Selected and edited by renowned women's historian Carol Berkin, these brief biographies are designed for use in undergraduate courses. Rather than a comprehensive approach, each biography focuses instead on a particular aspect of a women's life that is emblematic of her time, or which made her a pivotal figure in the era.

Table of Contents

• SERIES EDITOR'S FOREWORD
• AUTHOR'S PREFACE
• Introduction
• 1 A Triumphal Finish The Madisons Leave Washington
• 2 A Perfect Match Dolley and James Madison
• 3 “More Agreeable Hours” The Secretary of State Years
• 4 The Merry Affair Diplomatic Disunity
• 5 “A Perfect Palace” Dolley Creates the White House
• 6 “A Place to See and Be Seen” The Uses of the Drawing Room
• 7 The “Queen of Hearts” Dolley's Public Persona
• 8 “Mrs. Madison's War” Dolley's Role in the War of 1812
• 9 Washington Divided Dolley's Work for Unity Under Fire
• 10 “A More Perfect Union” The Madison Legacy
• Primary Sources: Making Your Own History
• STUDY QUESTIONS
• NOTES AND BIBLIOGRAPHY