Patriotism is the love that one has for his/her country. When America was fighting for independence patriotism was very important because it encouraged Americans to put more efforts in the struggle for independence.
America is made up of fifty states; all of these were expected to unite to fight against British rule in America. Some people did not see the importance of fighting and therefore chose to remain loyal to the British government. Their loyalty was seen by freedom fighters as an insult to the American people. Their houses were burnt, and some of them were killed because they were thought to be undermining the efforts of freedom fighters.
Everyone was expected to show his/her commitment to the struggle for independence regardless of their sex or age. This led to a lot of casualties and destruction of property. The war affected children of that time negatively because both men and boys were recruited into the armies and sent abroad. This meant that the boys had to quit school and join the army. In the battlefields many men were killed which left many children fatherless and therefore the mothers had to assume duties that were earlier left for fathers.
Children were not allowed to be children because they had very little time with their families. They were organized into youth organizations that were responsible for collecting money within their schools and within areas of their locality. The money would then be used to support the struggle for independence.
The children’s’ efforts in the struggle for independence were greatly recognized and appreciated by the government which led to the introduction of classes on patriotism and nationalism. This was done because the government and activists had declared that patriotism was a must for all.
The women were also directly affected because they had to take positions that were earlier reserved for men and therefore they spent most of their time at work, leaving the children without someone to take care of them. The children were on their own because the men in their families such as uncles, brothers, grandfathers, and fathers had joined the army.
After the war women had been enlightened and shifted from being house-wives and were employed in various sectors such as factories and offices. Men were significantly affected by the struggle for independence.
While in the battlegrounds, they were not to show any signs of fear, and sometimes their fellow men killed those who did so. Fighters who had severe injuries were sent back home. Most of the men who died in the war were below 30 years which meant that women who had not been married had to remain unmarried for a long time.
Men who returned home were left helpless under the care of nursing homes. They felt unimportant to society because they could not marry and have children. This was so because most of these men returned home without hands and legs. The effects of the war are still being felt to this date.
Reference
- Paul, D. (2007). True Stories of the First World War. The USA. First Scholastic Printing.ISBN 978-0-439-93237-0