About the book
Many early-nineteenth-century slaveholders considered themselves “masters” not only over slaves, but also over the institutions of marriage and family. According to many historians, the privilege of mastery was reserved for white males. But as many as one in ten slaveholders — sometimes more — was a widow, and as Kirsten E. Wood demonstrates, slaveholding widows between the American Revolution and the Civil War developed their own version of mastery.
Because their husbands' wills and dower law often gave women authority over entire households, widowhood expanded both their domestic mandate and their public profile. They wielded direct power not only over slaves and children but also over white men — particularly sons, overseers, and debtors. After the Revolution, southern white men frequently regarded powerful widows as direct threats to their manhood and thus to the social order. By the antebellum decades, however, these women found support among male slaveholders who resisted the popular claim that all white men were by nature equal, regardless of wealth. Slaveholding widows enjoyed material, legal, and cultural resources to which most other southerners could only aspire. The ways in which they did — and did not — translate those resources into social, political, and economic power shed new light on the evolution of slaveholding society.
Editions of Masterful Women
- Hardcover
- ISBN 9780807828595
- Paperback
- ISBN 9780807855287
- EBook
- ISBN 9780807863770
- PDF
- ISBN 9798890877178
Read an Excerpt
Many early-nineteenth-century slaveholders considered themselves “masters” not only over slaves, but also over the institutions of marriage and family. According to many historians, the privilege of mastery was reserved for white males. But as many as one in ten slaveholders — sometimes more — was a widow, and as Kirsten E. Wood demonstrates, slaveholding widows between the American Revolution and the Civil War developed their own version of mastery.
Because their husbands' wills and dower law often gave women authority over entire households, widowhood expanded both their domestic mandate and their public profile. They wielded direct power not only over slaves and children but also over white men — particularly sons, overseers, and debtors. After the Revolution, southern white men frequently regarded powerful widows as direct threats to their manhood and thus to the social order. By the antebellum decades, however, these women found support among male slaveholders who resisted the popular claim that all white men were by nature equal, regardless of wealth. Slaveholding widows enjoyed material, legal, and cultural resources to which most other southerners could only aspire. The ways in which they did — and did not — translate those resources into social, political, and economic power shed new light on the evolution of slaveholding society.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Masterful Women about?
Many early-nineteenth-century slaveholders considered themselves “masters” not only over slaves, but also over the institutions of marriage and family. According to many historians, the privilege of mastery was reserved for white males. But as many as one in ten slaveholders — sometimes more — was a widow, and as Kirsten E. Wood demonstrates, slaveholding widows between the American Revolution and the Civil War developed their own version of mastery.
Because their husbands' wills and dower law often gave women authority over entire households, widowhood expanded both their domestic mandate and their public profile. They wielded direct power not only over slaves and children but also over white men — particularly sons, overseers, and debtors. After the Revolution, southern white men frequently regarded powerful widows as direct threats to their manhood and thus to the social order. By the antebellum decades, however, these women found support among male slaveholders who resisted the popular claim that all white men were by nature equal, regardless of wealth. Slaveholding widows enjoyed material, legal, and cultural resources to which most other southerners could only aspire. The ways in which they did — and did not — translate those resources into social, political, and economic power shed new light on the evolution of slaveholding society.
What core themes, tropes, or subjects are explored in Masterful Women?
Society and Social Sciences > Society and culture: general > Social groups, communities and identities > Gender studies, gender groups > Gender studies: women and girls
Where can I read a sample of Masterful Women?
You can read an official preview of the few pages here https://www.book2look.com/book/9780807828595
How long is Masterful Women and how many pages does it have?
Masterful Women has 304 page(s)
Is Masterful Women part of a series, and can it be read as a standalone?
Yes it is a part of series Gender and American Culture
Who is/are the Author/s of the book Masterful Women?
Kirsten E. Wood
What are the ISBN numbers for the physical and digital editions?
Masterful Women is available as hardcover(ISBN 9780807828595) and paperback(ISBN 9780807855287) and ebook(ISBN 9780807863770) and pdf(ISBN 9798890877178)
Where can I buy Masterful Women online or support local independent bookshops?
You can buy Masterful Women from below
Where can I buy Masterful Women?