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American Revolution Social Changes

Decent Essays

The American Revolution was the point of change in the world. It was the first time that a democratic government was developed and tested in a time where monarchies ruled Europe and it was the time when the world saw that the concept of democracy could lead to the fundamental change in society, specifically politically, socially, and economically. However, even though it was the point in change for the world, to what extent did it change American society politically, socially, and economically in the period between 1775-1800? The answer is that political, social, and economic effects of the American Revolution impacted society to different extents and established ideas that would later influence future movements and changes in America. First, …show more content…

Primarily, the Declaration was the main source of inspiration for social change towards women. The very structure of the Declaration and the very language of it saying that “all men are created equal” led to future movements for women's rights. For example, although 50 years out of the given time period, the Seneca Falls Convention was the first major event in US history where women’s rights were presented and stood up for by using the Declaration for a basis of argument (those at the convention rewrote the Declaration but wherever the word “men” was they replaced it with “men and women”). Arguments for the basis of women’s rights also came from within the given time period as shown by the drawing of a Patriot Woman holding a musket standing outside of a fort that has the English flag waving on it signifying the belief that women can fight for their country just as well as men can [Doc. A]. In addition, women of the time period expressed their displeasure at their lack of rights as Molly Wallace says “what then must my situation be, when my sex, my youth and inexperience all conspire to make tremble at the task at which I have undertaken?” in reference to women’s inability to gain an education. Therefore by the arguments presented, one can see that the American Revolution era was the starting point in which ideas for social change, especially towards women’s equality, was the inspiration for future events and changes in American

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