Book Review: Revolutionary Mothers By Carol Berkin
Revolutionary Mothers was written by Carol Berkin. Berkin explains how the revolution was not just a war for men but also for women. Women had a big role on helping in the war, as while as managing the household. They had to be very brave, strong, and prepare for anything at any time. Women had to return to their roles as wives, and mothers after the war.
Berkin talks about different women who participated in the war, and their importance. With different groups of women all the women had the same goals. “The easy task of obeying” is the first chapter. This chapter explains how women had to only care for their family and household, while men get to deal with intellectual issues. Women were known to be the husbands help mates to make a successful family. Women had so much to do in their homes such as cleaning, washing, and maintaining the household. Wealthy women did not have to complete all the tasks alone they had servants, but they were in charge of supervising the servants. This gave women requirements to be charming companions to their husbands, also pleasing their men.
“For if women were now to be charming companions to their husband rather than useful workers, their purpose remained to satisfy male expectations for a wife”. “They say it is tea that caused it” is chapter two. This chapter talks about how women were part of a political action. Women at the time did not have much voice, well none at all in politics but, “thus first act of American women was to say “no””. This helped women to participate in boycotting in protesting the British polices. For some women this was not enough. “There were women who preferred to issue manifestos of their own”. This was a risk to women’s reputation. The manifestos were printed in the newspaper, with the names of the women who were participating. “In the end of the resolution went beyond a show of support for their husbands”.
Women became aware of their political acts, and civic duties. “You can form no idea of the horrors” is chapter three. When the men went to war women were left at home with their battles. Women had to take control of the house, farms and businesses, as while as protecting their children. Some women were killed or raped because of their political differences. Families were left with no food at time when the armies confiscated their crops and livestock. These women had to live in fear of their lives. “Such a sordid set of creatures in the human figures” is the name of chapter four. Women would follow the soldiers would have to cook and wash for the soldiers. Women were nurses for the injured soldiers. Some women were wives to the soldier other were lonely and did not have food or shelter. These women were called camp followers; they also bought their children with them because they did not have anyone else to care for them. These women were dressed in old worn out clothes, and did not always have the appropriate clothes for the weather. These women had some duties on the war ground. They had to collect clothes, weapons and valuables from the deceased soldiers. “How unhappy is war to domestic happiness” is chapter five. This chapter talks about the generals wives during the war. Some of these women liked the opportunity to be near and close to their husbands but others preferred to be at home.
“A journey a crosse ye wilderness” is chapter six. This chapter talks about the loyalist women and how they could no longer live in their homeland for siding with the British. They would leave behind them their life in the American colonies and would travel to England, or to Canada. The loyalties that stayed lived facing financial issues and hatred by their community.
