A New Place for Women
According to the authors of Nation of Nations, “Many colonials saw the Coercive Acts as proof of a plot to enslave the colonies.” “The Society of Patriotic Women of Edenton” is an example of how the colonists rebelled against British actions. The British view of patriot activism leading up to the revolutionary war is apparent in the cartoon. The image portrays a direct opinion of and attempts to discredit the women involved in activism. The artist displays promiscuous behavior, lack of responsibility, and loss of feminine qualities to achieve this goal.
In the picture we see many activities going on at once in a busy room full of female patriots. Amidst all this activity, the artist shows some of these women engaging in compromising behavior. In the very center of the image, a buxom woman appears in close contact with a man. Looking closer, the man has one hand on the woman’s breast and his other hand no where to be seen. By showing this public display of inappropriate behavior, the artist suggests that the women are of low moral character and little inhibition.
Among other things shown in the picture we also see a large amount of alcohol being consumed—and from rather large containers. As well, in the left foreground of the image, there is a dog urinating on some discarded canteens. The dog is also licking an unattended child playing with what looks to be a platter of cookies or cakes, spilling them on the floor in the process. By showing heavy drinking and a lack of cleanliness, the message comes across that these women seem to have lost any sense of responsibility.
On the far right of the image two women can be seen, one woman is sitting at the head of the table and is apparently the leader, while the other stands idly behind her. These two women are portrayed rather unattractively with almost manly features. This says that their involvement in activism has caused a loss of an important quality a woman in this period holds, femininity.
These women took bold actions to protect their coveted freedoms, such as those curtailed by the Coercive Acts, and in turn their reputation in England suffered. Even though the women of Edenton were mocked by the British, their acts were admired by the colonists. The women of the Revolution from North Carolina epitomized the dissatisfaction of many Americans with the English and the need for American freedom. The unexpected and audacious behavior shown by the women of Edenton proved successful to show the British, Americans were willing to defend their independence.
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