Women in the American Revolution: The Story of Esther de Berdt Reed
Grade
Grades 6-8
In this lesson, students explore the life of Esther de Berdt Reed, who published “The Sentiments of an American Woman” and led a major fundraising effort for American troops during the Revolutionary War. Through close reading and character analysis, they examine how her compassion inspired collective action while practicing evidence‐based discussion and writing skills.
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Lesson Overview
In this lesson, students will explore the life of Esther de Berdt Reed, who published a broadside, “The Sentiments of an American Woman,” in 1780. Through close reading and character analysis, students will examine how Esther de Berdt Reed’s compassion inspired her to create and execute a plan that raised the equivalent of $7 million, in today’s dollars, for American troops during the Revolutionary War. Students will also practice generating thoughtful questions about character development and support their analysis with textual evidence. These activities will enable students to explore how Esther de Berdt Reed demonstrated compassion when she assisted American troops.
Unit at a Glance
Unit Essential Questions
- The Declaration of Independence lists several self‐evident truths: People, by their very existence, are free, equal, and have rights. No one, not even a king, can govern them without their consent. What are freedom, equality, rights, and government with consent?
- To what extent were the women covered in these lessons able to use their character strengths to achieve the self‐evident truths outlined in the Declaration of Independence?
Objectives
- Identify and analyze a historical individual’s character strengths.
- Support claims using textual evidence in a graphic organizer.
- Understand the roots of vocabulary words to better comprehend the meaning of a text.
- Collaborate with others to generate questions and share different perspectives about a nonfiction text.
- Engage respectfully in small‐ and large‐group discussions, showing positive collaboration and cooperation skills.
- Demonstrate command of standard English grammar and usage while speaking and in writing.
Materials
- “‘Love for the Public Good’: The Story of Esther de Berdt Reed” text
- Large sticky notes or large piece of butcher paper
Warm‐Up
Step One
- Project or post the word “compassion” on the board. Then give students this writing prompt:
- What does the word “compassion” mean to you? Respond in two or three sentences.
- Ask students to share their definitions with a partner. Then give a few students the opportunity to share their thoughts with the whole class.
Step Two
- Tell students that the word “compassion” comes from the Latin roots com (which means “together with”) and pati (which means “to suffer”). Write these two Latin roots on the board with their definitions so students can recall them.
- Have students write their thoughts or share with a partner in response to the following prompt:
- How does knowing the Latin roots for “compassion” change your understanding of the meaning? Does it make a difference that the word “compassion” means at its core “to suffer with”?
- Help students understand that compassion is more than simply feeling sorry for or having pity on another person. Bring them to a deeper understanding of the word so they can better understand how Esther Reed showed compassion.
Lesson Activities
Read About Esther de Berdt Reed
- As a class, brainstorm words that are synonyms of the words suffer, together, and love. Some examples are given in the table.
- Debrief with students and help them understand that each of these words has a wide range of associated words and a spectrum of meanings.
- Hand out the text “‘Love for the Public Good’: The Story of Esther de Berdt Reed.” Have students read the text individually or in pairs.
While they are reading, ask students to highlight or underline the actions or events that show Reed having compassion (suffering together with) and love for the public good during the Revolutionary War.
SMALL-GROUP WORK
After students have finished reading the passage, put them into small groups. Ask each group to complete the following table. Be sure that students use evidence from the text to support the ways that Reed showed compassion and love.
After all students have completed the table, facilitate a whole‐class discussion and debrief about the ways that Reed showed compassion and love for the public good. Leave students with the question: “Just like Reed showed love and compassion for the public good, how can you show love and compassion for the good of those in your community or school?”
Generate Ways to Show Compassion
In their small groups (or, if preferred, in new small groups), have students brainstorm ways that they can show love and compassion for the public good of their community or school. Have students list their ideas on a large sticky note or a piece of butcher paper. Hang these around the room so all students can see each other’s ideas.
Plan a Project
Using a Google Slides or PowerPoint slide deck or posterboard, have students plan a project that shows love or compassion for the public good. Each plan must include the following:
- A clearly stated problem
- A written statement about how their project shows compassion for those dealing with this problem
- An outline of how the project will help others with this problem
- How their project contributes to the public good of the whole community
Share Projects
Ask students to present their projects to the rest of the class. If possible, have students work on their projects with the appropriate stakeholders (i.e., administrators, other teachers, etc.) to help their school or community for the public good. You might even plan an after‐school event where students are able to share their ideas and interact with relevant community members.
Debrief
After students have shared their projects, ask the following questions:
- How was your project similar to and different from the projects that Esther Reed undertook for the public good of her community?
- What character strengths show compassion and/or love for the public good? How did Reed show these character strengths? How did you and your small group show these character strengths as you created your project?
- What challenges did Reed have to overcome to show compassion/love for the public good? How did her character strengths help with this?
- What challenges did you have to overcome to show compassion/love for the public good? How did your character strengths help with this?
Closing
Individually, through an exit ticket, ask students the following question:
- The Declaration of Independence lists several self‐evident truths: People, by their very existence, are free and equal, and they have rights. No one, not even a king, can govern them without their consent. To what extent did Esther de Berdt Reed use compassion to achieve the self‐evident truths outlined in the Declaration of Independence?
Published with permission of the Cato Institute © 2025.