Warrior Women in the Americas

Sarah Chapman

In the ballads that mention the Americas, including ones that contain non-military travel there, the dates all fit within the 18th century.  American history puts this period as one of great migration from England, France, Spain, and the Netherlands to the New World. This is the period when America was beginning to form as the 13 colonies; along side the rampant extermination of Native Americans. Looking at all of these ballads from the era, some, like “Johnny and Molly” explicitly mention travelling to America to fight in the Revolutionary War. Others, like “The Female Sailor”, simply mention America as the background to the events in the ballad. What is the significance of America in these ballads? Is there a common thread of colonialism, imperialism, or racialized language towards natives in them?  What are the common fears of the Warrior Women for their men to face? In “New York Streets” for example, the Warrior Woman’s lover is sent to America so she follows him. They face the brutality of “Indians”, then a shipwreck in the Bahamas, only to be rescued by English ships and sent back to England to be married. Are the circumstances portrayed in these ballads about America commenting on the English fears of American life? Were they trying to dissuade people from travelling there, unless to fight for the British in the Revolution? Do these ballads source from England or America and what can that tell us about the perspective of the English towards the colonies?