A review by ktrain3900
Founding Mothers & Fathers: Gendered Power and the Forming of American Society by Mary Beth Norton

challenging informative slow-paced

3.5

A bit dry and academic yet fascinating. I can see where others are coming from when they say that it feels repetitive at times, but I'm not sure there's a way to avoid this. The records from 350-400 years ago are limited primarily to court records and the writings of a handful of men, so the same or similar examples have to be used to discuss gendered matters of family, community, and state. I enjoyed reading of both people I knew (eg: Anne Hutchinson) and those I didn't (eg: Margaret Brent, Thomas(ine) Hall), and the Filmerian and Lockean worldviews that dictated their circumstances. One thing I love about history is learning that people are essentially the same over time; the Pinions might have their own reality TV show now. Additionally, there are lessons to be learned here of the dangers of relying too heavily on religion for law & order, or on religious men (or chiefly men) for leadership, that we'd do well to learn before we repeat these errors. I fear we've already started.