Women of the Revolution Deborah Sampson Betsy Ross Phillis Wheatley Nancy Morgan Hart Molly Pitcher Abigail Adams

Deborah Sampson Life Summary Portrait of Deborah Sampson

Deborah Sampson’s Life Deborah Sampson was born in Plympton, Massachusetts. She was born on December 17, 1760. She died in 1827. She read a copy of Tom Paine's Common Sense, and decided to make herself some men's clothing and disguise herself as a man and fight in the Revolutionary War as a soldier. She went to Medway, Massachusetts and enlisted in the army as Robert Shirtliff. It is not certain how long Deborah served in the army but she was wounded twice. The first time she got a sword slash on her head during a skirmish with Loyalist soldiers near Tarrytown, New York. A few months later she was shot in the shoulder with a musket ball. It was not discovered that she was a woman when she got medical help. Her true identity was not revealed until she got sick with yellow fever in Philadelphia. When she rejoined her troop her doctor gave her commanding officer a letter telling them the truth. The officers were shocked but Deborah had earned their respect. Instead of the punishment she expected, she received an honorable discharge from the army.

Deborah Sampson

Betsy Ross Life Summary Primary Resource Portrait of Betsy Ross

Betsy Ross Betsy Ross was born in Philadelphia on January 1, 1752. She was 21 years old when she married John Ross. Many people say that Betsy Ross made the first flag of the United States of America from a sketch that George Washington gave her. In June 1776 a committee of the Continental Congress is supposed to have given her a rough sketch for a flag which Washington designed. Although there is no real documentation that the story is true, there is no evidence that it is not true. It is true that Betsy Ross was a seamstress and made many flags during the Revolutionary War for the Pennsylvania Navy. The design that Betsy Ross was the first to sew for the United States was officially adopted by Congress on June 14, 1777, The flag had thirteen stripes and thirteen stars. Her flag-making business did very well and was carried on even after she died by her daughter. Betsy Ross died in Philadelphia on January 30, 1836. The United States celebrated the 200th anniversary of her birthday with a postage stamp being made in her honor in 1952.

"The History of the Flag of the United States" by William Canby A Paper read before the Historical Society of Pennsylvania (in 1870), entitled THE HISTORY OF THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES by William J. Canby Philadelphia The First American Flag and Who Made It. According to a well sustained tradition in the family of Elizabeth Claypoole (the Elizabeth Ross) this lady is the one to whom belongs the honor of having made with her own hands the first flag. Three of her daughters are still living who confirm this statement, not from their own knowledge, for the flag was made before they were born, but from the recollection of their mother's often repeated narration and from hearing it told by others who were cognizant of the facts during their childhood; and there is also yet living a niece of Mrs Claypoole's, Mrs Margaret Boggs (now in her 95th year) who resides with a niece in Germantown, Philadelphia, and still has full possession of all her faculties, who remembers well the incidents of the transaction as she heard it told, in her intimate intercourse with the family many times. The writer of this paper in the year 1857 had a conversation on the subject with the eldest daughter of Elizabeth Claypoole, then in active life, but since deceased, Mrs Clarissa S. Wilson, who succeeded her mother in the business of flag and color making and continued it for many years. Mrs Wilson's statement was put in writing at the time, as have been also the statements of her sisters and of Mrs Boggs and the substance of them is now given. We believe the fact is not generally known that to Philadelphia belongs the honor of having first flung the "Star Spangled Banner" to the breeze, and that to a Philadelphia lady, long since gathered to her fathers, belongs the honor of having made the first flag with her own hands.

Portrait of Betsy Ross

Phillis Wheatley Life Summary More of Phillis Wheatley’s life-primary document Poems of Phillis Wheatley

Phillis Wheatley-Life Summary Phillis Wheatley was born in 1753. She was a young child when she was taken from her family in Africa with about 80 other captured people on a slave ship. The slave ship came to Boston, Massachusetts in 1761 and a man named John Wheatley bought Phillis. When Phillis was fourteen she started to write poems. She became famous for her poetry. People from other colonies came to meet the poet. In 1773, Phillis had a chance to go to England. She was not even 20 years old. She was able to get her poems published. It was the first book ever published by a black person from North America. When Phillis came back to America, Boston was caught up in the Revolutionary War. Phillis wrote a poem about George Washington and sent it to him. General Washington wrote back to her and thought she was very talented. But Phillis did not have an easy life. She was sick a lot and died when she was only 31 years old.

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Poems of Phillis Wheatley On Virtue   O Thou bright jewel in my aim I strive To comprehend thee. Thine own words declare Wisdom is higher than a fool can reach. I cease to wonder, and no more attempt Thine height t' explore, or fathom thy profound. But, O my soul, sink not into despair, Virtue is near thee, and with gentle hand Would now embrace thee, hovers o'er thine head. Fain would the heav'n-born soul with her converse, Then seek, then court her for her promis'd bliss. Auspicious queen, thine heav'nly pinions spread, And lead celestial Chastity along; Lo! now her sacred retinue descends, Array'd in glory from the orbs above. Attend me, Virtue, thro' my youthful years! O leave me not to the false joys of time! But guide my steps to endless life and bliss. Greatness, or Goodness, say what I shall call thee, To give me an higher appellation still, Teach me a better strain, a nobler lay, O thou, enthron'd with Cherubs in the realms of day. Phillis Wheatley One Being Brought From Africa To America   'TWAS mercy brought me from my Pagan land, Taught my benighted soul to understand That there's a God, that there's a Saviour too: Once I redemption neither sought now knew, Some view our sable race with scornful eye, 'Their colour is a diabolic die.' Remember, Christians, Negroes, black as Cain, May be refin'd, and join th' angelic train. Phillis Wheatley

Nancy Morgan Hart Summary of Life More on the Life of Nancy Morgan Hart

Nancy Morgan Hart Nancy Morgan Hart was born in 1765 and died in 1840. She was not an educated person but she loved the idea that everyone should be free. She had a big heart for her friends. They say she didn't have very good manners but she knew how to handle a gun. She was a sharpshooter. She made history by shooting a gun at some Loyalist soldiers who broke into her house. First she and her daughter Sukey tricked them by making a turkey for them. Then when the soldiers started drinking, Nancy grabbed one of their guns and fired. She shot one of the soldiers dead. Her daughter then handed her another musket and she fired and killed another British soldier. They then agreed to surrender but Mrs. Morgan Hart kept them until her husband returned. He was about to shoot them all but his wife told them that they had surrendered and she said that shooting was too good for them. So the dead men were dragged outside and the others were taken outside and hung from a tree. This story turned out to be true many years later when a railroad company was planning to build where the Hart cabin was. When the railroad tore down the cabin they found six skeletons!

Molly Pitcher Life of Molly Pitcher Movie of Molly Pitcher

Abigail Adams Summary of Life Primary Document, letter to John Adams

Abigail Adams Abigail Adams was born in Massachusetts in 1744. She married John Adams the Colonial Leader and signer of the Declaration of Independence. He was also the second President of the United States of America. She had ideas she would tell her husband. They were both leaders in a fight for independence. She wanted America to break away from Great Britain so they could make their own laws. She thought that the women should have more power. "And in the new laws which you will make, I wish you will remember the ladies. Be more favorable and generous to them than your ancestors. Do not put so much power in the hands of husbands." People know a lot about Abigail Adams because of the letters she wrote to her husband while he was away. In 1774 he was in Philadelphia at the First Continental Congress. Then he was away when the Declaration of Independence was being signed. Abigail had a lot to do at home when he was away. She taught her daughters and ran the farm. She did not always think it was fair that women had to stay home. She made people think about women's rights.