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
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THE S Ε Ν Τ Ι Μ Ε Ν Τ S of an
AMERICAN WOMAN
OM
553
nes rather than ſubmit to the a
N the commencement of actual war, the Women of America manifeſted a firm refo-
lution to contribute as much as could depend on them, to the deliverance of their coun-
try. Animated by the pureſt patriotiſm, they are ſenſible of ſorrow at this day, in not offer-
ing more than barren wiſhes for the ſucceſs of ſo glorious a Revolution. They aſpire to ren-
der themſelves more really uſeful ; and this ſentiment is univerſal from the north to the ſouth
of the Thirtecn United States. Our ambition is kindled by the fame of thofe heroines of an-
tiquity, who have rendered their ſex illuſtrious, and have proved to the univerſe, that, if
the weakneſs of our Conſtitution, if opinion and manners did not forbid us to march to glo-
ry by the ſame paths as the Men, we ſhould at leaſt equal, and ſometimes ſurpaſs them in our
love for the public good. I glory in all that which my ſex has done great and commendable.
I call to mind with enthuſiaſm and with admiration, all thoſe acts of courage, of conſtan-
cy and patriotiſm, which hiſtory has tranſmitted to us : The people favoured by Heaven,
preſerved from deſtruction by the virtues, the zeal and the reſolution of Deborah, of Judith;
of Eſther! The fortitude of the mother of the Macchabees, in giving up her ſons to die be-
fore her eyes : Rome ſaved 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 ſeen forget-
ing the weakneſs of their ſex, building new walls, digging trenches with their feeble hands;
furniſhing arms to their defenders, they themſelves darting the miſſile weapons on the ene-
my, reſigning the ornaments of their apparel, and their fortune, to fill the public treaſury,
and to haften the deliverance of their country ; burying themfelves under its ruins; throwing
themſelves into the flames rather than ſubmit to the diſgrace of humiliation before a proud
enemy.
in
Born for liberty, diſdaining to bear the irons of a tyrannic Government, we aſſociate our
ſelves to the grandeur of thoſe Sovereigns,cheriſhed and revered, who have held with ſo much
fplendour the ſcepter of the greateſt States, The Batildas, the Elizabeths, the Maries, the Ca-
tharines, who have extended the empire of liberty, and contented to reign by ſweetneſs and
juſtice, have broken the chains of ſlavery, forged by tyrants in the times of ignorance and
barbarity. The Spaniſh Women, do they not make, at this moment, the moſt patriotic facrifices,
to encreaſe 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 intereſted, that it was a French Maid
who kindled up amongſt her fellow-citizens, the flame of patriotiſm buried under long mis-
fortunes: It was the Maid of Orleans who drove from the kingdom of France the anceſtors
of thoſe ſame Britiſh, whofe odious yoke we have juſt ſhaken off ; and whom it is neceſſary
that we drive from this Continent.
But I muſt limit myſelf to the recollection of this ſmall number of atchievements. Who
knows if perſons di poſed to cenſure, and ſometimes too ſeverely with regard to us, may not
diſapprove our appearing acquainted even with the actions of which our fex boaſts? We are
at leaſt 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 ſituation of our ſoldiery
has been repreſented to me; the evilş inſeparable from war, and the firm and generous ſpirit
which has enabled them to ſupport theſe. But it has been ſaid, that they may apprehend, that,
in the courſe of a long war, the view of their diſtreſſes may be loft, and their ſervices be for-
gotten. Forgotten ! never ; I can anſwer in the name of all my fex. Brave Americans, your
diſintereſtedneſs, your courage, and your conſtancy will always be dear to America, as long
as ſhe ſhall preſerve her virtue.
We know that at a diſtance 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 midſt of my family,
if my huſband cultivates his field, and rcaps his harveſt in peace; if, furrounded with my
children, I myſelf nouriſh the youngeſt, and preſs it to any boſom, without being affraid
of ſeeing myſelf ſeparated from it, by a ferocious enemy; if the houſe in which we dwell; if
our barns, our orchards are ſafe at the preſent time from the hands of thoſe incendiaries, it is
to you that we owe it. And ſhall we heſitate to evidence to you our gratitude? Shall we heſitate
to wear a cloathing more ſimple; hair dreſſed leſs elegant, while at the price of this ſmall priva-
tion, we ſhall deſerve your benedictions. Who, amongſt us, will not renounce with the higheft
pleaſure, thoſe vain ornaments, when ſhe ſhall conſider that the valiant defenders of Ame-
rica will be able to draw ſome advantage from the money which ſhe may have laid out in theſe;
that they will be better defended from the rigours of the ſeaſons, that after their painful toils,
they will receive fome extraordinary and unexpected relief ; that theſe preſents will perhaps
be valued by them at a greater price, when they will have it in their power to ſay : This is
the offering of the Ladies. The time is arrived to diſplay the ſame ſentiments which animated
us at the beginning of the Revolution, when we renounced the uſe of teas, however agree-
able to our taſte, rather than receive them from our perſecutors, when we made it appear to
them that we placed former neceffaries in the rank of ſuperfluities, when our liberty was inte-
reſted ; when our republican and laborious hands ſpun the flax, prepared the linen intended
for the uſe of our foldiets; when exiles and fugitives we ſupported with courage all the evils
which are the concomitants of war. Let us not loſe 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 cauſe you to ſhare with them, the irons with which they are loaded, re-
ceive with a free hand our offering, the pureſt which can be preſented to your virtue,
BY AN AMERICAN WOMAN.

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