Daughters of Liberty
By: Erin Brezovar
What Formed the Daughters of Liberty?
- King George the 3rd decided to put taxes on the goods Britain was sending over to the colonists, so Britain would gain more money.
- The colonists thought it was unfair that Parliament was passing these laws without their approval. They did not want to pay these taxes.
- The Daughters of Liberty formed in 1766 when they helped deny the Stamp Act.
- However, their real work started in 1767 when the Daughters of Liberty played a huge role in the boycott against the Townshend Act; a law that required British imports to the colonies such as glass, paper, lead, cloth, tea, and string taxed.
What did the Daughters of Liberty Do? How did this impact America?
They would hold yarn spinning contests in the village squares called "spinning bees", attended by both males and females. They also taught others how to sew and knit.
On top of that, they looked to find substitutes for other British taxed goods such as tea and sugar. And even though it wasn't as good, the Daughters of Liberty created a tea like drink out of boiled basil leaves to replace the tea they were used to drinking each day. It was hard for the colonists to stop using British imports, but the Daughters of Liberty made the boycott possible, providing other options for the colonists and encouraging local businesses.
The Daughters of Liberty also helped the men in battle by sewing their uniforms and making bullets. They even raised money for the army and created protest petitions.
They hoped that by refusing to buy taxed British goods, British merchants would lose money and have to remove the Townshend Act, and it worked.
The Daughters of Liberty made a huge impact on America because they represented woman's political involvement. This was a huge step forward for women who were not used to using their opinions and making a difference.
Well Known Members
Martha Washington
Abigail Adams
Molly Pitcher
Esther de Berdt
Deborah Sampson
Sarah Franklin Bache
My Reaction
I know that the colonists had "their ways" of getting others on their side, like using torture as an alternative, but I still think that it would be difficult to get everyone to boycott British imports. I remember last year in school everyone really wanted a longer lunch time. A few kids set up a "boycott" against buying hot lunches until the school gave us a longer lunch. I mean, they made flyers and everything. However, this did not work because many kids took hot lunch anyways.
All in all, what the Daughters of Liberty have taught me is to always fight for your beliefs and be dedicated to your work.
Glossary
King George the 3rd: British monarch who ruled during the Revolution.
Parliament: England's chief lawmaking body.
Stamp Act: A law passed by Parliament requiring all legal and commercial documents to carry an official stamp showing that a tax had been paid.
Townshend Act: A law passed by Parliament that put a tax on all British imports to the colonies.
Works Cited
http://printables.scholastic.com/printables/detail/?id=31560
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daughters_of_Liberty
http://www.womenhistoryblog.com/2009/02/daughters-of-liberty.html
http://americanrevolutionstoriesabc.wikispaces.com/Sons+and+Daughters+of+Liberty
http://maryjeanadams.blogspot.com/2012/08/daughters-of-liberty.html
http://www.mountvernon.org/george-washington/martha-washington/ten-facts-about-martha-washington/
http://www.biography.com/people/molly-pitcher-9390922#battle-of-monmouth-heroics
http://www.amphilsoc.org/mole/view?docId=ead/Mss.B.B1245-ead.xml;query=;brand=default
American History book by McDougal Littel, Robert Dallek, Jesus Garcia. Donna M. Ogle, and C. Frederick Risinger