Women Who Boycotted
A woman spinning; this image was published in Popular Science in 1891.
Take Notes
Look at the image. How might women like the one pictured have contributed to efforts to boycott British-made goods?
Women were central to the boycotts of British goods after the French and Indian War. After the British Parliament introduced the Sugar Act of 1764, which levied new duties on imports of textiles, wines, coffee, and sugar, British colonists protested new taxes by refusing to buy goods or products shipped from England. Because women were in charge of buying everything needed for the family and home, they played a key role in these boycotts. They also had the skills to make homemade substitutes for British products.
While spinning cloth was traditionally women’s work, it was very difficult and time-consuming; by the 1760s, most women enjoyed purchasing their cloth from overseas. But with the Sugar Act, women joined in the boycotts by going to “spinning bees.” At these events, women set up spinning wheels and kept each other company while they spun yarn that could be woven into fabric (such cloth became known as homespun). Wearing clothing made from homespun fabric was one way to demonstrate support for the ideals of liberty and the rights of the colonies in the 1760s and 1770s.
