First ladies have been skimmed over many time by history. While in most books, classes, and documentaries we see the president, we have been missing a large deciding factor in many president’s decisions: their wives. They are not only the public figures of the president, but also the ones that consult the president, and in some cases, guide the president on the correct, or incorrect, pathway. As an example of the many interesting and extraordinary things that have been skimmed over in history, I will be sharing with the reader the impact of Julia Grant, Helen “Nellie” Taft, and Florence Harding on American History as we know it. To begin, Julia Dent, later known as Julia Grant, was born in St. Louis, Missouri, but had spent a large …show more content…
During the Civil War, Julia Grant would not see her husband very often. Because of this constant separation, Julia Grant did something very unexpected: She would visit Ulysses Grant at battle sites. Not only would she visit him, but she would bring a slave along with her as an escort for many of the battles(First Ladies Influence Grant). With the constant thoughts of Julia, Ulysses Grant was determined to excel in his military career. As the Civil War raged on, Ulysses continued to fight as hard as he could, eventually leading to him being in command of the Union Army where he is most well known for being in charge when the Confederacy surrendered. This was the moment that Ulysses Grant was destined for great things, such as the presidency. In 1868, Ulysses Grant was nominated by the Republican party for the presidency, and there was not a doubt in Julia Grant’s mind that he would win. There was no open campaigning for Ulysses because most people would come to his home, where Julia Grant would open the doors to them and serve them like family. The road to becoming First Lady for Julia Grant was completed when Ulysses Grant came home on election night saying “I am afraid I am elected”(First Lady Biography …show more content…
Few embraced the unique, national status that came with being married to the President of the United States, but Julia Grant was not one of them. She saw herself as the “Hostess of the Nation” and to this she did not disappoint(First Ladies Influence Grant). Julia Grant was known to attend Senate hearings, read through the president’s mail, and meet with various cabinet members, senators, justices, and diplomats(Julia Dent Grant). She lavishly entertained any and all that would come to the White House. Julia Grant developed the “symbolic house of the Grant’s” by having a family portrait put into the White House as soon as they moved in(First Ladies Influence Grant). Although being First Lady came a lot of limelight and responsibility, Julia Grant found a way to love it no matter what. She is known for constantly saying that her eight years in the White House were the best years of her life. Her lifestyle, clothing, and appearance were constantly reported in the media. She brought the happiness and joy back into the White House after years of gloom from the Civil War(Presidential Power). Not only is she known for her exquisite entertainment in the White House, but she was characterized as much more of a “go-getter” than the more well-known, previous First Lady Mary Todd Lincoln. Mary Lincoln was a First Lady who would wait for others to come to here, whereas
The “Colonial Williamsburg” website gave an overview of how the American Revolution has shaped our world today. The website included information over the life, clothing, people, and even the Colonial Williamsburg Garden. I found four different factors from the website that were quite interesting during the time of the American Revolution. The first factor involved the experiences of life during the American Revolution.
Grant was a very prominent figure of the time period and led the Union to victory and helped heal the fractured United States afterward. General Grant began his military career at West Point when he was just sixteen. He was top of his class and when he graduated, he began his four years of service and went into combat in the Mexican-American War. He was promoted to captain as a result of his bravery during the war. After this, his four-year commitment to the army was up, he left and did not expect to come back.
Paul Rutan III Hist 370 Book Review #2 05-01-2015 "American Queen: The Rise and Fall of Kate Chase Sprague, Civil War 'Belle of the North' and Gilded Age Woman of Scandal" by John Oller; Da Capo Press “American queen” by John Oller chronicles the life and times of Kate Chase Sprague (1840-1899) a political socialite who, at a time when women were to be seen and not heard, became one of the most influential women in American politics than any woman before. For nearly two decades Kate reigned, as “Queen of Washington”. Her reign would end with a sex scandal that would rock the U.S Capital. The scandal would force Kate out of the political spotlight and into a life of poverty.
Abigail Adams Table of Contents ∞ Introduction ∞ Who is Abigail Adams? ∞ Her Place In the Daughters Of Liberty ∞
She became well-known among the American people. She once noted while passing a crowd, “Wherever I passed, I received a marked notice of bows…in short we are now wonderfully
A.Introduction:History of the United States has numerous remarkable ladies who have rolled out critical improvements in women’s life. Two of such ladies were Eleanor Roosevelt Margaret Sanger and they lived roughly in the meantime. They both contributed immensely to change the women’s lives, roles and position them equally with men. Eleanor Roosevelt was born in 1884 in New York. Despite the fact that she was born in a wealthy family, her adolescence was miserable.
More so, with political functions is where high -class women really rose. Dolley Madison was known to many as the ‘presidentress’ throughout America for her balancing role between queenliness and republican openness. When it came to women on top of the social class, they were able to work their class into gaining some part into the political process. Women like
Abigail also had her father’s library at her dispense and read many books from it. He helped her immensely by educating her. Mercy Otis Warren was another person who helped her. About Mercy, Thomas Jefferson said, “I have long possessed evidence of her high station in the ranks of genius.” Abigail was among her group of friends, as was the first First Lady, Martha Washington.
Dolley Madison will always be remembered for her generous hospitality, kind words, and powerful influence in her role as First Lady of the United States of America. Her lack of formal education did not detract from her intelligence in the least, being clever, sensible, and acute. She is noted for her impact on the role of future First Ladies, often referred to as “the first First Lady”. Although she was much younger than her husband President James Madison, the two had an extremely stable marriage; correspondence between them proves this. Throughout her life, Dolley Madison was beloved by the American people.
In history, people most often associate important figures with men. However, what most do not realize is that women have had a major impact on the history of America. If it had not been for some of the women in history, America would not be the amazing nation it has grown to be. What is hidden behind the mysterious curtains of history is the amazing women who have shaped it. One of these amazing women went by the name of Anne Marbury Hutchinson.
In her book, ‘A Midwife’s Tale’, Laurel Thatcher Ulrich explores the social position of women in society and the subsequent change in their roles in early American society by studying the life of Martha Ballard. In her book, she questions the impact that the Revolutionary War and the independence of the United States of America had on the lives of American women like Martha Ballard. Martha’s apathy toward politics, her silence of gender inequality of that time and her continuous focus on her daily routine to earn for her family demonstrate that Martha Ballard’s identity of being a colonial goodwife remained unchanged economically, politically and socially by the Revolution and the decades that followed. From 1785 to 1812, Martha Ballard tirelessly
The categories I used in this essay are women’s role in the economy and women’s rank in society, religion and politics. The Chesapeake was different from English standards which led to an “unstable environment for the women and thus led to ambiguous gender roles for women in the Chesapeake” (6). The life expectancy was low within the Chesapeake, especially for women and children. The men lived longer than the women because women were vulnerable to diseases during pregnancy (7). Compared to English society, the Chesapeake families lacked everyday tools which made kitchen work difficult and more time consuming.
Throughout the Revolutionary War, the men now known as the Founding Fathers or Sons of Liberty were regarded as superstars and icons. Meanwhile, the women of the time period played a behind the scenes role that ultimately led to the success of the colonists just as much as the men’s actions did. Perhaps the most famous of these women was Elizabeth Griscom, also known as Betsy Ross. She lived a life of fulfillment and her support for the colonies never wavered; she was a force to be reckoned with. Through her contributions concerning the nation’s flag and her involvement with the patriotic Free Quakers, she has become the poster woman of the American Revolution.
In his exclusive essay for Glamour, titled “President Obama Says, “This Is What a Feminist Looks Like”, former president Barack Obama shares his views as a feminist, as well as how it has impacted his life as a son, husband, father, and president. He states how growing up with a single mother, supporting his wife, and raising two daughters has inspired and formed his views as a feminist. Throughout his life, he has seen the progress of women’s role in society enhance over time and he claims that right now is an “extraordinary time to be a woman”. Though there is still room for improvement on women 's rights, our country has made great progress in the act of women’s rights, according to Obama. During his presidency, he admits that he was working on creating policies to further the equality of women and their rights.
Traditionally women were limited from political participation and primarily performed the women’s role in the home (Nelson, 2008). However, during and after the war of 1812, the women supported the men emotionally, politically and physically by running the family business and performing other duties typically performed by men. Duties entailed shipping supplies, planting and harvesting crops, and even manufacturing. The social and cultural views of women during the war of 1812 began to shift, in part credited to the political skills of Dolley Madison. Dolley’s political power and involvement changed the minds of American politicians from abandoning the charred remains Washington DC, for “higher ground”, instead the decision was made to rebuild