The American Revolutionary War Soldier; War on the Home Front

African Americans & the Revolution
Description: Just as whites were divided by the conflict between the colonies and England, so blacks faced difficult choices. African-Americans fought for both sides, providing manpower to both the British and the revolutionaries. Their actions during the war were often decided by what they believed would best help them throw off the shackles of slavery. Most believed that victory by the British would lead to the end of slavery. Blacks who fought with the revolutionaries included Jonathan Overton, who died in 1849 at the age of 101. A newspaper described him as �a soldier of the Revolution� who had �served under Washington, and was at the battle of Yorktown, besides other less important engagements.� Another was Ned Griffen, who was purchased by William Kitchen to serve as his substitute in the army. But Kitchen refused to give the slave his freedom for this service as he had promised. Griffen petitioned the General Assembly, which granted him his freedom �forever hereafter� and gave him the right to vote.

Colonial Women
Description: The women of the family worked just as hard as the men. They had clothing to make and meals to cook. Almost everything needed for the home was made in the home. The women would make the candles and soap. These jobs would take more than a day. Clothes for the family had to be made and there was spinning and weaving and knitting to be done. The women of the family would get up very early in the morning to start preparing the meals for the day. Preparing meals in the colonial days meant that birds had to be plucked and bread had to be baked.