Introduction

When we think of the American Revolution who comes to mind? People like George Washington, Thomas Paine, Thomas Jefferson, Francis Marion (the Swamp Fox), Paul Revere are all very famous. We think of these men as war heroes risking their lives for the Patriotic cause. However,our society it appears, has given all the credit to Caucasian men. Chances are that you do not think of African Americans or women as playing an important role in the revolution. They were soldiers, sailors and spies. They deserve some of the glory as well.

Back to Top

The Task

• The student will understand the difficulties of being an Afro American and a women during the Revolutionary War.
• The student will understand the sacrifices that women and Blacks endured during the war effort.
• The student will write a summary of the contributions made by one women and by one Afro American of their choice.
• Why were blacks and women still treated unfairly even after their war efforts?

Back to Top

The Process

Students will be divided in teams of two. There will be time during each class to go to the media center and use the computers. Each team will be assigned one women and one African American to research. They will give a class presentation of about five minutes in length. Choose from the list below.

Each report needs to respond to the following questions:

• Describe the average day in the life of a slave
• Describe the average day in the life of a women or wife of a patriot
• In what ways did the war change their lives?
• What heroic deed did this person do in the war?
• What is your impression of these deeds?
• Why is it that often the role of Afro Americans in many periods of history is not emphasized?
• Did the social standing of Afro Americans as a group improve at all from their involvement's in the American Revolution?
• Why were women's rights not affected by their involvement in the war?

Back to Top

Resources

Some sites that will help you research your tasks are listed below. Many have links to additional sites. Visit these sites as well.

Women of the Revolutionary War

Georgia's Colonial Heroines

Women In Intelligence

Revolutionary Women and Children

Notable Women Ancestors

Hot List On Revolutionary War

Amazing Women in War and Peace

The American Revolution Experience

African Americans and Slaves During the Revolutionary War

Famous Afro-Americans in the American Revolutionary War

Early American Lives

The Role of the African Americans

African American Warriors

Back to Top

Evaluation

Conditions For Performance:

Students will be able to work on their projects during class. They must work in groups of two. The students must use a computer or a word processor. Incomplete or unacceptable work can be redone and handed in before the project is due.

Descriptive Rating Scales

Points: ----------------Traits ---------------Description for Understanding

5 points --------student exhibits a high degree of comprehension. The student has shown the ability to evaluate by drawing valid and provocative conclusions

3 points ------student shows some degree of understanding. The conclusions that were drawn express some thought however the student was not able to justify their opinions

1 point -------student showed very little understanding of the material. Student was not able to form an opinion at all.

0 points------- no response- no work handed in

CHECKLIST:

Did you edit your work(check for spelling and grammar)?

Back to Top

Conclusion:

Students will have a greater appreciation for women and Afro- Americans after having completed this project. They were treated as second class citizens before the war and they received no more after the war. It was not until more than a hundred years later that some changes began to happen. Why is this the case? Today their rights are still not the same a the "white "mans.

Back to Top