If you believe in freedom, you will agree that deborah sampson was a war heroine. deborah proved that women can be excellent soldiers. at a time when women were not allowed to join the army, she hid her identity and did just that. she spent seventeen months posing as a man to serve her country.
deborah was born in massachusetts in 1760. when she was a child, her family was poor and her mother was ill. at the age of eight, deborah became a servant. she spent ten years working in a nearby home. she also worked in the fields.
during her time as a servant, deborah became a great person. she learned to hunt, ride a horse, and perform carpentry tasks. she also attended school. by the end of her service, she had received enough education to become a teacher. she taught students at a public school until 1782.
at twenty-one, deborah decided to do something noble. she wanted to serve her country. america was in the middle of the revolutionary war. the people wanted to win their freedom from england. women weren’t allowed to join the army, so deborah developed a clever idea. she would pretend to be a man, so she could become a soldier! on may 20, 1782, deborah performed a brave and honorable act. she dressed as a man and joined the army, signing up as robert shurtleff.
the other men in the army had no idea that robert shurtleff had such a big secret. at five feet, seven inches, deborah was a tall woman. no one questioned her size. the other men did notice that she never grew a beard. they often teased her about never needing to shave, but they thought it was because robert was young.
during one battle, deborah was shot in the leg, but she refused to see a doctor. she worried that the doctor would learn her secret and tell the army leaders. instead, she chose to treat her own wounds. the leg never healed properly, but deborah’s secret was safe. what a strong and determined solider she was! unfortunately, in the fall of 1783, she developed a fever and went to see a doctor. during her treatment, the doctor discovered the truth.
the continental army released deborah with honors. her days as a soldier were over, and she no longer had to live a lie. she later married and had three children. she also gave lectures about her time in the army as robert shurtleff.
the story of deborah's life should inspire girls and women everywhere. paul revere, another war hero, spoke well of deborah. he once wrote that she was "a woman with handsome talents, good morals, a dutiful wife, and an affectionate parent."
read the passage on the left to answer the following questions:
which statement from the passage best supports the author's conclusion that deborah was a war heroine?
a) deborah proved that women can be excellent soldiers.
b) she spent seventeen months posing as a man to serve her country.
c) she also gave lectures about her time in the army as robert shurtleff.
d) the other men in the army had no idea that robert shurtleff had such a big secret.