Carol Berkin's Revolutionary Mothers

In Revolutionary Mothers: Women in the Struggle for America’s Independence, Carol Berkin reveals the American Revolution was not a glorious and romantic war like it has portrayed to be. Berkin pays close attention to the details regarding the war, in this sorrowful, tragic, and heartbreaking encounter of the American Revolution. She presents a multi-faceted thesis, arguing that the revolution was not a “quaint and harmless war” and that women played a greater role during the war than they are often given credit for (ix). As stated in the introduction this book is not an attempt to make women the main players in the revolution, but it simply suggests that it was not a male dominated event, and women actively participated in it as well. Lastly, Berkin discusses the …show more content…
She uses a unique style that presents the information from a variety of different perspectives which allows her readers to learn about a multitude of women involved in the revolution. This type of organization depicts multiple revolutions for many different people. It shows the reader how the war was different for everyone involved. She also shows how women’s race and social class affected experiences rather than their gender. Berkin’s book is different from other books written on this subject, because she specifically focuses on the roles women play throughout the war. The American Revolution tends to be portrayed as a strictly male dominated war, however Berkin chooses to shine light on the importance of women throughout this difficult time. It also differs from other works because it does not portray the war to glorious and romantic, but it is portrayed as the catastrophic event it was. Berkin’s argument is extremely convincing as she uses a large variety of sources to not only support her claims, but to also bring the book to life. It is clear that Berkin praises women for their bravery and boldness throughout the