This assignment is to generate thought on the difficult decision of American women on whether to support the American patriot cause or to remain loyal to Britain.
Write a 2-3 page paper as a WOMAN OF THAT TIME explaining your decision to remain loyal (a LOYALIST) or to revolt against Britain (A PATRIOT) Think of the decision that a woman in that time had to make, and think as a woman in the context of that time and events.
Please choose your position as either a Patriot or a Loyalist. Are you a colonist of European descent, an Indian, or a black American, slave or free? Which colony do you live in? What is your living situation? Are you a wife or daughter? A widow or woman alone? A plantation mistress, farm wife, business owner, mid-wife, indentured servant, slave, Indian, or? Do you write plays or poetry regarding the Revolutionary events? Did you make the rare decision to fight by disguising yourself as a man?
REMEMBER that most women were average, not elite, and survival often depended on the male figures of the household. Imagine the experience in a time without easy communication of not knowing where or what your husband, father, son, brother was experiencing, or even if they were alive.
Certain colonies leaned toward Patriot (Massachusetts, Virginia and southern colonies) and others toward loyalist (New York, Pennsylvania).
Write your paper as journal or diary entries, or as a letter to a friend or relative describing your reasons for your decision to be loyal or to rebel and how that decision impacted your life before, during and after the Revolution. Remember that you are writing as A PERSON OF THAT TIME. Do NOT bring a 21st century attitude, vocabulary or sensibilities into the project
Be creative and have fun!
Your paper should be typed, double spaced with no larger than 12 pt font.
To aid you, the link below will take you to a document that will provide some background and reasons for supporting a position as either a Patriot or Loyalist.
