ems of nonessentials. These items included furniture, books, china, as well as social development opportunities and activities. Women also had time to educate themselves beyond their regular housewifery skills. This included reading, managing the plantation in the absence of a male family member, and cultural development. Socially, women had time to entertain and lead a more gentile lives. They socialized with other women, held parties, while seeing to the management of the household. Of course, not all households were managed at this magnitude. This lifestyle pertained to the upper classes. For those below this level of living and for women in rural areas, life remained the pretty much the same. During the American Revolution, women played an important part in economic sanctions by boycotting imports and dealing with greedy merchants. (Booth 104) Reportedly, crowds of women took public action by liberating stored goods. Women also traveled with soldiers to cook, clean, load weapons, and tend the wounded. With men away from home and in combat, women assumed a number of unfamiliar roles: caretakers of the home, farm, or family business; agriculture; and nursing the wounded returning soldiers. Women's wartime efforts had both provided them with an increased sense of independence and led them to set their sights beyond the limited sphere of their home. (Rogers 199) Women's roles changed due to the war and during this period because of the political and economic factors most societies encounter during strife. Development of the countryside and infrastructure changed the social life of women.Famous women of the time related to their families in different ways. One woman, Anne Dudley Bradstreet was born in 1612 and immigrated to the colonies with the Puritans in 1630. Anne and her family had enjoyed the advantages of wealth. Even with her household duties, Anne found time to write poetry. Several of her poems were written...
