American Women's History: A Very Short Introduction

Very Short Introductions #422

by Susan Ware

In 1607, Powhatan teenager Pocahontas first encountered English settlers when John Smith was brought to her village as a captive. In 1920, the ratification of the 19th Amendment gave women the constitutional right to vote. And in 2012, the U.S. Marine Corps lifted its ban on women in active combat, allowing female marines to join the sisterhood of American women who stand at the center of this country's history. Between each of these signal points runs the multi-layered experience of American women, from pre-colonization to the present.

In American Women's A Very Short Introduction Susan Ware emphasizes the richly diverse experiences of American women as they were shaped by factors such as race, class, religion, geographical location, age, and sexual orientation. The book begins with a comprehensive look at early America, with gender at the center, making it clear that women's experiences were not always the same as men's, and looking at the colonizers as well as the colonized, along with issues of settlement, slavery, and regional variations. She shows how women's domestic and waged labor shaped the Northern economy, and how slavery affected the lives of both free and enslaved Southern women. Ware then moves through the tumultuous decades of industrialization and urbanization, describing the 19th century movements led by women (temperance, moral reform, and abolitionism), She links women's experiences to the familiar events of the Civil War, the Progressive Era, and World War I, culminating in 20th century
female activism for civil rights and successive waves of feminism.

Ware explores the major transformations in women's history, with attention to a wide range of themes from political activism to popular culture, the work force and the family. From Anne Bradstreet to Ida B. Wells to Eleanor Roosevelt, this Very Short Introduction recognizes women as a force in American history and, more importantly, tells women's history as American history. At the core of Ware's narrative is the recognition that gender - the changing historical and cultural constructions of roles assigned to the biological differences of the sexes - is central to understanding the history of American women's lives, and to the history of the United States.

ABOUT THE The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Feminism, Womens, Politics, Textbooks, School

160 pages, Paperback

First published November 26, 2014

About the author

Susan Ware, celebrated feminist historian and biographer, is the author of American Women’s History: A Very Short Introduction and Letter to the World: Seven Women Who Shaped the American Century, among other books. She is the editor of American Women’s Suffrage: Voices from the Long Struggle for the Vote, 1776–1965 and is Honorary Women’s Suffrage Centennial Historian at Radcliffe’s Schlesinger Library.

Reviews

[Kathi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I needed to read American Women's History: A Very Short Introduction by Susan Ware for the American Culture course at university. The book is basically about what the title says. It tells the story of American Women throughout history. You also get a good overview of historic events in America and the World. Beside women the author also talks about family and several important women of American history are introduced.

I really enjoyed reading this book. It is nice to get to know a lot about women's history. I liked that the book started right of with Pocahontas and witches. Two topics I really like. But also the other chapters were so informative. I learned a lot. I liked that woman of all skin colors and origins were mentioned in this book. There were chapters about Feminism and not only white feminism but also black and Chicana feminism. I got introduced to a lot of incredible women who did a lot for women's rights.

Even though this is a very short book, it is super informative. I enjoyed reading it and I learned a lot from it. I'm glad I needed to read it for university.

[Peter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Biographer Susan Ware wrote American Women History: A Very Short Introduction. I read the edition published in 2015, so the book is older. I read the book on my Kindle. The book has illustrations. The book has a section of references. The book has a section entitled “further reading” (Ware 125-128). The book does an excellent job of showing the diversity of the different life experiences of American women throughout American history. The book relies heavily on biography. Each section starts with a biography of a distinct historical American woman that illustrates themes of that era. There are other biographies sprinkled throughout the book. The book introduces the themes of women's history. The book is divided into four eras. The first chapter covered the history of “North American Women until 1750” (Ware 3). The second chapter covers women's history in the United States from 1750 until 1848. 1848 was the year of the Seneca Falls convention in New York States. Ware writes, “The Seneca Falls convention of 1848 was not the first conference ever held on the question of women’s rights, but it has assumed a preeminent place in the history of feminism” (Ware 48). The third chapter examines the history of American women from 1848 until the passage of the 19th Amendment in 1920. The fourth chapter examines the history of American women from 1920 until 2015. The book has an index. Ware’s book on American Women’s History was a well-done but older introduction to the history of American Women.

[rory horowitz · Rating 5 out of 5]

American Women's History: A Very Short Introduction is, as the title suggests, a concise summary of the history of women in America. The book does not focus on just one group of women; instead, the text has been written so that women of every race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status are included and referenced. I found this an enjoyable read.

[Samantha Penrose · Rating 2 out of 5]

Note
A VERY SHORT INTRODUCTION

[Deke Moulton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Truly a great “Very short introduction” that was wonderfully diverse given its short length.

[Sandra Oldfield · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great summary and on any page you could expand what you choose to read about and learn a great deal more

[Autumn Kelly · Rating 2 out of 5]

where is the structure 🤨 why is every chapter somehow about the civil war hello??

[Twila Newey · Rating 4 out of 5]

118pp. I highly recommend this one. It is digestible, covers differences in women's experience across social class and race. It addresses both the impact of the day to day life of ordinary women and women who challenged societal expectations. It also describes shifts in women's roles, the widening and shrinking of "the woman's sphere" over the course of this country's history. The overview has shown me where I'm interested in reading more deeply #twilareads2017

[Alahamamra · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's a great short-but-comprehensive introduction to American women's history. It views women's struggle for gender equality from the lens of class and race. All landmark events in American history are rewritten with women included in the story. I love this book. Also, the bibliography is amazing for further readings :)

[Jared · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a well-written, concise summary of women in American history. I purchased the book because I wanted to learn more about the contributions of people and groups who are often left out of the textbooks and this gave me numerous things to discuss with my students as I learned it and to find specific people I’d like to investigate at a much deeper level.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

This actually does a remarkable good job of covering a lot of ground very clearly and succinctly, without over simplifying. In particular, Ware pays a lot of attention to the diversity of women's experiences (race, class, etc.), while still holding on to a clear through-line.

[Jesse Richards · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the better Short Introductions. A little dry, but gets the job done very clearly.

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a good short read! :)