“Behind every great man is an even greater woman.” I’m sure you’ve heard that phrase before. It may not always be true, but perhaps its updated, feminist sister quote is: “Behind every great man is not a woman. She is beside him. She is with him, not behind him.”
The point is, women deserve credit for the things they’ve done just as much as men do, and that includes helping build this nation we all know and begrudgingly love. It’s time for America to get out of its angsty teen phase and start appreciating its mothers’ hard work.
Here are just a few examples to start off, but trust me, there are so many more.
1. Martha Washington
Not only was Mrs. Washington our first First Lady, but she was played a vital role in boosting morale of soldiers during the Revolutionary War. She made countless, arduous journeys to her husband’s winter encampments, even after battling a case of smallpox – a nearly fatal disease at the time. She provided soldiers with warm clothing and food, and even nursed them back to health when they fell ill, including the Commander-in-Chief (her husband). She was also responsible for running the family plantation while George was off fighting the war, which, based on the size of Mount Vernon, was no small task. Though she didn’t support George’s presidential candidacy, she accepted the role of First Lady with grace, presiding over weekly receptions in the first seat of our budding government. Nothing says “I love you” like putting up with your husband’s man cold and babysitting all his coworkers.
2. Abigail Adams
Though you may know her as the wife and mother of two U.S. presidents, Abigail was responsible for so much more. She was one of the most influential women of the Revolutionary Era – and for good reason. Abigail was a political activist, and an incredibly intellectual one at that. She was hired as a correspondent and advisor for her husband, President John Adams, before nepotism was a whole big thing. She was also an avid supporter of anti-slavery acts, women’s rights, and improving education for both boys and girls. Her eloquent letters gave historians an incredibly in-depth look into her own life and the general state of colonial and revolutionized America. And to think she never had a proper education herself!
3. Mercy Otis Warren
This one is near and dear to my heart. Warren was a political powerhouse with a pen, taking on the role of propagandist, playwright, historian, and author. She was one of the first American women to write for a public audience. Not only that, but her works were full of unapologetic, anti-British propaganda during the Revolutionary Era. Warren dabbled in both creative and nonfiction writing, eventually publishing the first history of the American revolution in 1805 (an extremely accurate history, too, considering most of her historical accounts were told to her directly from the sources). During the Revolution, her plays were used as tool to rally American forces against the British. After the war, Warren shifted her focus to forward-thinking, contemporary political issues, such as women’s roles in politics. She believed that women should be more politically conscious. If only she could see us now.
4. Deborah Sampson
This name might not sound very familiar, but don’t worry – even those closest to Sampson didn’t know her name. Hell, they didn’t even know she was a woman! After being freed from indentured servitude, the ever-patriotic Sampson wanted to enlist in the Continental Army. Of course, this wasn’t allowed, so she bound her chest and declared herself “Robert Shurtlieff.” She adapted so well to her masculine-filled environment that no one discovered her true identity until she was on the brink of death and a doctor felt her chest to make sure she was still breathing – a doctor whose niece fell in love with “Robert” (I’ll take “oops, my gay is showing” for 500, Alex). Sampson was given an honorable discharge, but she continued to lecture about her time in the Army long after her forced retirement. She also demanded pay for her service, and eventually became the first woman to receive pension as a war veteran. Thank you for your service, uh, “Robert.”
5. Sybil Ludington
Listen, my children, and you shall hear of the midnight ride of – Sybil Ludington? So, it might not flow as well as “Paul Revere,” but Ludington’s actions speak louder than a poem’s words, anyway. Known as the “female Paul Revere” (creative, right?), Ludington took her own midnight ride at just 16 years old, and totally outdid the midnight riders in Revere’s little cohort. When her father, Colonel Henry Ludington, received news that British forces had landed on the coast of Connecticut and were headed their way, she was the first to volunteer to gather his militia. Ludington rode a 40-mile circuit, all on her own, only stopping to knock on doors to alert the sleeping militiamen. Her long trek was also treacherous – there were plenty of bandits and British sympathizers in the area, but even disregarding that, she was a 16-year-old girl traveling alone at night. If that’s not bravery, I don’t know what is. Despite putting herself in such danger, she returned home safe and sound, and the militia she roused were able to push back the British forces to Long Island Sound. And, don’t worry, she ended up getting her own poem, too.
Herstory Untold 
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