A concise synthesis of the early years of the women 's rights movement, 1828 1876, showing how early feminists wanted a complete rethinking of what womanhood meant, and how their concerns resembled the revived feminism of the 1970s. American Ways Series.

Part 1 Preface vii Part 2 THE WOMAN QUESTION 3 Chapter 3 A post-Revolutionary settlement: separate spheres. Ambiguous relations of eductation, reform, and feminism. Some activist defenders of woman's sphere: Emma Willard, Catharine Beecher, Sarah J. Hale. A radical stream of equal rights: Frances Wright, Robert Part 4 CHALLENGING ROLES, ASSERTING RIGHTS 28 Chapter 5 Claiming the right to speak: Maria Stuart, the Grimké sisters. Antislavery and feminism. A schoolgirl debate on women's rights. Raising the counsciousness of middle-class women. Margaret Fuller and self-development. Part 6 LAUNCHING A MOVEMENT: SENECA FALLS AND AFTER 53 Chapter 7 Seneca Falls Convention of 1848. Organizational structures of social movements. Susan B. Anthony. Importance of the "public sphere." The conventions. Men in the movement. The press and the movement. Fears of role reversal. Feminist dress and the bloomer c Part 8 DIAGNOSING THE PROBLEM: WHAT DID WOMEN WANT? 84 Chapter 9 Some characteristics of the movement, its leaders and constituency. Sojourner Truth. Attraction to "New Age" movements. Motivation. Goals of the movement. Self-development and independence. Importance of work. Individualism and rights. The right to vote. Part 10 ENDINGS AND BEGINNINGS 116 Chapter 11 The women's rights movement, the Civil War, and postwar reconstruction. Disputes over priorities. Women and the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments. Failed Kansas campaign and founding of the Revolution. Abortive attempts at alliance with labor. New Part 12 SEX AND SUFFRAGE 148 Chapter 13 The divorce question again. Candy Stanton and issues of sexuality, birth control, and abortion. Victoria Woodhull and free love. Constitutionalism and the "New Departure." Facing new opponents. The arguments from science. New rivals for the loyalty of Ame Part 14 CENTENNIAL: THE WOMEN'S MOVEMENT IN 1876 180 Chapter 15 American feminists contemplate how to celebrate 1776. The Women's Declaration of Rights. Part 16 A Note on Sources 187 Part 17 Appendix: Declaration of Sentiments, 1848 199 Part 18 Index 203