The British were very busy for quite some time with the French and Indian war. They neglected the American colonies during the war; all their resources and power had to go into protecting their claim. This allowed the colonies to develop a sense of self, and thus a sense of independence. It was the beginning of a streak of bold actions that eventually led to the revolutionary war. These acts were viewed as rude, and disrespectful after all, Britain viewed itself as the “motherland” and felt that the colonies should obey their commands. They were even more insulted by the involvement of women in these rebellious activities. Britain viewed the colonials as rude, unruly, and uncouth because of their political Independence, and rebellion.
They say a picture is worth a thousand words, but in this case, it may be worth more. In the cartoon, “Society of Patriotic Women of North Carolina”, we can definitely see what the British thought of the colonists. Empty bottles of gin tossed about the scene shows what there drinking habits where thought to be. Drinking was looked down upon during those days, it suggested that a person was uncivilized, especially when the liquor is not of high quality, and the colonists are drinking home made liquor. It can also be noted that the women are drinking, which was not acceptable during those times. Both the men and the women are depicted as vulgar, but the cartoon focuses on the women.
The cartoonist depicts women doing the things that are out of their role in society. This cartoon conveys that patriotism and activism is should not have been part of a women’s life. For example, all of them have either been put in compromising positions, or they are depicted with overtly manly physical features. They are all drinking and carousing around which is a stereotypically male activities. A typical task for women in the division of labor between the sexes is that women take care of the children, yet there is a child who is being totally neglected underneath the table and making a mess of himself, and the area around him. The cartoonist believes women should stay out of the political arena, because they will become corrupted, and vulgar. The cartoonist suggests a feeling that a woman’s place in the society is in the home.
The area of political strategy used against the British in which women were able to participate the most, is the boycott. Their refusal to buy imported tea and other goods was crucial. If they had not participated, and demanded for all the goods imported from England, the boycotts would have failed. This boycott strategy hurt the British greatly, because the colonist where major consumers of British goods. Refusing to pay the heavy taxes on the goods also hurt the British economy. The difference is there is less money going directly to the government to cover the costs of the French and Indian war. They would only receive taxes from those living in England. The British felt that the colonist where trying to get away with receiving the benefits of being British citizens but did not want to make any of the sacrifices. The French and Indian war for example, it was to protect the colonies from invasion by other empirical powers, namely France. So it would only be natural for the British to feel like they were cheated and to hold resentment for what is in their minds, and unpaid debt. Almost like an unruly child refusing its parents will. England had give in the financial and political support to for the creation of the colonies and now they were being very ungrateful. All of these factors lead to the views the British and about the American colonies as being rude, ungrateful people.
