Conclusions

While a modern patriotic outlook can paint the American Revolution as an entirely positive event, the lives of these individuals affirm that the revolution had negative consequences for some individuals beyond the carnage of war.

As is evident with the case Jenny Slew and Thomas Jeremiah, the financial strain both in terms of shipping in New England as well as the threat to slave labor in South Carolina provided an opportunity for white American colonists to further oppress marginalized members of society.

Another trend evident in these profiles is a lack of representation of American Indians in popular American history, despite some American Indians like Molly Brant fully immersing themselves into Ango-American society.

As society works to be more inclusive of the stories of all Americans, there will be challenges as there is a lack of primary source material indicative of decades of devaluing human lives. Despite these challenges, representation of America from its founding is essential to understanding the story of our nation today.