This book will prove extremely helpful. I have always struggled teaching women’s
history because I need a consistent theme around which to build a narrative so
that everything will fit together.
Political history seemed to flow well with a narrative of its own, but I
lacked a good unifying theme for women’s history. The prevalence of coverture and the reaction
to it (especially combined with Wood’s telling of the prevalence of hierarchy) will
provide a good unifying them.
It covers all the phases of women’s history, not only because
it shows how Americans fit women into their society’s “chain of being,” but
also because it deals with not just women’s rights, but also women’s civic
responsibilities. Full citizenship requires
both rights and responsibilities, that’s a key insight.
By the way, does anyone know of a good—all-encompassing—book
like this for minorities and for labor unions?
I like how you mentioned the narrative both here and in class, Kevin. As I read all of these books, and discuss them further in class, I'm always thinking "Okay, how can I present this to 11th graders?" I think this could incorporate nicely into a specific unit, or keep it going as an ongoing theme throughout each portion of US History we cover in the classroom.
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