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Primary sourcePainting25 March 1775

A Society of Patriotic Ladies at Edenton in North Carolina

Philip Dawe · 25 March 1775

A 1775 British satirical print mocking the Edenton women's protest that Penelope Barker organized.

This satirical print mocks the Edenton Tea Party protest that Penelope Barker organized and led.

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Engraved print in grey tones of a 1775 satirical scene: a group of fashionably dressed women in tall hairstyles gather around a draped table in an interior with a window and curtains. One woman writes at the table while others look on; a dog and a small seated child figure appear in the foreground, and men stand at the left doorway. Caption reads 'A Society of Patriotic Ladies, at Edenton in North Carolina' with publication details below.
Philip Dawe, A Society of Patriotic Ladies, at Edenton in North Carolina, 25 March 1775. The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

About this source

What it is

This mezzotint print, made by Philip Dawe and dated March 25, 1775, is a satirical depiction of the Edenton women's protest. It shows a group of fashionably dressed women gathered around a table, with a dog and child in the foreground and men watching from a doorway. It is now held by The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Why it matters

This print was created in Britain to mock the Edenton women's political action, led by Penelope Barker, showing that their protest was noticed and taken seriously enough to provoke a hostile response. It reveals how contemporaries, especially in Britain, viewed women's participation in politics as something to ridicule.

Look closer

  • What details in the clothing, poses, and setting suggest the artist's mocking tone?
  • Why might the dog and child be included in the scene?
  • What does this satire tell us about British attitudes toward politically active women in the colonies?

This painting is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Penelope Barker on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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Black-and-white engraved print of a woman with light hair pulled back, wearing a low-necked 18th-century gown with lace trim and holding a small flower bud. Below the image is a printed caption naming Mrs. Penelope Barker.Painting

Secondary source

Portrait of Penelope Barker

Exterior of a two-story white clapboard house with weathered wooden siding on its upper gable, two tall red brick chimneys rising above the roofline, multi-pane sash windows, dark shutters, and a porch with white columns and railing against a blue sky with wispy clouds.Artifact

Primary source

Barker House, Edenton

Thomas and Penelope Barker · c. 1782

Printed broadside of the Continental Association, dated Philadelphia, October 20, 1774, with large headline text and columns of dense type. Lists of signatures of delegates from colonies are printed at the bottom. Handwritten marks and notes appear at the lower left.Document

Primary source

Continental Association

First Continental Congress · 20 October 1774

The Historic Tea-Party of Edenton, October 25th, 1774Book

Secondary source

The Historic Tea-Party of Edenton, October 25th, 1774

Richard Dillard · 1898

Scanned newspaper clipping in old black-letter type. At top is a letter extract from North Carolina dated Oct. 27, describing provincial deputies resolving not to drink tea, followed by an Edenton resolution dated Oct. 25, 1774, and a two-column list of signatures of 51 women, including Abigail Charlton, Mary Blount, and Elizabeth Johnston.Newspaper article

Primary source

Edenton Tea Party Resolves and 51 Signatures

16 January 1775

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