No Constitutional Right to Be Ladies

Women have been citizens of the United States as long as the Republic has existed, but their participation in citizenship has always differed from that of men. In this landmark book, Linda K. Kerber redefines women's history as one of obligations rather than rights. She begins during the Revolution, when married women did not have the same obligation as their husbands to be patriots, and ends in the present, when men and women still have different obligations to serve in the armed forces. In showing us that there is no right to be excused from the obligations of citizenship, Kerber suggests an invaluable new way of understanding the history of women in America -- and American history more generally. Copyright (C) Muze Inc. 2005. For personal use only. All rights reserved.