Jump to ratings and reviews
Rate this book

Women's America: Refocusing the Past

Rate this book
This new edition of a widely-acclaimed anthology integrates the best of the extensive new scholarship in women's history with American history as a whole. Some sixty documents and articles--ranging from accounts of seventeenth-century obstetrical practices to an analysis of contemporary
feminism--are framed by a conceptually sophisticated yet accessible introduction that demonstrates how biology, economics, politics, and ideology interact in the rich, distinctive history of American women. The innovative second edition demonstrates with new force and vigor why gender has become a
powerful analytical device for those seeking to understand the past and present.

*Provides a comprehensive sampling of the best and most readable essays by renowned scholars of American women's history.
* Integrates original historical documents with articles by contemporary scholars on a wide range of topics
* Lists essential documents which relate past legal decisions to contemporary issues such as the Equal Rights Amendment, abortion, military draft for women, and economic equity and comparable worth
New to the second
* Nine new essays, four documents, and one legal case, included in light of consultation with more than two-dozen scholars and teachers who have used Women's America in their classrooms
* Updated and revised concluding essay by Jane De Hart-Mathews, presenting statistical data that constitute a startling reminder of major inequities that persist amidst the gains of recent decades
* Revised headnotes within the text and for nearly half of the "Essential Documents"
* Updated bibliography, containing more than one-third new entries, plus a listing of useful films

544 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1987

12 people are currently reading
221 people want to read

About the author

Linda K. Kerber

19 books19 followers
Linda Kerber is a professor of History and Law at the University of Iowa.

Ratings & Reviews

What do you think?
Rate this book

Friends & Following

Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!

Community Reviews

5 stars
62 (30%)
4 stars
78 (38%)
3 stars
48 (23%)
2 stars
11 (5%)
1 star
5 (2%)
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
Profile Image for Beth Francis.
39 reviews2 followers
March 16, 2015
I love Women's History, so I am a bit biased, but this was fantastic!
Profile Image for Ronnie Sievers.
155 reviews14 followers
Read
December 7, 2025
As always, counting textbooks as part of my yearly reading challenge is TIGHT!

Also I learned SO MUCH from this book so 10/10 would recommend
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews

Can't find what you're looking for?

Get help and learn more about the design.