On July 4; 1796; a group of women gathered in York; Pennsylvania; to celebrate the twentieth anniversary of American independence. They drank tea and toasted the Revolution; the Constitution; and; finally; the rights of women. This event would have been unheard of thirty years before; but a popular political culture developed after the war in which women were actively involved; despite the fact that they could not vote or hold political office. This newfound atmosphere not only provided women with opportunities to celebrate national occasions outside the home but also enabled them to conceive of possessing specific rights in the young republic and to demand those rights in very public ways.Susan Branson examines the avenues through which women's presence became central to the competition for control of the nation's political life and; despite attempts to quell the emerging power of women—typified by William Cobbett's derogatory label of politically active women as "these fiery Frenchified dames"—demonstrates that the social; political; and intellectual ideas regarding women in the post-Revolutionary era contributed to a more significant change in women's public lives than most historians have recognized.As an early capital of the United States; the leading publishing center; and the largest and most cosmopolitan city in America during the eighteenth century; Philadelphia exerted a considerable influence on national politics; society; and culture. It was in Philadelphia that the Federalists and Democratic Republicans first struggled for America's political future; with women's involvement critical to the outcome of their heated partisan debates. Middle and upper-class women of Philadelphia were able to achieve a greater share in the culture and politics of the new nation through several key developments; including theaters and salons that were revitalized following the war; allowing women to intermingle and participate in political discussions; and the wider availability of national and international writings; particularly those that described women's involvement in the French Revolution—perhaps the most important and controversial historical event in the early development of American women's political consciousness.Given these circumstances; Branson argues; American women were able to create new more active social and political roles for themselves that brought them out of the home and into the public sphere. Although excluded from the formal political arenas of voting and lawmaking; American women in the Age of Revolution nevertheless thought and acted politically and were able to make their presence and opinions known to the benefit of a young nation.
#1357661 in Books Stackpole Books 2008-04-16Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 9.02 x .46 x 5.95l; .81 #File Name: 0811734838208 pages
Review
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. A good read. Not a classic but very informative.By CustomerThe book by its very nature could not go into the deep thoughts of each subject of the separate short stories; however it served its intended purpose. The first part of the book concentrated on the working intricacies of the T 34 tank. I found that very interesting. Then the short stories of the individual tankers began.I found it well written and had fewer of the translational discrepancies I've noticed in other books written by Russian tankers. I really appreciated that.I'm always amazed at the battles Russian takers fought not only with the Germans but also their own superiors who placed such little value on the lives of their own men. The tank commanders lived in constant fear of being burned to death or making a mistake that could cost them a trip to a Russian penal unit. I also was surprised that the Russians tankers in the interviews were not as hateful as some others I've read about towards German POW's. To hear the Germans tell it; the Russians raped every female in sight and killed every prisoner; but that wasn't the case. There were compassionate people on both sides even under such horrific circumstances.This is a good book. I enjoyed reading the Russians always mistrusted their own tank commanders on tank kills; so they divided the kills by two every time the report was passed up the line.It gave a good accounting of the Russian way of life at the front; their daily grind; and their almost indifference to impending death.1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Cutting edge of the Red ArmyBy Stephen NormanThe T-34 tank is usually considered the best all around armored fighting vehicle of the second world war (although fans of the Panther and Tiger would strongly disagree.) This book takes a look at the combat experiences of T-34 commanders and crew. Their experiences are by no means uniform. As a rule; for example; tank drivers were chosen from men who had prior experience with trucks and tractors. Tank commanders usually had the most experience and were sent to special schools to learn armored tactics and command of tank squads;platoons and companies. One of the ways the red army created crew unity was to have them actually work in a tank factory usually assembling the very tank they would use in combat. Quality control under wartime conditions usually went out the window. One example were the tanks produced at the tractor factory at Stalingrad; as a rule they had steel road wheels and tracks due to rubber shortages. The crews disliked them as they were incredibly noisy and announced their presence to the Germans well ahead of time. The tank crews of the red army led a darwinian existence; they learned to move constantly;fire while moving;use of camoflage and digging in their vehicles when halted. The ones who didn't learn fast enough didn't last long. This book gives you an inside the tank view of these men and is a welcome addition to eastern front literature. There are maps of various small unit actions and a photo section with pictures of the men who relate their stories.1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Interesting HistoryBy TimTheGrimIf you're into tanks; the T-34 is a legend but most of what you hear about is Panzers and Shermans. This book gives the T-34 it's just due and includes some important insight into the minds of those who fought in defense of Mother Russia. I enjoyed it. Hope you do too.
