Catharine Maria Sedgwick was an American novelist of domestic fiction who became one of the most notable female novelists of her time. From the 1820s to the 1850s, she made a living writing short stories for a variety of periodicals, establishing herself as a significant literary figure in early American letters. Sedgwick's work was distinctive in its American settings and themes. She combined patriotism with protests against historic Puritan oppressiveness, and her detailed descriptions of nature contributed to the creation of a national literature. Her writing helped define what American fiction could be during a formative period. A notable aspect of Sedgwick's fiction was her creation of spirited heroines who did not conform to the stereotypical conduct expected of women in her time. Through her characters and narratives, she promoted Republican motherhood, offering her readers alternative models of womanhood and female agency.