Reveals how the European travels of John and Abigail Adams helped define what it meant to be an American From 1778 to 1788, the Founding Father and later President John Adams lived in Europe as a diplomat. Joined by his wife, Abigail, in 1784, the two shared rich encounters with famous heads of the European royal courts, including the ill-fated King Louis XVI and Queen Marie-Antoinette, and the staid British Monarchs King George III and Queen Charlotte. In this engaging narrative, A View from Abroad takes us on the first full exploration of the Adams's lives abroad. Jeanne E. Abrams reveals how the journeys of John and Abigail Adams not only changed the course of their intellectual, political, and cultural development-transforming the couple from provincials to sophisticated world travelers-but most importantly served to strengthen their loyalty to America. Abrams shines a new light on how the Adamses and their American contemporaries set about supplanting their British origins with a new American identity. They and their fellow Americans grappled with how to reorder their society as the new nation took its place in the international transatlantic world. After just a short time abroad, Abigail maintained that, "My Heart and Soul is more American than ever. We are a family by ourselves." The Adamses' quest to define what it means to be an American, and the answers they discovered in their time abroad, still resonate with us to this day.

An engaging history of the role that George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Benjamin Franklin played in the origins of public health in America Before the advent of modern antibiotics, one's life could be abruptly shattered by contagion and death, and debility from infectious diseases and epidemics was commonplace for early Americans, regardless of social status. Concerns over health affected the founding fathers and their families as it did slaves, merchants, immigrants, and everyone else in North America. As both victims of illness and national leaders, the Founders occupied a unique position regarding the development of public health in America. Revolutionary Medicine refocuses the study of the lives of George and Martha Washington, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, John and Abigail Adams, and James and Dolley Madison away from the usual lens of politics to the unique perspective of sickness, health, and medicine in their era. For the founders, republican ideals fostered a reciprocal connection between individual health and the "health" of the nation. Studying the encounters of these American founders with illness and disease, as well as their viewpoints about good health, not only provides us with a richer and more nuanced insight into their lives, but also opens a window into the practice of medicine in the eighteenth century, which is at once intimate, personal, and first hand. Perhaps most importantly, today's American public health initiatives have their roots in the work of America's founders, for they recognized early on that government had compelling reasons to shoulder some new responsibilities with respect to ensuring the health and well-being of its citizenry. The state of medicine and public healthcare today is still a work in progress, but these founders played a significant role in beginning the conversation that shaped the contours of its development.

View the Table of Contents. Read the Introduction.

aAbramas path-breaking study is filled with remarkable stories, attesting to the fact that Jewish women played a prominent role in commerce, politics, education, the professions, and religious life.
--"Reform Judaism"

aRespected authority Abrams breaks new ground with this work broadly researched in newspapers, memoirs, correspondence, other archival materials, and a vast secondary literature.a
--"Choice"

aAbrams has written a sweeping, challenging, and provocative history of Jewish women in the American West. . . . Overall, Jewish Women is a pathbreaking work. . . . It is a fast and engrossing read. As a piece of scholarly writing it should be required reading in any course on the American West that seeks to broaden the definition of what it means to be a westerner.a
--"Colorado Book Review Center"

a[This book] is a landmark of scholarship in western womenas history.a
--"Oregon Historical Quarterly"

aReaders interested in a unique chapter in Jewish history will find this book a thoughtful and generally engaging read.a
--"The New Mexico Reader"

"Jeanne Abrams knows more than almost anybody else about Jewish women in the American west, and in this well-researched volume she shares that knowledge with her readers. This pioneering study pushes the frontier of Jewish women's history and broadens our understanding of the American Jewish experience as a whole."
--Jonathan D. Sarna, Joseph H. & Belle R. Braun Professor of American Jewish History and author of "American Judaism: A History"

aI donat normally give astarsa to a history book, but this one deserves a full five- both for its importantcontribution to the field of Jewish history, and also for Abramas enthralling narrative style that makes this book both a captivating and edifying text to read!a
--"History in Review"

"Jeanne Abrams' remarkable scholarly contribution stands at the intersection of American Jewish history, women's history, Western history and migration history. While others have written of women's lives in steamy urban tenements, no other volume conveys the variety of important roles that Jewish women played in the development of the American West and especially its Jewish communities. Abrams' thoughtful, clear analysis and eye for rich anecdote make her book at once a great read as well an essential addition to historians' bookshelves."
--Alan M. Kraut, Professor of History, American University, and author of "Goldberger's War: The Life and Work of a Public Health Crusader"

"This engaging and enlightening volume brings together two often neglected topics in the study of American Jews-the roles of women and of Jewish communities outside the Northeast. [Historian Jeanne] Abrams illuminates the experiences of these women and the ways in which they differed from those of Jewish women in other parts of the country. In so doing, she fills a significant gap in our understanding of the development of American Jewry."--Frederick Greenspahn, Gimelstob Eminent Scholar in Judaic Studies, Florida Atlantic University

The image of the West looms large in the American imagination. Yet the history of American Jewry-and particularly of American Jewish women--has been heavily weighted toward the East. Jewish Women Pioneering the Frontier Trail rectifies this omission as the first full book to trace the historyand contributions of Jewish women in the American West.

In many ways, the Jewish experience in the West was distinct. Given the still-forming social landscape, beginning with the 1848 Gold Rush, Jews were able to integrate more fully into local communities than they had in the East. Jewish women in the West took advantage of the unsettled nature of the region to "open new doors" for themselves in the public sphere in ways often not yet possible elsewhere in the country. Women were crucial to the survival of early communities, and made distinct contributions not only in shaping Jewish communal life but outside the Jewish community as well. Western Jewish women's level of involvement at the vanguard of social welfare and progressive reform, commerce, politics, and higher education and the professions is striking given their relatively small numbers.

This engaging work--full of stories from the memoirs and records of Jewish pioneer women--illuminates the pivotal role these women played in settling America's Western frontier.

How the three inaugural First Ladies defined the role for future generations, and carved a space for women in America America’s first First Ladies—Martha Washington, Abigail Adams, and Dolley Madison—had the challenging task of playing a pivotal role in defining the nature of the American presidency to a fledgling nation and to the world. In First Ladies of the Republic, Jeanne Abrams breaks new ground by examining their lives as a group. From their visions for the future of the burgeoning new nation and its political structure, to ideas about family life and matrimony, these three women had a profound influence on one another’s views as they created the new role of presidential spouse. Martha, Abigail and Dolley walked the fine line between bringing dignity to their lives as presidential wives, and supporting their husbands’ presidential agendas, while at the same time, distancing themselves from the behavior, customs and ceremonies that reflected the courtly styles of European royalty that were inimical to the values of the new republic. In the face of personal challenges, public scrutiny, and sometimes vocal criticism, they worked to project a persona that inspired approval and confidence, and helped burnish their husbands’ presidential reputations. The position of First Lady was not officially authorized or defined, and the place of women in society was more restricted than it is today. These capable and path-breaking women not only shaped their own roles as prominent Americans and “First Ladies,” but also defined a role for women in public and private life in America.

An engaging history of the role that George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Benjamin Franklin played in the origins of public health in America Before the advent of modern antibiotics, one's life could be abruptly shattered by contagion and death, and debility from infectious diseases and epidemics was commonplace for early Americans, regardless of social status. Concerns over health affected the founding fathers and their families as it did slaves, merchants, immigrants, and everyone else in North America. As both victims of illness and national leaders, the Founders occupied a unique position regarding the development of public health in America. Revolutionary Medicine refocuses the study of the lives of George and Martha Washington, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, John and Abigail Adams, and James and Dolley Madison away from the usual lens of politics to the unique perspective of sickness, health, and medicine in their era. For the founders, republican ideals fostered a reciprocal connection between individual health and the "health" of the nation. Studying the encounters of these American founders with illness and disease, as well as their viewpoints about good health, not only provides us with a richer and more nuanced insight into their lives, but also opens a window into the practice of medicine in the eighteenth century, which is at once intimate, personal, and first hand. Perhaps most importantly, today's American public health initiatives have their roots in the work of America's founders, for they recognized early on that government had compelling reasons to shoulder some new responsibilities with respect to ensuring the health and well-being of its citizenry. The state of medicine and public healthcare today is still a work in progress, but these founders played a significant role in beginning the conversation that shaped the contours of its development.

View the Table of Contents. Read the Introduction.

aAbramas path-breaking study is filled with remarkable stories, attesting to the fact that Jewish women played a prominent role in commerce, politics, education, the professions, and religious life.
--"Reform Judaism"

aRespected authority Abrams breaks new ground with this work broadly researched in newspapers, memoirs, correspondence, other archival materials, and a vast secondary literature.a
--"Choice"

aAbrams has written a sweeping, challenging, and provocative history of Jewish women in the American West. . . . Overall, Jewish Women is a pathbreaking work. . . . It is a fast and engrossing read. As a piece of scholarly writing it should be required reading in any course on the American West that seeks to broaden the definition of what it means to be a westerner.a
--"Colorado Book Review Center"

a[This book] is a landmark of scholarship in western womenas history.a
--"Oregon Historical Quarterly"

aReaders interested in a unique chapter in Jewish history will find this book a thoughtful and generally engaging read.a
--"The New Mexico Reader"

"Jeanne Abrams knows more than almost anybody else about Jewish women in the American west, and in this well-researched volume she shares that knowledge with her readers. This pioneering study pushes the frontier of Jewish women's history and broadens our understanding of the American Jewish experience as a whole."
--Jonathan D. Sarna, Joseph H. & Belle R. Braun Professor of American Jewish History and author of "American Judaism: A History"

aI donat normally give astarsa to a history book, but this one deserves a full five- both for its importantcontribution to the field of Jewish history, and also for Abramas enthralling narrative style that makes this book both a captivating and edifying text to read!a
--"History in Review"

"Jeanne Abrams' remarkable scholarly contribution stands at the intersection of American Jewish history, women's history, Western history and migration history. While others have written of women's lives in steamy urban tenements, no other volume conveys the variety of important roles that Jewish women played in the development of the American West and especially its Jewish communities. Abrams' thoughtful, clear analysis and eye for rich anecdote make her book at once a great read as well an essential addition to historians' bookshelves."
--Alan M. Kraut, Professor of History, American University, and author of "Goldberger's War: The Life and Work of a Public Health Crusader"

"This engaging and enlightening volume brings together two often neglected topics in the study of American Jews-the roles of women and of Jewish communities outside the Northeast. [Historian Jeanne] Abrams illuminates the experiences of these women and the ways in which they differed from those of Jewish women in other parts of the country. In so doing, she fills a significant gap in our understanding of the development of American Jewry."--Frederick Greenspahn, Gimelstob Eminent Scholar in Judaic Studies, Florida Atlantic University

The image of the West looms large in the American imagination. Yet the history of American Jewry-and particularly of American Jewish women--has been heavily weighted toward the East. Jewish Women Pioneering the Frontier Trail rectifies this omission as the first full book to trace the historyand contributions of Jewish women in the American West.

In many ways, the Jewish experience in the West was distinct. Given the still-forming social landscape, beginning with the 1848 Gold Rush, Jews were able to integrate more fully into local communities than they had in the East. Jewish women in the West took advantage of the unsettled nature of the region to "open new doors" for themselves in the public sphere in ways often not yet possible elsewhere in the country. Women were crucial to the survival of early communities, and made distinct contributions not only in shaping Jewish communal life but outside the Jewish community as well. Western Jewish women's level of involvement at the vanguard of social welfare and progressive reform, commerce, politics, and higher education and the professions is striking given their relatively small numbers.

This engaging work--full of stories from the memoirs and records of Jewish pioneer women--illuminates the pivotal role these women played in settling America's Western frontier.

Reveals how the European travels of John and Abigail Adams helped define what it meant to be an American From 1778 to 1788, the Founding Father and later President John Adams lived in Europe as a diplomat. Joined by his wife, Abigail, in 1784, the two shared rich encounters with famous heads of the European royal courts, including the ill-fated King Louis XVI and Queen Marie-Antoinette, and the staid British Monarchs King George III and Queen Charlotte. In this engaging narrative, A View from Abroad takes us on the first full exploration of the Adams’s lives abroad. Jeanne E. Abrams reveals how the journeys of John and Abigail Adams not only changed the course of their intellectual, political, and cultural development—transforming the couple from provincials to sophisticated world travelers—but most importantly served to strengthen their loyalty to America. Abrams shines a new light on how the Adamses and their American contemporaries set about supplanting their British origins with a new American identity. They and their fellow Americans grappled with how to reorder their society as the new nation took its place in the international transatlantic world. After just a short time abroad, Abigail maintained that, “My Heart and Soul is more American than ever. We are a family by ourselves.” The Adamses’ quest to define what it means to be an American, and the answers they discovered in their time abroad, still resonate with us to this day.

How the three inaugural First Ladies defined the role for future generations, and carved a space for women in America America's first First Ladies-Martha Washington, Abigail Adams, and Dolley Madison-had the challenging task of playing a pivotal role in defining the nature of the American presidency to a fledgling nation and to the world. In First Ladies of the Republic, Jeanne Abrams breaks new ground by examining their lives as a group. From their visions for the future of the burgeoning new nation and its political structure, to ideas about family life and matrimony, these three women had a profound influence on one another's views as they created the new role of presidential spouse. Martha, Abigail and Dolley walked the fine line between bringing dignity to their lives as presidential wives, and supporting their husbands' presidential agendas, while at the same time, distancing themselves from the behavior, customs and ceremonies that reflected the courtly styles of European royalty that were inimical to the values of the new republic. In the face of personal challenges, public scrutiny, and sometimes vocal criticism, they worked to project a persona that inspired approval and confidence, and helped burnish their husbands' presidential reputations. The position of First Lady was not officially authorized or defined, and the place of women in society was more restricted than it is today. These capable and path-breaking women not only shaped their own roles as prominent Americans and "First Ladies," but also defined a role for women in public and private life in America.