First published 2009
The wives, mothers, sisters, and daughters of America's founding fathers have remained largely invisible to history. Cokie Roberts corrects this oversight by examining the lives of women who proved equally vital to the nation's birth. She draws from personal letters, private diaries, and household records to reconstruct their experiences. These women defended their homes during wartime, managed businesses and plantations, and provided crucial support for the revolutionary cause. Roberts profiles figures like Abigail Adams, Mercy Otis Warren, Deborah Read Franklin, Eliza Pinckney, Catherine Littlefield Green, Esther DeBerdt Reed, and Martha Washington. Through their personal correspondence and daily activities, she demonstrates how these women fought for independence alongside their male counterparts. The book reveals both ordinary struggles and remarkable achievements, showing how women's contributions shaped the survival of the emerging nation. Roberts argues that without these exemplary women, America might not have endured its founding period.
Genres: biography, history, non-fiction, american-history
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: hidden-history, untold-stories
Period: 18th Century, American Revolution
384 pages · Kindle Edition · HarperCollins