of skin • Enslaved person required to do work with no pay • Many saved lives of masters, some granted freedom • Contributed to the cause of the war effort

African American Women • Phyllis Wheatley • Poet who wrote “To His Excellency, George Washington” “And so may you, whoever dares disgrace The Land of Freedom’s heaven defended race! Fix’d are the eyes of nations on the scales, For in their hopes Columbia’s arm prevails” • Advocated against slavery and for the rights of African Americans directly to George Washington • Award winning poet

Did the Revolution benefit all these groups? • Who did it benefit the most? • Then why did they fight? • Why did the common person see the cause as their own?

“It is not in numbers, but in unity, that our greatest strength lies…” Thomas Paine

Philly Campaign Map Work