Talking_Politics_and_Feeling__Nationly___Female_Patriotism_in_Colonial_America

Talking Politics and Feeling “Nationly”: Female Patriotism in Colonial America When one thinks of the Revolutionary War, the first names that come to mind are George Washington, Paul Revere, Thomas Jefferson, and Patrick Henry. The only female who ever seems important is Betsy Ross, the woman who sewed the American flag. Abigail Adams, Mercy Otis Warren, and the women who called themselves “daughters of liberty” proved that the American Revolution paved the way for women’s independence. It was also a revolution that changed not only the course of history but also the role that women played: they finally began to participate and be recognized in both society and politics, even if their efforts included simply abstaining from tea and spinning their own cloth. Prior to this time period, women had played the same role for generations. They were homemakers, in charge of cooking, cleaning, caring for children, and keeping everything in the house in order. The woman’s goal was to be “notable,” or to “manage her household affairs skillfully and smoothly” (Norton 4). Ladies were expected to be the picture of femininity: “’pure, tender, delicate, irritable, affectionate, flexible, and patient’” (Norton 112). They showed their patriotism simply by encouraging husbands and sons to fight for the colonial cause. (Marsh n. pg.) Politics were never discussed as that was the man’s sphere and showed an undesirable masculine quality of mind (Marsh n. pg.). As the Revolution deepened, however, women would take on more significant roles and show their patriotism in more obvious ways. “The first political act of American women was to say ‘no’” to tea (Berkin 13). The Townshend Act of 1767 applied taxes to items imported to the colonies from Britain such as tea, sugar, coaches, glue, gloves, and shoes. These taxes paid the expenses of the British troops that were protecting the American colonies (Berkin 15). Many patriots viewed these taxes as unfair, and started a boycott on items that were taxed. The men of the colonies knew the boycott would not be successful without the women’s support and cooperation. The women who supported the boycott made inconvenient sacrifices, like drinking coffee instead of tea and using honey in place of sugar. William Tennet III, a South Carolina preacher, told these ladies, “‘You have it in your power more than all your committees and Congresses, to … make the Hills and Plains of America clap their hands’” (qtd in Norton 159). Women began to prove that they were an important force in society. They realized they could make a difference, even if it was just by abstaining from tea. Tea wasn’t the only thing the colonists bought from Europe; cloth was also imported from England, and therefore, taxed. Spinning was a naturally feminine task, so was given to the women of both the community and the plantations. The women of the community now saw spinning and weaving as more than just a chore; it was a way to feel “nationly” and show patriotism (Norton 169). Colonial women, “who had not yet learned to be ladies” (DePauw 150) congregated regularly to spin and discuss political topics. These gatherings came to be called spinning bees. They ate only American produce and drank only local herbal tea at these bees. The products of the events often went towards stockings for American soldiers or cloth for uniforms (DePauw 168). Women who manufactured homespun wore it as a “badge of honor and a visible political statement” (Berkin 17). Spinning bees, though important to the women whose political morale they boosted, never seemed to be relevant to the public until 1766, when newspapers began printing numerous articles about them. The Boston Evening Post alone printed 28 articles on spinning bees between May and December 1769. These articles emphasized the importance of women, the effect they had on the economy and often earned the front page. (Norton 166). Women couldn’t help being in the news, and with that kind of exposure they became aware of what was going on in the wider world. Women got their first taste of politics and began to talk about it with one another. Abigail Adams and Mercy Otis Warren were two such political women. Abigail Adams is known for her letter to her husband, President John Adams, wherein she teasingly reminded him to “remember the Ladies.” She became more and more politically conscious, thought of the possibility of women voting, and “came close enough to the political process to assist at the polls” (Kerber 82). She figured, “’If I cannot be a voter upon this occasion, I will be a writer of votes. I can do some thing in that way’” (qtd Kerber 82). Abigail Adams kept up a correspondence with Mercy Otis Warren, who anonymously wrote and published “stinging satirical plays about local royal officials” (Berkin 16). Their letters to each other were filled with political discussions and criticisms. These two friends were unusual in their writings because they did not follow every political statement with an apology for speaking where they shouldn’t, like most women did. Adams and Warren viewed themselves as deserving of a voice in society, and would speak out in any way they could. Women in colonial America did indeed have a voice and an influence. Spinning bees that were written about in the newspaper, boycotts that needed their support, and letters that ventured into political conversation proved to women that they truly were important to society. Even a gesture as small as wearing cloth of her own manufacturing or talking politics with a friend could make a woman feel significant and “nationly.” Works Cited Berkin, Carol. Revolutionary Mothers: Women in the Struggle for America's Independence. 1st ed. New York: Random House, 2005. Print. DePauw, Linda Grant. Founding Mothers: Women of America in the Revolutionary Era. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1975. Print. Kerber, Linda K. Women of the Republic: Intellect and Ideology in Revolutionary America. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 1980. Print. Marsh, Melissa A. "The Purest Patriotism: The Domestic Sphere and the Ladies Association of Philadelphia." 18th Century History. 2005. Web. 5 Oct 2009. Norton, Mary Beth. Liberty's Daughters: The Revolutionary Experience of American Women. 1st ed. Boston: Little, Brown, and Company, 1980. Print. ----------------------- Mather Brown, Abigail Adams. (Kerber 81) [pic]