HIS 341LEC—Social History of Women in the United States

This course will examine the history of women in colonial America and the U.S. through the 19th century. We will concentrate on social history, looking at how women of different races, ethnicities, classes, regions and ages experienced and shaped their daily lives under the constraints of a given era. Themes will include work, family relations, slavery, childbirth and motherhood, sexuality, and popular culture. We will also look at political issues, including changing notions of patriarchy, women’s legal status, the meaning of the American revolution for women, and women’s political activism in the abolition, temperance, and woman’s rights movements. The central questions will be: How can we understand these issues historically, and what relevance do they hold for more recent history and our own time. This course is the same as GGS 252, and course repeat rules will apply. Students should consult with their major department regarding any restrictions on their degree requirements. USH