Women and the American Revolution

Abstract

their lessons by shifting the focus from political history to social his tory, from the most significant ac tions of an elite to the daily lives of the masses (1). Yet to make such a pedagogical move is also to offer a particular interpretation of history; it suggests a gap between daily experience and political action and in fact reinforces exactly the assumption?that history has been made by powerful white men upon powerless women, minorities, and poor people?that a more inclusive history should challenge. In order to integrate women into the history of the Revolution, then, we must address the question of power. We may ask the old questions, but we can address them in more inclusive ways. We might even return to Carl Becker's old question and ask how Revo lutionary the war was. How did it affect the half of the population that was female? Focusing upon the position of women