Though often overlooked, women made vital contributions to the American Revolution, stepping up to fight for and in support of their young nation and the ideals it stood for. Their dedicated acts of service, protest, and ingenuity helped sustain the revolution, both materially and morally. While often overshadowed by their male counterparts, the Founding Mothers played a crucial role in the American Revolution and establishment of the United States of America. These inspiring women modeled characteristics of bravery and strength that we continue to admire and celebrate today.

Abigail Adams | Abigail Adams, the wife of President John Adams and mother of 6 including John Quincy the sixth U.S. President, was a significant advocate for women’s rights. Abigail continually urged her husband to “remember the ladies” as the young nation was establishing new laws and policies. Abigail was also a prolific writer and correspondent, and her letters provide insight into the political and social climate of the Revolutionary era. (Check out our store to get your own “Remember the Ladies” shirt inspired by Abigail Adams!)

Sarah Bradlee Fulton | Sarah Bradlee Fulton was a wife, mother of 10, and was nicknamed the “Mother of the Boston Tea Party.” After the “Tea Party” was over, Fulton helped clean up the Sons of Liberty and dispose of their disguises. She also chased down a troop of British who had commandeered her shipment of wood, seizing their oxen by the horns, turning them around and reclaiming the shipment. When the British troops threatened to shoot her, she simply replied “Shoot away.” Amazed by her defiance, they surrendered the shipment to her. She also served as a messenger of General Washington inside enemy lines when stationed in Boston.

Martha Washington | Martha Washington was the wife of George Washington, the first President of the United States, and mother of 4 children. A prominent figure in the social and political life of the new nation, she hosted many events at the presidential mansion in New York City and later in Philadelphia. Martha was also known for her generosity and support of the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War.

Deborah Sampson | Deborah Sampson disguised herself as a man and fought in the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War. She was wounded several times and eventually revealed her true identity to her fellow soldiers. A year after she was discharged from the army, Sampson married and raised 4 children. Later, she toured the country, giving lectures about her experiences, and was the first woman to receive a military pension from the United States government. 

Betsy Ross | Though it is still an unconfirmed story that Betsy made the first American flag, she is a prime representation of many American women during the Revolutionary War. Betsy's first husband was killed on militia duty in 1776 and her second husband was a sailor who was captured by the British in 1781 and died in prison. Like many women in wartime, it was Betsy’s craftiness—literally—that took care and provided for her child and herself by earning a living as a seamstress and flag maker.

Mercy Otis Warren | Mercy Otis Warren was a playwright, historian, wife, and mother of five known for her literary support of the revolutionary cause. She was a vocal critic of British rule and wrote several plays and poems celebrating the American spirit of freedom and independence. Warren was also an advocate for women’s education and wrote a history of the American Revolution that included the contributions of women. 

Elizabeth Zane | Elizabeth Zane was a wife, mother of 7, and revolutionary hero. Elizabeth was residing inside Fort Henry during the second siege, called “The Last Battle of the Revolution,” when Colonel Shepherd found his powder supply exhausted. She volunteered to go to the nearest source which was over 100 yards away with this simple assertion: “I will go.” Elizabeth carried gunpowder in a tablecloth from the storehouse a distance of 100 yards away, saving the day and Fort Henry.

Mary Katherine Goddard | Mary Katherine Goddard was a printer and publisher who printed the first copy of the Declaration of Independence that included the signers’ names. She was also the first female postmaster in the United States and advocated for the rights of women and African Americans.

Phillis Wheatley | Phillis Wheatley was an enslaved poet whose work spoke to the revolution’s ideals.  Her book “Poems on Various Subjects, Religious and Moral” was published in 1773 and was the first book of poetry published by an African American in the United States. Shortly after her work was published, she was emancipated. Her work has since been praised by prominent figures such as George Washington and Jupiter Hammon. 

Read about more mothers that WPLN has highlighted in previous years here.