Customer Reviews

Women of the Republic: Intellect and Ideology in Revolutionary America (Published for the Omohundro Institute of Early American Hist)

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First off- if you aren't interested in history, don't read this. It is a truly academic book, not light reading. However, if this subject matter interests you, it is really incredible. Too often do people forget that women were half of the population then as well as now, and their perspectives and evolved ideology during this era are discussed at length. Kerber hammers away at her analysis again and again, and really stresses the idea of "Republican Motherhood". This is the story of how women, who were denied rights as citizens and even as human beings to a large extent, invented a new role in the wake of a revolution that stressed the principles of equality and fair representation. This new role was a renewed purpose as mothers; suddenly women had a duty to become well-educated and emphasize virtue, in order to become fit enough to instill American values into patriotic sons. Obviously, this new ideal had its negatives and positives, and further set the stage for women's struggles to come. Kerber also focuses on the issues of divorce, coverture, and education. She uses as evidence a wide variety of case studies that fascinate and illuminate a period of time when many other history books seem to have forgotten women existed at all. Bravo, Kerber!

Kerber effectively demonstrates the limits of women's roles at the outset of the American Revolution and shows how these roles changed. For instance, Enlightenment thinkers, such as Rousseau, thought that women should be confined to politically passive domestic duties (a view which prevailed at the beginning of the Revolution). Kerber focuses on several women--Mercy Otis Warren, Abigail Adams and Mary Wollstonecraft--who exeplified politically active women that defied these 'Enlightenment' views. Though these women were the exception, they influenced other women that it was acceptible to be politically informed and still excell in their domestic duties. According to Kerber, this led to a political transformation of women's roles termed "Republican Motherhood," a concept that encouraged women to be informed politically and use their domestic influence to raise virtuous republican sons, and to politically influence brothers, husbands and fathers. This transformation from politically inactive domestic roles to active, Kerber argues, laid the foundation for the women's rights and abolitionist's movements.

It was listed as used in good condition. It was used but the condition was not that good. It still served it's purpose but was surprised at the condition compared to other used books I've purchased on Amazon.

personally i felt the book sucked, was long, boring, etc.

however, it is very well written, arguments are backed, etc. Kerber wrote a masterpeice if this subject interest you.

i only read it for class. so if your looking for some quick info about the book:

the main point of it is republican motherhood: the idea that women in the revolution could have a political influence, without being able to vote, by shaping the ideals and morals of their children, boys to vote and lead, and the girls to raise other good boys.

i would definately read the entire introduction 2 times as it overviews the whole book. the last 10 pages are worth reading too

I had to read this book for class. FREAKING BORING. the happiest day of the summer was the day i finished this book.