In Ava's class they did a program about the Revolutionary War. Ava had the part about Deborah Sampson--the Woman Warrior of the American Revolution,. When she was 11 she became an indentured servant which ended when she was 18. After that she became a school teacher. She had a desire to travel and see more of the world and decided that she would dress like a man and in 1781 she joined the Continental Army. Shortly after, she was wounded. She removed the bullet herself so they wouldn't discover her secret. She was shot again 4 months later but it wasn't until she came down with the fever did a doctor discover that she was a woman. She was honorably discharged in 1785. She later married and had several children. With the help of Paul Revere she eventually was given a General Service Pension in 1821. Deborah said later that she found war to be "exhausting and terrifying." I am sure that was true.
Ava's costume was made by her mom who did a phenomenal job and Ava recited her part to us when we picked her up from school. She looked quite dapper in her uniform but in spite of that, no one would mistake her for a boy!
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