University of Florida Women and Gender in American Revolution Essay This week’s questions are about women and gender in the American Revolution, drawing on

University of Florida Women and Gender in American Revolution Essay This week’s questions are about women and gender in the American Revolution, drawing on Elizabeth Graeme Fergusson’s “The American Spinning Wheel” (1782) and Esther de Berdt Reed’s Sentiments of an American Woman (1780).
Instructions: Answer 1 of the questions below in about 250 words
1) In what ways did Reed see women’s patriotism as similar to men’s? In what ways were they different?
2) Compare and contrast Reed’s essay to Fergusson’s song. Were their constructions of womanhood similar? Different? Both? Women and the Revolutionary War
Elizabeth Graeme Fergusson
Women and the Revolutionary War
www.hsp.org
Women and the Revolutionary War
The American Spinning Wheel (1782)
Elizabeth Fergusson
Women and the Revolutionary War
www.hsp.org
Women and the Revolutionary War
The American Spinning Wheel (1782)
Elizabeth Graeme Fergusson
No 22
A Song written during the Time of the War 1782, written to be sung at a Spinning Frolic, where it is the
Custom in the Country for a number of young Women to Collect together And Spin a Web of Linen: And Have a little
Hope in the Evening.
1
Since Fate has assigned us these rural abodes,
Remote both from fortune and honor’s high roads;
Let us cheerfully pass through life’s innocent dale,
Nor look up to the mountain since fix’d in the vale.
When storms rage the fiercest, and mighty trees fall;
The low shrub is sheltered which clings to the wall.
Let our wheels and our reels go merrily round,
While health, peace, and virtue amongst us are found.
2
Though the great deem us little, and do us despise;
Let them know it is wise to make little suffice.
In this we will teach them, though ever so great;
It is always true wisdom to yield to your fate.
For though King or Congress stand to carry the day;
We farmers and spinners at last must obey.
Let our wheels and our reels go merrily round,
While health, peace, and virtue amongst us are found.
Women and the Revolutionary War
3
Our flax has it’s beauties, an elegant green;
When it shoots from the earth it enamels the
scene.
When moistened and broken in filaments fine,
Our maidens they draw out the flexible line;
Some fine as a cobweb, while others more
coarse,
To wear but on work days for substance and
force.
Then the wheels and our reels go merrily round,
While health, peace, and virtue among us are
found.
4
Since all here assembled to card and spin;
Come girls, lets be nimble and quickly begin,
To help neighbor Friendly, and when we have
done,
The boys they shall join us at close of the sun.
Perhaps our brisk partners may lead us through
life,
And the dance of the night end in husband and
wife.
Let our wheels and our reels go merrily round,
While health, peace, and virtue amongst us are
found.
Graeme Park, 1782
www.hsp.org
THE S ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? S of an
AMERICAN WOMAN
OM
553
nes rather than ?ubmit to the a
N the commencement of actual war, the Women of America manife?ted a firm refo-
lution to contribute as much as could depend on them, to the deliverance of their coun-
try. Animated by the pure?t patrioti?m, they are ?en?ible of ?orrow at this day, in not offer-
ing more than barren wi?hes for the ?ucce?s of ?o glorious a Revolution. They a?pire to ren-
der them?elves more really u?eful ; and this ?entiment is univer?al from the north to the ?outh
of the Thirtecn United States. Our ambition is kindled by the fame of thofe heroines of an-
tiquity, who have rendered their ?ex illu?trious, and have proved to the univer?e, that, if
the weakne?s of our Con?titution, if opinion and manners did not forbid us to march to glo-
ry by the ?ame paths as the Men, we ?hould at lea?t equal, and ?ometimes ?urpa?s them in our
love for the public good. I glory in all that which my ?ex has done great and commendable.
I call to mind with enthu?ia?m and with admiration, all tho?e acts of courage, of con?tan-
cy and patrioti?m, which hi?tory has tran?mitted to us : The people favoured by Heaven,
pre?erved from de?truction by the virtues, the zeal and the re?olution of Deborah, of Judith;
of E?ther! The fortitude of the mother of the Macchabees, in giving up her ?ons to die be-
fore her eyes : Rome ?aved from the fury of a victorious enemy by the efforts of Volumnia;
and other Roman Ladies : So many famous fieges where the Women have been ?een forget-
ing the weakne?s of their ?ex, building new walls, digging trenches with their feeble hands;
furni?hing arms to their defenders, they them?elves darting the mi??ile weapons on the ene-
my, re?igning the ornaments of their apparel, and their fortune, to fill the public trea?ury,
and to haften the deliverance of their country ; burying themfelves under its ruins; throwing
them?elves into the flames rather than ?ubmit to the di?grace of humiliation before a proud
enemy.
in
Born for liberty, di?daining to bear the irons of a tyrannic Government, we a??ociate our
?elves to the grandeur of tho?e Sovereigns,cheri?hed and revered, who have held with ?o much
fplendour the ?cepter of the greate?t States, The Batildas, the Elizabeths, the Maries, the Ca-
tharines, who have extended the empire of liberty, and contented to reign by ?weetne?s and
ju?tice, have broken the chains of ?lavery, forged by tyrants in the times of ignorance and
barbarity. The Spani?h Women, do they not make, at this moment, the mo?t patriotic facrifices,
to encrea?e the means of victory in the hands of their Sovereign. He is a friend to the French
Nation. They are our allies. We call to mind, doubly intere?ted, that it was a French Maid
who kindled up among?t her fellow-citizens, the flame of patrioti?m buried under long mis-
fortunes: It was the Maid of Orleans who drove from the kingdom of France the ance?tors
of tho?e ?ame Briti?h, whofe odious yoke we have ju?t ?haken off ; and whom it is nece??ary
that we drive from this Continent.
But I mu?t limit my?elf to the recollection of this ?mall number of atchievements. Who
knows if per?ons di po?ed to cen?ure, and ?ometimes too ?everely with regard to us, may not
di?approve our appearing acquainted even with the actions of which our fex boa?ts? We are
at lea?t certain that he cannot be a good citizen who will not applaud our efforts for the relief
of the armies which defend our lives, our poffeffions, our liberty? The ?ituation of our ?oldiery
has been repre?ented to me; the evil? in?eparable from war, and the firm and generous ?pirit
which has enabled them to ?upport the?e. But it has been ?aid, that they may apprehend, that,
in the cour?e of a long war, the view of their di?tre??es may be loft, and their ?ervices be for-
gotten. Forgotten ! never ; I can an?wer in the name of all my fex. Brave Americans, your
di?intere?tedne?s, your courage, and your con?tancy will always be dear to America, as long
as ?he ?hall pre?erve her virtue.
We know that at a di?tance from the theatre of war, if we enjoy any tranquility, it is the
fruit of your watchings, your labours, your dangers. If I live happy in the mid?t of my family,
if my hu?band cultivates his field, and rcaps his harve?t in peace; if, furrounded with my
children, I my?elf nouri?h the younge?t, and pre?s it to any bo?om, without being affraid
of ?eeing my?elf ?eparated from it, by a ferocious enemy; if the hou?e in which we dwell; if
our barns, our orchards are ?afe at the pre?ent time from the hands of tho?e incendiaries, it is
to you that we owe it. And ?hall we he?itate to evidence to you our gratitude? Shall we he?itate
to wear a cloathing more ?imple; hair dre??ed le?s elegant, while at the price of this ?mall priva-
tion, we ?hall de?erve your benedictions. Who, among?t us, will not renounce with the higheft
plea?ure, tho?e vain ornaments, when ?he ?hall con?ider that the valiant defenders of Ame-
rica will be able to draw ?ome advantage from the money which ?he may have laid out in the?e;
that they will be better defended from the rigours of the ?ea?ons, that after their painful toils,
they will receive fome extraordinary and unexpected relief ; that the?e pre?ents will perhaps
be valued by them at a greater price, when they will have it in their power to ?ay : This is
the offering of the Ladies. The time is arrived to di?play the ?ame ?entiments which animated
us at the beginning of the Revolution, when we renounced the u?e of teas, however agree-
able to our ta?te, rather than receive them from our per?ecutors, when we made it appear to
them that we placed former neceffaries in the rank of ?uperfluities, when our liberty was inte-
re?ted ; when our republican and laborious hands ?pun the flax, prepared the linen intended
for the u?e of our foldiets; when exiles and fugitives we ?upported with courage all the evils
which are the concomitants of war. Let us not lo?e a moment ; let us be engaged to offer the ho-
mage of our gratitude at the altar of military valour, and you, our brave deliverers, while mer-
cenary faves combat to cau?e you to ?hare with them, the irons with which they are loaded, re-
ceive with a free hand our offering, the pure?t which can be pre?ented to your virtue,
BY AN AMERICAN WOMAN.

Purchase answer to see full
attachment