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The American Revolution paradoxically showcased a commitment to liberty alongside the preservation of slavery.
Many white Americans, especially in the South, deemed liberty and slavery compatible, viewing the enslavement of Africans as essential to secure their own freedom.
They feared the social consequences of free Black individuals and the necessity of a white servile workforce, which they believed would threaten white liberty.
Thus, white Americans fought for their freedom while maintaining the institution of slavery.

Native Americans faced uncertainty during the Revolution.
Patriots urged neutrality, but colonial expansion profoundly threatened their lands.
The British, though largely ineffective, had tried to restrict white settlement, and aimed to protect Native lands to prevent conflicts.
However, some Native nations, like the Iroquois, resisted American forces, causing considerable damage and sustaining retaliatory losses.

The Revolution severely weakened Native Americans.
Patriot victory fueled white demand for western land and intensified negative attitudes towards Native tribes, who were often resented for aiding the British and treated as conquered.
This led to paternalistic views that Natives needed to adapt to white society.

Revolutionary ideals sparked debates on women's roles, yet few legal reforms occurred.
Unmarried women held some property rights, but married women had virtually none: they couldn't own property, earn wages, or have legal authority over children, with all possessions belonging to their husbands.
Divorce was rare for women, leaving them vulnerable.
Abigail Adams urged her husband to consider women's rights and challenged unchecked male power.
While the Revolution didn't fundamentally change gender dynamics, some states did simplify divorce, and New Jersey briefly granted women suffrage before its repeal.
Overall, women's rights saw little advancement but spurred a growing demand for female education for self-sufficiency.

The war significantly impacted women, who often managed farms and businesses in their husbands' absence.
This led to increased poverty, prompting some women to protest price hikes and even riot for food.
Some, like Molly Pitcher, broke gender norms by participating in combat.
Women also provided crucial support to the army, contributing to morale and supplies, despite skepticism from leaders.

The Revolution created deep internal divisions among Native tribes, hindering unified resistance against white settlers.
The Shawnee's defeat in Lord Dunmore's War and ongoing tribal disputes weakened their position.
White militias often launched violent retaliatory raids, exemplified by the massacre of 96 peaceful Delaware Indians at Gnadenhutten.
Patriot victory proved a major setback for Native Americans, opening the way for aggressive westward expansion and further loss of land and autonomy.

The Revolution revealed deep contradictions in American society, pursuing liberty while entrenching slavery, gender inequality, and indigenous dispossession.
These foundational challenges profoundly shaped subsequent U.S. history.