woman could consider the world, and not just her immediate home, as her household and object of concern. The need for women to work in behalf of this larger “home” helped to propel them into the public arena of reform and also to shape perceptions of what was acceptable for women. As in other eras, women were largely defined by the home, so it was an essential component of their identity. However, enlarging this understanding of “home” provided a compelling justification, indeed an obligation, for women’s involvement in larger social issues.
