Rebecca Dickinson

Marla Miller is a professor of history and director of the Public History Program at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. An award-winning author, Miller is best known for her essay on Rebecca Dickinson, My Part Alone," as well as the books The Needle's Eye: Women and Work in the Age of Revolution, and Betsy Ross and the Making of America.Series editor Carol Berkin is a well-known women's historian and the author of many popular and scholarly books, including Civil War Wives. She is Professor of History Emerita at the Graduate centre of the City University of New York, and she is a member of the Society of American Historians.

• SERIES EDITOR'S FOREWORD AUTHOR'S PREFACE : READING AN EIGHTEENTH-CENTURY DIARY Introduction: The Independence of Rebecca Dickinson 1 Origins and Awakenings 2 Entering the Female Economy 3 A World at War, a Soul at Peace 4 The Unraveling 5 Revolutionary Hatfield 6 Rebellion, Redux 7 Reproducing the Nation 8 Singlehood and the "Bar in the Way" 9 The "Most Dark and Puzzling Affair" 10 Twilight Conclusion: Remembering Independence Primary Sources STUDY QUESTIONS NOTES BIBLIOGRAPHIC ESSAY INDEX

"Miller makes good use of the documents Dickinson left behind, portraying her as an intelligent woman who knew what was at stake in the Revolution, who was drawn in to the cause, and who remained thoroughly independent till the end." --Publishers Weekly "Miller's weaving of the narrative of the American Revolution and its aftermath with the story of Dickinson's life is commendable ... It [is] well suited for use in general surveys of US history, women's history, or the era of the American Revolution. Readers with more general interests will simply enjoy the story of a women's interesting life in interesting times." --The Historian Praise for the Lives of American Women series "Finally! The majority of students--by which I mean women--will have the opportunity to read biographies of women from our nation's past. (Men can read them too, of course!) The 'Lives of American Women' series features an eclectic collection of books, readily accessible to students who will be able to see the contributions of women in many fields over the course of our history. Long overdue, these books will be a valuable resource for teachers, students, and the public at large." --Cokie Roberts, author of Founding Mothers and Ladies of Liberty "Just what any professor wants: books that will intrigue, inform, and fascinate students! These short, readable biographies of American women--specifically designed for classroom use--give instructors an appealing new option to assign to their history students." --Mary Beth Norton, Mary Donlon Alger Professor of American History, Cornell University "For educators keen to include women in the American story, but hampered by the lack of thoughtful, concise scholarship, here comes 'Lives of American Women,' embracing Abigail Adams's counsel to John--'remember the ladies.' And high time, too!" --Lesley S. Herrmann, Executive Director, The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History "These books are, above all, fascinating stories that will engage and inspire readers. They offer a glimpse into the lives of key women in history who either defied tradition or who successfully maneuvered in a man's world to make an impact. The stories of these vital contributors to American history deliver just the right formula for instructors looking to provide a more complicated and nuanced view of history." --Rosanne Lichatin, 2005 Gilder Lehrman Preserve America History Teacher of the Year